Forest Therapy Walk & Tea: Spring
Deepening your connection to nature through moving meditation offers enormous benefits for personal well-being. In this gentle and sensory-oriented class, students will experience the practice of walking mindfully through a forest to gain deep serenity and new awareness. Follow Susan Bickford, certified guide in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest therapy/forest bathing, as she gives you the tools to begin your own meditation practice. The walk ends with a tea ceremony that honors the experience. Class Level: all.
Identify migrating and resident birds on this fun, family-friendly walk. Learn about their adaptations and nesting habits. Participants will learn to identify birds by their calls, plumage, and behavior. Binoculars will be available to borrow. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register multiple children or for multiple programs, will receive a discount at checkout.
Spring is an important time for amphibians in Maine as they migrate to vernal pools to breed and lay eggs. During this class, participants will explore the many vernal pools at the Gardens in search of wood frog and spotted salamander eggs as well as other seasonal residents. Participants will learn how to tell the difference between frog and salamander eggs, learn what makes vernal pools unique, and gain an understanding of their important role in the forest ecosystem. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register multiple children or for multiple programs, will receive a discount at checkout.
Co-hosted with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Maine Sea Grant will offer in-person volunteer training for the Signs of the Seasons citizen science program. Participants will learn about the goals of the program, learn how to make scientific observations of phenology (the study of cyclic and seasonal changes of plants and animals), practice making phenology observations on the grounds of the Gardens, and leave with the tools and knowledge needed to set up their own site to observe and record changes in phenology in their own yard or community. Questions about this opportunity may be directed to Beth Bisson at beth.bisson@maine.edu or Keri Kaczor at keri.kaczor@maine.edu. The training is free, but registration is required. 
Horticultural Therapist will lead interactive plant-based exercises to help strengthen interpersonal skills, hand-eye coordination, math and science problem-solving, and applied critical thinking. This educational and mindful activity session is designed to be inclusive of all abilities and learning levels and adapted to each participant. Students will participate in a take-home succulent planting activity and then head out on a tour of the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses (weather permitting), where they will use all of their available senses to explore the biodiversity demonstrated inside this accessible garden. Parents/guardians are asked to attend this session with their homeschoolers, and the admission price includes one child and one adult. Families who register multiple children or for multiple programs, will receive a discount at checkout.
Putting our five senses to work, we'll wind our way through the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, experiencing the garden in a whole new way. Participants will be encouraged to sample different herbs and edible flowers that may be new to them. The session will end with an herb planting activity to take home.
Venture into the woods with us as we look for signs of life amongst the trees. We may not always see who’s residing in our woods, but there are many clues we can look and listen for to tell us who lives there. Together we will appreciate the ecology and natural history of the Maine woods. A scavenger hunt activity will help guide our search. The session will end with a craft to help us remember what we learned. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register multiple children or for multiple programs, will receive a discount at checkout.
Thursday, May 22, 2-3:30 p.m. & Monday, June 2, 2-3:30 p.m.
Meet the real hungry caterpillars as young nature enthusiasts take an exploratory walk with the staff of The Caterpillar Lab, learning how to track and spot spring caterpillars. This walk will help develop observational skills and demonstrate how to look closely so we can uncover the special lives of caterpillars on the plants around us. Program participants can expect to spend time exploring out in the Gardens as well as returning indoors to look at the caterpillars more closely under a microscope. This family-friendly walk is intended for children with an adult chaperone. Registration includes admission to the Gardens. Financial Aid is available. Please email Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org for an application.
Monday, June 2, 10-11 a.m. & noon-1 p.m.
Monday, June 2, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2-3:30 p.m.
Deepen your understanding of Wabanaki values and traditions on this family-friendly walk. Passamaquoddy educator Sandra Bassett will share her personal story, demonstrate singing and drumming, and teach us a sampling of Passamaquoddy words. Participants will also learn about the indigenous uses of some of our native plants and the significance of the four “R’s”-Reciprocity, Relationship, Respect, and Responsibility in our Three Sisters Gardens. At the end of the session, participants will try their hand at birch bark etching and braiding sweetgrass. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need. To request an application, please email Erika Huber at 
Come and spend a fun-filled day with us at the Gardens. We’ll spend the day doing hands-on activities, playing games, and checking out all of the cool caterpillars in our visiting Caterpillar Lab exhibit. We’ll also search for critters in our many ponds, take a hike to see some giant trolls, and decorate a t-shirt with plants to remember the day. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need. To request an application, please email Erika Huber at 
Come and spend a fun-filled day with us at the Gardens. We’ll spend the day doing hands-on activities, playing games, and checking out all of the cool caterpillars in our visiting Caterpillar Lab exhibit. We’ll also search for critters in our many ponds, take a hike to see some giant trolls, and decorate a t-shirt with plants to remember the day. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need. To request an application, please email Erika Huber at 
