Treat mom to flowers at the Gardens! On Mother’s Day, we offer free admission for all mothers. Advance online reservations are required.
Sunday, May 10
Maine Days
Calling Maine residents! Visit the Gardens at no cost during our annual Maine Days. Tickets will be available online two weeks before the event. A Maine State ID or driver’s license that matches your reservation address will be required for entry.
Friday, May 29–Sunday, May 31
Plein Air Days
Artists—pack your easels, paints, brushes and pencils and make art in a beautiful garden setting during our annual free Plein Air Days! Advance online reservations are required.
Friday, June 12–Monday, June 15
Father’s Day
Get dad outside on the trails at the Gardens! On Father’s Day, we’re offering free admission for all dads. Advance online reservations are required.
Sunday, June 21
Get Ready for the 2026 Season
We will be open for the regular season May 1–October 18. The Gardens is open daily, rain or shine, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Save $4 per person when you purchase tickets in advance online.
Adults: $28 online | $32 in-person
Seniors & Veterans: $24 online | $28 in-person
Students (18+ with Student ID): $19 online and in-person
Children (3–17): $12 online | $16 in-person
Children under 3: Free
Members: Free
Join one of our complimentary daily tours at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. Discover garden highlights and history, learn more about amazing native plants, or enjoy a guided walk that brings the Trolls to life—perfect for first-time visitors and returning guests alike. Hikes explore the gardens and the trails. Pre-registration is recommended.
Advancing Our Mission Alongside
Institutional Partners
Across the United States, there is a network of institutions working together to conserve plants and protect natural areas. This network includes botanical gardens like ours, state and federal agencies, and conservation organizations.
In September of 2025, our President and CEO, Gretchen Ostherr, was invited to join the Center for Plant Conservation’s board of directors. The Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) provides a network to “safeguard rare plants by advancing science-based conservation practices, connecting and empowering plant conservationists, and inspiring all to protect biodiversity for future generations.” We are excited to play a more active role in supporting plant conservation in the United States through our support of the CPC.
As we grow our conservation team, we hope to have a greater impact in our field. With a state-of-the-art Horticulture and Plant Science facility currently under construction, the Gardens is poised to become a leader in plant conservation science.
Some of the plant conservation work we are doing in collaboration with the CPC or other partners includes:
National Plant Collection: The CPC maintains a collection of more than 2,660 of America’s most imperiled native plants through its network of worldclass botanical gardens. Its 82 Institutional Conservation Partners safeguard endangered plant material in ex situ
botanical collections, including seed banks, nurseries, and garden displays. The National Collection supports reintroduction or restoration in case a species experiences severe population declines, is at risk of extirpation, or no longer reproduces in the wild. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens safeguards eight rare plant species in the National Collections, including the New England blazing star.
Conservation Assessment of Maine’s Flora: Working with the Maine Natural Areas Program, we are conducting a conservation assessment for all of Maine’s native plants to help understand which are the most vulnerable to extirpation or loss. Our assessment will include state-level conservation ranks for each species, ranging from Critically Imperiled to Secure ; recommended additions to the Endangered and Threatened plant list of Maine; and the first formal Needs Assessment List for Maine plants.
Plant migration: With our collaborators, we research how best to assist plant species that may face difficulties in rapidly migrating to new environments in a changing climate. Our team also prioritizes conserving genetic diversity of native plant populations at their range margins in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. These populations are critically important to the northward expansion of species as the climate warms.
As we expand our work and our team in partnership with organizations like the CPC, we look forward to the collective work we can do to promote plant conservation.
New England blazing star (Liatris novae-angliae) is one of the numerous rare plants the Gardens safeguards.
ABuilding Into the Future
By Gretchen Ostherr, President and CEO
fter a cold and snowy winter, we’ve been looking forward to this spring even more than usual. Since Gardens Aglow closed in early January, we have been busy making plans for another wonderful season at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and we can’t wait to share them with you.
In August of 2025, we broke ground on the Edward and Gwendolyn Asplundh Horticulture and Plant Science Center. Despite the winter’s challenging weather, we’ve made great progress. While the work will continue until early 2027, you will notice significant changes to the area at the top of the parking lot on your next visit.
In addition to physical growth, I’m excited to share that we’ve been building out our Plant Science team. With the addition of several roles
focused on plant conservation, we will be able to implement our strategic plan imperative of Advancing Plant Science and Conservation through research, seed banking, and forging alliances with nonprofit and government partners to develop plant conservation plans with land stewards.
Our multi-year Garden Refresh project continues this year with the replacement of the arbor in the Arbor Garden. After twenty years in Maine’s unforgiving weather, our Douglas Fir arbor is rotting at the joints. You can read more about the plans on page 8.
As always, we have a packed slate of classes and programs throughout the season. Maine-based and internationally recognized photographer and author Cig Harvey is our 16th Annual Ina & Lewis Heafitz Endowed Lecture Series speaker. This free event always sells out, so you will want to secure your tickets
quickly. Classes can be found on pages 12 to 15.
Over the years, we’ve heard a lot of feedback about our online purchasing experience—know that we have felt your pain. This winter, we undertook a complete overhaul of ticket buying, class registration, and the online Gardenshop experience. In the process, we ensured that you, our guests, were at the center of the improvements. We think you’re going to love how easy it is to browse classes and events, select beautiful local hand-crafted gifts, and see your ticket ordering history in your account. We welcome your feedback in your next post-visit survey.
We know there is a lot going on in the world, and we want to reassure you that we remain steadfast in our mission to inspire meaningful connections between all people and nature and to promote plant conservation through horticulture, education, and plant science.
We invite you to join us in the serenity of nature at your Maine Gardens.
Grow Your Connection to the Gardens: Become a Member
With packages starting at $70, membership includes year-round benefits like:
Unlimited free admission between May 1 and October 18
Exclusive Member Insider Tours
Tranquil, members-only hours
10% off purchases at Gardenshop and in all culinary outlets
Special member pricing on events and educational programs
Free guest passes
Reciprocal admission to 380+ gardens and arboretums
Pre-sale access and discounts on Gardens Aglow tickets
Members Photography Club
Join fellow members for two glorious hours of morning light before the gates open to the general public and venture out to capture the flora and fauna of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. $32, members only.
Every other Thursday, May 21 through October 8 | 7–9 a.m.
Join today and make the most of every season!
Member Insider Tours
From popular bird walks and exploration of our rarer plants to venturing into the world of bugs, we have a robust set of Member Insider Tours lined up—and as always, they are free with your membership. Registration is required, and events do sell out. To secure your spot, visit our website.
Early Morning Bird Walk
Join us for a guided walk during peak spring migration. This early morning tour explores the Gardens and back trails before the grounds grow busy. Open to all skill levels; binoculars recommended.
May 6 & 28 | 7–8:30 a.m.
Rare and Interesting Plants: Spring Edition
Tour the Gardens with a plant scientist as they highlight a curated selection of rare and distinctive plants. Learn what makes each specimen unique and how they contribute to their landscapes.
June 3 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Member Evenings
Join us on select evenings when the Gardens stays open late just for members. Stroll in the evening light from 5–7:30 p.m., and feel free to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy along the way. Free, for members only.
June 11 & 25, July 8 & 25, August 6 & 20 | 5-7:30 p.m.
NEW Member Mornings
Back by popular demand, experience the Gardens under the gentle morning sun. Beginning at 8 a.m., members enjoy exclusive early access and a peaceful stroll as the grounds come to life in the morning light. Free, for members only.
June 7 & 21, July 5 &19, August 2 & 16 | 8–9 a.m.
Indigo Arts Alliance Sculpture Tour
Join us for a guided tour of four installations created in partnership with Indigo Arts Alliance. Explore Deconstructing the Boundaries and the cultural narratives reflected in each sculpture.
June 23 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Insect Walk and Talk
Discover the vital role insects play in sustaining healthy ecosystems. Led by our entomologist, learn about beneficial insects and the challenges they face.
July 14 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Ledge and Meadow Garden Refresh
Tour the newly refreshed Ledge and Meadow Garden and learn about updates to the space and what’s planned for its evolution.
July 30 | 10-11:30 a.m.
Three Sisters Garden Tour
Developed in collaboration with Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, learn about the Three Sisters Garden and its example of traditional Indigenous planting of corn, beans, and squash, and the values of reciprocity and wellness embedded in this practice.
August 12 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Rare and Interesting Plants: Summer Edition
Join our summer exploration of rare and remarkable plants throughout the Gardens. Discover distinctive species and the ecological roles they play in the landscape.
August 25 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Renewing the Arbor
The Arbor Garden is one of the original garden spaces at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens—and like the rest of our campus, it has grown and changed over time. First created in 2006, The Arbor Garden blends semi-formal design with naturalistic features. It showcases a wide range of perennials and invites visitors to slow down, wander, and discover new and creative plant combinations. Its pathways and tucked-away seating areas create moments of quiet within a busy day—an experience many guests return to year after year. And for dozens of couples, the center of the arbor is a very special spot—it’s where they got engaged! Every year during Gardens Aglow, we hear from excited partners with big
plans and rings in hand, and the Arbor is always the spot they choose.
For the early garden spaces that have reached peak maturity, we are at the stage where it is time for us to consider their next chapter. We start that process with the following questions:
What role does this garden play for visitors today?
How can we design landscapes and structures to last for the next 20–30 years?
How do we adapt as our visitation and the climate continue to change?
A rendering of the new cedar structure by Rulo Timberworks of New Gloucester, ME.
With these questions in mind, this year we’ll begin the first phase of refreshing the Arbor Garden. Due to rot in the original Douglas Fir structure, we will undertake a complete arbor rebuild in the late spring. The new arbor will intentionally mimic the original design, drawing inspiration from classic New England post-and-beam construction—but this structure will be made of hardy cedar. Additional crosspieces will create more shade below the wings of the structure, an increasingly important feature as our summers have gotten warmer. Later, new seating will be added along both sides of the arbor, carefully placed near garden beds so pathways remain clear. These design updates will preserve the secluded, intimate feel that makes the Arbor Garden so beloved while bringing it into the future and meeting the needs of our guests.
Looking ahead, two additional phases of this garden refresh will address planting beds and pathway shapes, as well as how the Arbor Garden connects and interacts with surrounding spaces. These updates will be phased over several years to reduce disruptions to our visitors during the busy summer season. As part of this long-term evolution, future plantings will increasingly incorporate wild-type and ecoregionally native species, supporting both conservation goals and a resilient, vibrant garden experience for years to come.
Meet the New Horticulture Director
We are delighted to welcome Christopher Elenstar as our new Horticulture Director. This role is pivotal in shaping the beauty, health, and future of the landscapes our visitors enjoy every day. Christopher brings more than two decades of experience in horticulture and public garden leadership—most recently at Brookside Gardens in Maryland, following leadership roles at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Bok Tower Gardens, and Naples Botanical Garden.
Christopher is deeply passionate about ecological landscaping, gardening for wildlife, and sustainable practices—values that strongly align with our own sense of place and commitment to conservation. He also appreciates the power of bold design, seasonal displays, and distinctive plant collections to spark curiosity and joy.
As Horticulture Director, Christopher will guide the aesthetic vision and long-term development of our cultivated landscapes, ensuring they are beautiful, ecologically responsible, and engaging throughout the seasons.
The mature Arbor Garden, about to undergo a refresh in 2026.
Salsa Verde
BY CHEF IVAN FLORES
10 tomatillos
1 jalapeño pepper
1 bunch cilantro
½ yellow or white onion
1 clove of peeled garlic
1 tsp salt
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Remove husks from tomatillos and wash well.
Cut off stems from peppers and slice in half, lengthwise. Carefully remove pith and seeds (leave seeds for spicier salsa).
Boil tomatillos and jalapeños for 10 min or until they change color, then drain.
Blend tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, cilantro and garlic together in a blender.
Option 1: “Fry” the salsa by heating a tablespoon of oil in a large pan and carefully pouring the salsa from the blender into the hot oil. It will splatter and bubble, but results in a thicker salsa typically used for enchiladas.
Option 2: Pour the salsa from the blender into a saucepan and simmer until serving.
Add salt, lime juice and sugar to taste and to balance the acidity if desired.
Enjoy! Buen provecho!
Sharing Roots, Sharing Stories
This year’s planting in the Burpee Kitchen Garden is inspired by the diversity of culinary traditions found around the world. For many, our closest connections to plants come through the ways we cook, eat, and share meals with others. But despite being familiar with plants as food, we often don’t know how those ingredients grow, or the origin of these plants.
Based on recipes from diverse chefs across Maine who practice these culinary traditions, guests will be able to see plants from five different culinary traditions— Cantonese, French, Indian, Italian, and Mexican—growing in the Burpee Kitchen Garden this summer. Burpee Kitchen Garden horticulturist Kelsie Cox was inspired by the stories guests have shared with her about the plants in the garden over the years. “Last year, a guest visiting from Guatemala walked her grandson and me
around the garden, noting all the plants she recognized and pointing out some of the more common vegetables that her grandson had never seen growing,” Kelsie recalls. The guest pointed out a plant, epazote, that grows like a weed back home, warned Kelsie to be careful that it doesn’t take over, and shared a few ways she uses it in cooking before they said their goodbyes.
This year in the Burpee Kitchen Garden, Kelsie hopes to create even more moments like this.
“I want this to be a place where someone can come and be transported back to their grandma’s garden and a home-cooked meal,” she says. “A place where they can share their memories about the smell, the taste, or the plant itself.”
Come explore the Burpee Kitchen Garden this year to discover new food plants, new recipes, and new connections. Until then, try out this featured recipe for salsa verde from local chef, Ivan Flores.
Tomatillos picked by chef Ivan Flores
Visit the Burpee Kitchen Garden to see how some of the most common cooking ingredients used in cuisines around the world grow and what parts of the plants we eat—like black pepper, garlic, cumin, ginger, turmeric, and more.
Stories to Tell in Gardenshop
From handcrafted treasures to thoughtfully curated gifts, Gardenshop celebrates creativity, community, and our deep connection to the natural world. Many of our makers hold deep roots with the Gardens, and their work celebrates mindful making, artful craft, and the harmony between people and nature.
Visit our brick-and-mortar shop or explore our online collection where every purchase supports the Gardens’ mission to nurture meaningful connections between people and nature—turning your find into something that truly gives back. Visit shop.mainegardens.org.
Wandering Goat
Unfiltered
Royal Rose Syrups
Royal Rose Syrups is produced in Newcastle, Maine, at Split Rock Distillery, a small batch Maine brewery run by neighbors Matt Page and Topher Mallory. Originally produced by Emily Butters and Forest Butler in Brooklyn, Royal Rose Syrups are made with care, creativity, and a love of simple, balanced organic ingredients that capture local flavor.
Mother-and-daughter team Cheryl and Tanya Rudy run Wandering Goat Farm in Union, Maine. Using milk from their free-ranging goats, they create allnatural soaps and lotions infused with herbs and flowers—celebrating goats, craftsmanship, and local ingredients.
Brionne Beck handcrafts Unfiltered in her Bath, Maine studio using simple, all-natural ingredients. Inspired by her own shift toward organic living, Bri creates gentle, effective skincare designed to support healthy skin and everyday self-care.
Bhoomi Devi Seeds
Olivia O’Dwyer and Noah Dest grow and save fully organic, no till seeds on their ¾-acre farm in Lincolnville, Maine. Their resilient seeds are carefully selected from plants adapted to New England’s changing climate, guided by deep respect for natural processes and Mother Earth.
Youth Education
Our youth educational offerings focus on getting young people excited about the natural world and inspiring a lifelong appreciation of nature. We achieve this in a variety of ways, including weeklong nature- and gardenbased camps for ages 4–9, homeschool programming for ages 3 and up, and family-oriented drop-in programs. This year, I’m especially excited about our expanded summer offerings for ages 9–15. Along with a variety of art programs inspired by our Gardens and taught by Maine artists, older youth can take part in a weeklong camp that delves deeper into their connections with nature and introduces environmental stewardship. Or, 9–13-year-olds can join us for a week of investigating, creating, designing, and inventing as we explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) in the garden.
Erika
Huber, Youth and Family Program Manager
Explore all our youth and family offerings!
Painting the Garden in Wax
Explore encaustic painting using beeswax-based pigments that can be layered, sculpted, and textured. Students sketch en plein air in the Gardens before creating richly detailed works inspired by summer plants and wildlife.
July 8–10 | 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Ages 11–15 | $225 ($180 member)
STEAM in the Garden Camp
Experience STEAM through hands-on exploration in the garden. Campers work with guest experts, build scientific skills, experiment with design, and collect data across the diverse landscapes of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.
July 13–17 | 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Ages 9–13 | $325 ($260 member)
Growing Agents of Change Camp
Empower young changemakers to explore environmental passions and develop leadership skills. Through nature immersion, stewardship, and mindfulness practices, campers begin an individualized Action Plan to continue their impact beyond the Gardens.
Paper Flowers Family Workshop
Explore the hidden geometry of flowers and transform botanical observation into lasting paper blooms. Guided by artist Amity Libby, participants will study patterns in nature before creating hellebore flowers from specialty crêpe paper. Each artist leaves with a handmade spring bouquet. May 16 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Ages 8+ | $60 ($48 member)
August 3–7 | 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Ages 9–13 | $325 ($260 member)
Garden Explorers Camp
Spend the week digging, planting, harvesting, and exploring the learning garden. Campers will investigate plant life cycles, composting, garden critters, and more through games, snackmaking, and hands-on projects. Aftercare available.
June 29–July 3 | 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Ages 7–9 | $225 ($180 member)
Painting the Garden in Pastels
Create pastel paintings inspired by guided journaling. Sketching in nature encourages careful observation of color, light, shape, sound, and rhythms—which students will use to compose expressive paintings based on memory and personal response.
August 26–28 | 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Ages 8–13 | $225 ($180 member)
Free Family Activities
As always, we have fun daily drop-in activities that are included in the price of admission, from Pond Investigations to Story Time and the Five Senses Tour. Check out our website or daily happenings board upon arrival to find a fun family activity.
Gardens for All
During the regular season, those eligible for SNAP/EBT, WIC, Medicaid, MaineCare programs, or otherwise unable to meet the price of admission may visit the Gardens at no cost through our Gardens for All program. Learn more online.
Outdoor Family Fun Days
Thanks to generous support from L.L.Bean, kids 17 and under are free every Wednesday in July and August. Reservations for both free and paid tickets are recommended in advance.
A Season of Family Fun
Join us for an amazing lineup of free, drop-in family-friendly programs this season at the Gardens! These special exhibits are included in the price of admission and are open to everyone. Check out our website during the season to explore even more drop-in activities the whole family can enjoy.
The Caterpillar Lab
In loving memory of Tree Robbins
Experience The Caterpillar Lab’s upclose, over-the-top exploration of native caterpillars! See dozens of species in open-air displays—giant silk moths, snake-mimicking caterpillars, twig-like masters of disguise, and more. Witness rare moments of metamorphosis, watch parasitism play out under digital microscopes, and chat with experts. Don’t miss this fascinating living exhibit in the Education Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, May 28–Sunday, May 31 (during Maine Days, advance reservations required)
Wednesday, July 29–Sunday, August 2
Chewonki at the Gardens
Join us for this popular hands-on, drop-in naturalist program with Chewonki and encounter critters of all kinds. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on select dates.
Owls of Maine
Wednesday, June 24
Scales & Tails
Wednesday, July 8
Predators
Wednesday, August 19
PopUpCycler
Join visiting artist Kim Bernard to help turn trash into art in this DIY recycling project. Participants will convert plastic milk and water jugs into a colorful collaborative sculptural installation for all to enjoy.
Friday, July 24–Sunday, July 26
Firefly at the Gardens
Firefly (Jason Brown), a Penobscot Nation artist and performer, blends traditional hand drum, shaker, and vocal songs with innovative compositions rooted in his ancestral traditions. Performances every hour from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on select dates.
Saturday, July 18
Saturday, August 8
Basket Weaving Demo with Vice Chief Richard Silliboy
Join us for an unforgettable experience led by Richard Silliboy, Vice Chief of the Aroostook Band of Mi’kmaq and esteemed tribal elder. Richard will demonstrate the intricate art of basket weaving while sharing stories and insights passed down through generations of his people. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on select dates.
Saturday, June 27
Saturday, August 15
Adult Education
Our classes provide unique opportunities for students to connect with one another, our expert instructors, and the Gardens. Whether you’re looking to refine your plant ID skills or create something beautiful to take home, we look forward to welcoming you for a class. This year, we’re excited to offer more weekend options as we bring back favorites like Forest Bathing and Succulent Container Gardening, while introducing new stand-alone garden design and herbal wellness classes.
Alice Phillips, Adult Education Program Manager
Explore
all our adult education programs!
Composting for Gardeners
Learn how to turn garden waste and food scraps into nutrientrich compost that supports healthy soil and plants. Explore multiple composting methods, application techniques, and how compost fits into regenerative gardening practices.
April 29 | 6–8 p.m. | $40 ($32 member)
Spring Nature Writing Workshop
Transform moments in nature into resonant writing. This workshop includes a short hike, guided reflection, generative prompts, and group workshopping across poetry, essays, and fiction. Open to writers of all levels.
May 3 | 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | $40 ($32 member)
Macrolichens of Maine
Discover Maine’s remarkable macrolichens through presentation, photographs, and hands-on specimen study. Learn identification techniques, essential vocabulary, and how to use a key to identify common species.
May 17 | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. | $60 ($48 member)
Vertical Gardening
Design and build your own framed vertical planter in this handson workshop. Learn step-by-step planting techniques using ferns and fun foliage plants suitable for indoor or outdoor applications.
June 13 | 9:30 a.m.–noon or 1:30–4 p.m. | $85 ($68 member)
Garden to Glass: Cocktails and Herbal Tonic Elixirs
Craft and sample seasonally inspired botanical drinks while exploring herbal tonics, preparation methods, bar essentials, and commonly used botanicals.
July 19 | 2–4 p.m. $60 ($48 member)
Intro to Native Flora of Maine
Meet Maine’s native plants in their habitats during this three-day immersive class. Learn plant ID skills, terminology, and botanical etymology through guided walks and hands-on botanizing.
August 12–15 | 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. | $225 ($180 member)
Plant ID & Ecology: Goldenrods & Asters
Dive into the ecology and identification of asters and goldenrods through a two-part online lecture series and an outdoor field study with botanist and author Ted Elliman.
September 3 (5:30–7 p.m.), September 10 (5:30–7 p.m.), and September 12 (10 a.m.–3 p.m.) | $60 ($48 member)
Deconstructing Sustainable Plant Combinations
Explore repeatable New England plant combinations for the home garden. Learn about site conditions, plant requirements, placement, visual appeal, and maintaining balance.
October 10 | 1–4 p.m. | $75 ($60 member)
Botanical Arts Education
This season, we’re offering a diverse array of art classes sure to appeal to beginners and experienced artists alike. Whether you’re ready to take on the challenge of our Certificate in Botanical Arts program or simply want to enjoy a class or two, there is something for everyone. Don’t forget to visit the art exhibits in the Café and Education Center. These exhibits highlight biodiversity and celebrate the diverse group of Maine artists who make our state so special.
— Caroline Clare Davis, Arts and Exhibits Coordinator
Art Exhibits
Drawings and Herbarium Specimens
View a selection of specimens from our Herbarium alongside artistic renderings by Joy Grannis and other artists. This exhibit offers a close-up look at plant science and art displayed side by side.
Birds, Blooms, Bugs
Drawing Maine’s Wetland Critters
Explore the hidden beauty of Maine’s wetlands in this four-part series focused on frogs, turtles, and salamanders of the Boothbay region. Study texture, color, and form while drawing species such as bullfrogs, painted turtles, and spotted salamanders.
Create lifelike paper ferns and foxgloves in this immersive threeday workshop with artist Amity Libby. Learn to cut, color, shape, construct, and style your own handmade paper flowers through careful plant observation and meditative making.
May 11–13 | 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. | $300 ($240 member)
Step into the Café building and explore a colorful exhibit celebrating birds, insects, and the flora of the Gardens. Featuring Rachel Altschuler of The Bird Gallery and several other Maine artists.
Stellan (detail) by Rachel Altschuler
Forest Studies in Watercolor
Capture the beauty and atmosphere of trees and forested landscapes in this two-day watercolor workshop with Erica Qualey. Weather permitting, paint outdoors in the Gardens’ wooded areas, working directly from nature.
May 26–27 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | $350 ($280 member)
Drawing from the Herbarium
Combine botany, illustration, and design in this two-day workshop drawing directly from herbarium specimens. Learn techniques used by science illustrators while working from preserved and magnified plant samples.
August 24–25 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | $350 ($280 member)
Farmers Market Week
Celebrate Maine’s autumn harvest with Mindy Lighthipe using watercolor, gouache, and colored pencils. Each day features a stand-alone subject—from pollinators to heirloom vegetables—or register for the full five-day experience.
September 21–25 | 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
$725 ($580 member)
A Family Tradition
For many families, the Gardens is a place of belonging. For three generations of one family—Jo, her daughter Haili, and her granddaughter Olivia—the Gardens has become a shared thread, woven through years of visits, volunteering, and work. Each plays a different role, but together they reflect something essential about the Gardens: the people of the Gardens come together to create a place of connection.
Jo’s relationship with the Gardens stretches back to the earliest days. A member since 2000, she remembers walking the land before it was fully developed— sometimes even skiing across it in winter before it officially opened. That early connection extended to her family as well: her husband, Bill, a retired structural engineer, contributed as a consultant on several early Gardens structures such as the Treehouse. After retiring from teaching, Jo began volunteering—helping with mailings, in the Gardenshop, and at Gardens Aglow. She eventually settled into a weekend role on the phone team—a position she’s held for the better part of a decade. “I come because it’s a good place to be,” she says simply.
From her desk, Jo connects with visitors from around the world, answering questions and helping people
plan meaningful visits. “It’s very rewarding,” she says. “People are happy to be here, and you can feel that even through the phone.”
That sense of joy is what eventually drew Haili to the Gardens as well. As a member, she already knew the Gardens as a place of calm and happiness. In 2022, she joined the membership team, first seasonally and then year-round. Her role, she explains, is about relationships. “Sharing the Gardens and the love for the Gardens really comes through in membership,” Haili says. “Our members care deeply— and they remind us of that every day.”
She recalls a longtime member who walks
the
Jo with daughter Haili and granddaughter Olivia.
Olivia volunteering as a Youth Steward when she was younger.
Gardens every morning. “When I didn’t see him for a few days, I was genuinely worried,” she says with a laugh. “But he was all right, That’s when you realize how much this place matters to people.”
The newest generation to join the Gardens team is Olivia, a youth volunteer. She started in the Butterfly House, then moved into helping with summer camps and staffing the Information Desk. Her favorite role? Working with younger campers. “You really build connections,” she says. “And then you see them around town, and they remember you.”
Those experiences have had a lasting impact. While working with younger campers, Olivia overcame a fear of bees by learning how important pollinators are—and by teaching younger campers to feel less afraid themselves. Talking with visitors helped her grow more confident, a skill she later carried into a school-wide Veterans Day presentation. Now a high school freshman, she continues to volunteer at the Gardens and at school, and was even recognized with an award for her dedication to service.
Despite their different roles, the overlap is constant— passing questions between departments, sharing lunch breaks, or seeing each other across the Gardens during a shift. “Guests don’t really distinguish between staff and volunteers,” Haili notes. “They see us all as representing the Gardens together.”
Together, their story reflects the many ways people connect to the Gardens: as members, staff, volunteers, and families. Across generations, those connections help create the experiences visitors return for, season after season.
Cultivate Your Career
Grow into your next role at the Gardens! Our team brings together people who care deeply about plants, people, and the natural world. Whether your interests lie in conservation, horticulture, culinary arts, or guest experience, working at the Gardens offers opportunities to learn, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact in an inspiring setting. Explore current openings on our website at mainegardens.org/ employment.
Volunteer With Purpose
Since the very beginning, volunteers have been helping to shape the Gardens into the welcoming place it is today. From greeting guests and caring for garden spaces to keeping our shuttles rolling, volunteers play a vital role in making the Gardens the amazing place that it is. Learn more about how you can become a volunteer and join a community of naturelovers at mainegardens.org/volunteer or email volunteers@mainegardens.org.
Olivia has logged more than 100 volunteer hours in the past year—well past the requirement from school to graduate. Her favorite volunteer role has been working with younger campers.
Ina and Lewis Heafitz:
The Art of Creative Philanthropy
Creative philanthropy can often be inspired by a philosophy of finding solutions for both short- and long-term challenges. This style of philanthropic giving creates long-lasting impact for the fortunate recipient organizations. The compounding effect of decades of thoughtful and innovative giving, coupled with serendipitous timing, has been the cornerstone of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ growth.
For Ina and Lewis Heafitz, creative philanthropy has always been part of their investment strategy at the Gardens and at many other organizations. In 2010, after a
conversation with Board President and Capital Campaign Co-Chairs, John and Sarah Giles, a seed was planted to elevate the Gardens’ educational impact. “The Gardens, still in its early days, was building educational programming. We were looking for a flagship program to deepen our educational credibility in the botanical gardens world,” Ina and Lew shared. The Ina and Lewis Heafitz Endowed Lecture Series launched in 2011 with a talk by Landscape Architect W. Gary Smith, a pioneer in using artistic, creative solutions to overcome challenges.
Inviting nationally known experts in horticulture, arts, and sciences, lectures have covered all facets
of the Gardens’ programming, from gardening for biodiversity to overcoming food insecurity. This year, we celebrate the 16th lecture by inviting the locally based and world-renowned photographer Cig Harvey. Cig will dive into her approach using flowers—and their sensory signals—as a source of inspiration for her stunning photographs. Learn more on the back cover.
Launching a flagship program for the Gardens was not the end of Ina and Lew’s generosity and creativity. In 2022, they became aware of the need for intern housing at the Gardens. Housing on the Boothbay peninsula is in short supply and expensive, and to attract high-caliber interns, an offer of secure housing is a necessity. The historic Heafitz House sits on the banks of the Sheepscot River in Edgecomb and accommodates up to eight interns. “We gifted the house to the Gardens because we saw an opportunity to support the Gardens’ housing dilemma and were delighted that it would also support their top-notch internship program,” says the Heafitzes.
As the Gardens continues to expand, our need to propagate plants onsite has become critical. In 2025, we broke ground on a Horticulture and Plant Science Center that will provide state-of-the-art greenhouses and labs. We reached out to long-time supporters, and again, Ina and Lew stepped in to make an investment, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Gardens.
At the Gardens, we are grateful for strategic and caring partnership from community members like Ina and Lew Heafitz, staunch advocates for over two decades. Next time you meander over the Heafitz Wetland Bridge from the Gardens entrance, take a moment to observe the plants and wildlife, and maybe you, too, will be inspired to consider your own creative philanthropy.
For more on supporting the Gardens, contact vice president Jen McKane at jmckane@mainegardens.org.
Ina and Lew Heafitz alongside a sculpture of conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
Fill Your Bowl With Local Freshness
This year at the Café, we’re leaning into more of what you already love—while adding a few thoughtful surprises along the way. Expect comforting favorites and a handful of new menu standouts that we’re especially excited about—and plenty of reasons to linger just a little longer over your coffee.
One change we’re particularly happy to share: we’re moving back to serving hearty bowls. That means more flexibility to build your own meal, mix and match what you love, and make it exactly how you want it. Even better, many of those ingredients are coming straight from local Maine farms—fresh, seasonal, and grown by people we’re proud to support.
As the day begins to wind down, daily Happy Hours offer an easy invitation to pause and soak in the surroundings. Enjoy relaxed vibes, well-crafted pours, and monthly cocktail specials that highlight the season—sometimes cozy, sometimes bright, always fun.
Behind the scenes, our focus is on the freshest ingredients, thoughtful choices, and staying connected to the community that makes this place what it is.
We can’t wait to see you this season.
Daily Happy Hour
Join us to soak up the season with a cocktail or mocktail in the Café or on the terrace.
