Wednesdays, May 24, June 21, July 26, August 23 & September 20

Join us for a staff-led walk through the Gardens' many wetlands down to the Back River. On this tour, learn how important wetlands are to our ecosystem, how they provide vital habitat for wildlife, and what we can do to preserve them. From ponds to vernal pools to small rivers, we’ll see how water affects each natural community. Please note: this tour lasts about an hour and a half and moves swiftly over our steeper hiking trails. Registration is strongly suggested. To join, please meet outside the Lyn and Daniel Lerner Visitor Center by the Heafitz Wetland Bridge.

Tuesdays, May 9, 23, June 6, 20, July 11, 25, August 8, 22, September 5, 19, & October 10

The Native Plant Tour begins with a stroll down the Haney Hillside, moving from cultivated native plantings to the natural landscape of the Shoreland Trail. From there, we walk along the Maine Woods Trail, past fern glens and wetlands, to the upland spruce-fir forest off the Birch Allée. Please note: this tour lasts about an hour and a half and moves swiftly over hiking trails. Registration is strongly suggested. To join the tour, please meet by the Great Lawn outside the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, July 31 - October 20
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

How can we build climate-resilient communities? By engaging with stories about the natural world and exploring how our relationships with the environment are impacted by the changing climate. Join us on this BRAND-NEW tour of the Gardens as, together, we examine shifts in human values and behaviors and discuss the future of nature’s interactions. Enjoy the chance to share your perspectives on the changes you see occurring around you in this unique, supportive conversational format. The tour lasts an hour and a half, starts on the Great Lawn, and concludes in the Vayo Meditation Garden.

May 1 - July 4, tours Monday-Friday
July 5-September 3, tours daily
September 4-October 20, tours Monday-Friday

Join us for this hour-long tour through our central gardens. Meet on the Great Lawn, then walk through its surrounding gardens. Hear about the origin story and the people who made each garden possible, highlights of Gardens’ history, design elements, and botanical details.

Fridays, May 5, 19, June 2, 16, July 7, 21, August 4, 18, September 1, 15, October 6, and 20

Dive into forest ecology and discover how to become a better steward of our ecosystem, just like the Guardians of the Seeds. These trolls have emerged at the Gardens to save the seeds of Maine’s most important tree species—help them protect the trees by deepening your connection to the forest around you. In this guided tour, learn not only how you, too, can become a guardian of the forest like our giant trolls, but all about these important trees, their significance in our landscape, and some of the many threats our forests face. Note that the emphasis of this excursion will be on the Maine forest, and we will only see three trolls on this tour.

May 1-October 20, Monday-Friday, 9-10:30 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m. & 3-4:30 p.m.
Our one and a half hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers, except for Wednesdays when tours are free.

Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. It provides us with everything that makes life on Earth possible—clean air and water, fertile soil, medicines, fuels, materials, shelter, places for recreation, and a stable climate. This important part of our ecosystems is currently being threatened though, with reports showing that we have lost 60% of the global biodiversity in the last 40 years. In this new tour, we'll explore the rich biodiversity at the Gardens, learn about its value, and discover how you can help protect it in your communities.

How can we build climate-resilient communities? By engaging with stories about the natural world and exploring how our relationships with the environment are impacted by the changing climate. Join us on this new tour of the Gardens as, together, we examine shifts in human values and behaviors and discuss the future of nature’s interactions. Enjoy the chance to share your perspectives on the changes you see occurring around you in this unique conversational format. The tour lasts an hour and a half, starts on the Great Lawn, and concludes in the Vayo Meditation Garden.

Wednesdays, May 1-October 18
9-10:45 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m., 3-4:30 p.m.
Additional tours in July-September at 1-2:30 p.m.

Our one and a half hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Tours are free on Wednesdays. Our other weekday Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.

Wednesdays, May 1-October 18
9-10:45 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m., 3-4:30 p.m.
Additional tours in July-September at 1-2:30 p.m.

Our one and a half hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Tours are free on Wednesdays. Our other weekday Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.

May 1-October 18, Monday-Friday, 9-10:45 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m., & 3-4:30 p.m.
In July-September, an additional tour is available, 1-2:30 p.m.

Our one and a half hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers, except for Wednesdays when tours are free. Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.

Mondays, May 6-October 14, 1-2:30 p.m.

For a deeper dive into the world of native plants, join our docent-led Native Plant Tour. Free with the price of admission, we begin with a stroll down the Haney Hillside, moving from cultivated native plantings to the natural landscape of the Shoreland Trail. We then travel on the Maine Woods Trail to discover fern glens and wetlands up to the upland spruce-fir forest of the Birch Allée. Please note: this tour lasts about ninety minutes and moves swiftly over hiking trails; sturdy boots or shoes are recommended. Pre-registration is encouraged as tours do reach capacity; drop-ins are welcome. Please meet outside the Café building by the Great Lawn to join the tour.

Wednesdays, May 1-October 16, 1-2:30 p.m.

From ponds and vernal pools to small rivers, on this free staff-led tour, we'll explore the Gardens' many wetlands to see how water affects each natural community. Learn how important wetlands are to our ecosystem, how they provide vital habitat for wildlife, and what we can do to preserve them. Please note: this tour lasts about ninety minutes and moves swiftly over our steeper hiking trails. Pre-registration is encouraged as tours do reach capacity; drop-ins are welcome. Please meet outside the Lyn and Daniel Lerner Visitor Center by the Heafitz Wetland Bridge to join the tour.

Wednesdays, May 1-October 18
9-10:45 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m., 3-4:30 p.m.
Additional tours in July-September at 1-2:30 p.m.

Our one and a half hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Tours are free on Wednesdays. Our other weekday Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.

The Guardians of the Seeds have emerged from the woods and are waiting for you to find them! On this guided hike, we’ll find all five of the trolls hidden in the woods and along the way explore the real botany behind the magic of the exhibit. Join us to learn more about the artist Thomas Dambo and the team that built them, hear behind-the-scenes stories of how they were constructed, and discover how you, too, can join the trolls and become a guardian of the forest. This tour will last approximately one and a half hours and will cover about 2.5 miles of paths and trails.

May 1-October 18, Monday-Friday, 9-10:45 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m., & 3-4:30 p.m.
In July-September, an additional tour is available, 1-2:30 p.m.

Our one and a half hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers, except for Wednesdays when tours are free. Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.

How can we build climate-resilient communities? By engaging with stories about the natural world and exploring how our relationships with the environment are impacted by the changing climate. Join us on this new tour of the Gardens as, together, we examine shifts in human values and behaviors and discuss the future of nature’s interactions. Enjoy the chance to share your perspectives on the changes you see occurring around you in this unique conversational format. The tour lasts an hour and a half, starts on the Great Lawn, and concludes in the Vayo Meditation Garden.

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. It provides us with everything that makes life on Earth possible—clean air and water, fertile soil, medicines, fuels, materials, shelter, places for recreation, and a stable climate. This important part of our ecosystems is currently being threatened though, with reports showing that we have lost 60% of the global biodiversity in the last 40 years. In this new tour, we'll explore the rich biodiversity at the Gardens, learn about its value, and discover how you can help protect it in your communities.