Public Gardens in Maine
Maine has an abundance of gardens open to visitors. Some, such as the intimate and tranquil garden at the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow House in Portland, are places of quiet contemplation, while others, including Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, invite exploration and play. All deserve a spot on any garden devotee’s bucket list.
CELIA THAXTER’S GARDEN
Shoals Marine Laboratory Isles of Shoals
Poet Celia Thaxter created this wildflower garden on her native Appledore Island, a short boat trip from Portsmouth, N.H.
HAMILTON HOUSE
South Berwick
The romantic perennial garden of this historic home overlooks the Salmon Falls River.
SAINT ANTHONY FRANCISCAN FRIARY
Kennebunk
Established in 1947, the estate includes English-style gardens, woodlands, and riverside walking paths.
ARBORETUM AT FORT WILLIAMS PARK
Cape Elizabeth
The Arboretum is an ongoing community project that, when completed, will include 14 individual and distinctive landscapes.
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW HOUSE GARDENS
Portland
An oasis of green and quiet in the heart of the city, this secluded garden is located on what once was the Wadsworth Longfellow family’s farmyard.
UMAINE GARDENS AT TIDEWATER FARM
Falmouth
Overlooking the Presumpscot River, the garden provides educational opportunities and produce for local food pantries.
COASTAL MAINE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Boothbay
The largest botanical garden in New England covers 295 acres and welcomed more than 200,000 visitors in 2018.
VILES ARBORETUM
Augusta
A botanical and recreational resource, the arboretum has six miles of trails that wander through its 224 acres.
MERRYSPRING NATURE CENTER
Camden
The center’s 6 acres include meadows, trails for hiking, an arboretum, hills for cross-country skiing, and an educational center with gardening resources.
MCLAUGHLIN GARDEN
South Paris
Begun in 1936 by Bernard McLaughlin, who planted and tended it himself for decades, this farmstead garden boasts more than 200 lilacs.
WOODLAWN GARDENS AT THE COLONEL BLACK MANSION
Ellsworth
The property surrounding the mansion includes formal gardens, a croquet court, and trails.
COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC GARDENS
(Includes the Beatrix Ferrand Garden)
Bar Harbor
Rock-walled rooms, hedges, and stairs mimic the design of one of the historic states that make up the college campus.
LAND AND GARDEN PRESERVE
(Includes the Asticou Azalea Garden, the Abby Garden, and the Thuya Garden)
Seal Harbor
A collection of gardens, lands, and trails, the preserve maintains 1,683 acres on Mount Desert Island.
WILD GARDENS OF ACADIA
Bar Harbor
At the Sieur de Monts Spring of Acadia National Park, the gardens feature native plants in their natural habitats.
ROGER CLAPP GREENHOUSES AND LITTLEFIELD GARDEN
Orono
The center for the University of Maine’s horticultural research facilities includes an Ornamentals Trial Garden with nearly 2,500 plantings.