Kids 17 and under are free every Wednesday in July and August! There’s no need to reserve tickets for kids; just bring them along, and we’ll check them in at the door.
Thanks to the support of L.L.Bean.
In this two-part online class, we will introduce, review, and practice the art of kitchen garden design. Kitchen garden designer, grower, and author, Ellen Ecker-Ogden, will feature a number of different designs and concepts to inspire you, then explain cultural considerations, artful elements, and plant selection. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Join us for an online panel presentation featuring 20 plants that attract winged companions like the birds, native butterflies, moths, and flying insects that are essential to our ecosystems. Many of the plants we’ll discuss are found in forests, fields, and other natural ecosystems, wonderful species for gardens and rewilding. Staff horticulturists Lesley Paxson, Alicia Miller, and Brent McHale will share their favorites, perfect for your gardens or wild spaces. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Thursdays, April 13 & 20, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
In this two day class, delve deeply into the art of graphite drawing. Using simple botanical subjects, this virtual class will give students confidence in accurately depicting various fruits and vegetables. Using a light source and three-dimensional armature and an emphasis on highlights, mid-tones, and shadow areas, artists will develop an understanding of concave and convex shapes. Students will complete a three-part series of drawings, line, armature, and full tonal graphite drawing. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Come and enjoy the early blooms of spring with your family as we celebrate Earth Day together, and get a sneak peek at the Gardens before we open for the season. We’ll head out on a “signs of spring” scavenger hunt and plant some flower seeds to grow at home. Families are welcome to picnic afterward and explore the Gardens. *Please note that the Children’s Garden buildings, Café, and Visitor Center will not yet be open for the season. Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and up to two accompanying adults. Children two years old & under are welcome to attend for free. Please register ONLY for the children that are attending, not the adults.
Growing plants can be truly fulfilling, yet at times a bit overwhelming. Both new and seasoned gardeners constantly experience successes and challenges and realize learning curves along the way. In an effort to reduce some costly or aggravating trial-and-error, join us for some guidance and insight into horticulture. This class will provide practical information about sustainable gardening and will include an overview of plant biology, adaptation, habit, and cultivation. We’ll discuss soils, pesky problems, environmental and ecological factors, low-input management, and much more. The goal of this two-part online class is to help all plant lovers feel more confident in growing plants successfully, sustainably, and in abundance. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Celebrate Arbor Day with this field-study class highlighting the value of our northeastern forests. Maine's macro- and micro-climatic regions consist of a wide assortment of deciduous and coniferous species valuable to thousands of living organisms. Learn how to identify many of Maine's trees, the history of its forests, and silvaculture and climate-adaptive species. Students will leave with a native tree seedling to plant.
Thursdays, May 4, 11, 18, & 25, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
In a continuation of Form & Texture with Graphite Part I, students will further develop understanding and application of graphite to more complex natural subjects. By using pineapples, pine cones, the interior of a pepper, and so on, students will develop their skills, including working on rendering different pigments in greyscale. Explore the tonal quality and textural differences between the papery skin of a garlic and the deep, dark shine of an eggplant. Learn to translate multi-colored subjects into tonal values, all while maintaining form and perspective. This class will meet via Zoom from 9:30-11:30 on May 4, 11, 18, and 25. Pre-requisite: Suggested as a continuation of Form and Texture with Graphite Part I. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
What better way to learn about plants than by taking them apart? Participants will learn all about the life cycle of a plant, how their different parts help them grow, and what they need to survive. We’ll visit the Learning Garden to look for plant parts, then we’ll even taste a few and plant some seeds to grow at home. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.
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. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.
In this hands-on garden crafting class, students will learn everything there is to know about living willow structures: where they are used, how to make them, and the variety of willow species to use. Alicia Miller, CMBG Horticulturist and willow structure designer, will guide you through the process of planting a potted harlequin braided willow tree that you'll be able to take home and grow for many years. We ask that students bring their own clippers and garden gloves. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Friday, May 19, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., noon-1:30 p.m., & 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
We’ll introduce students to our different pollinators and their flower preferences, knowledge that will be reinforced through observations together in the Gardens. Students will also have the opportunity to dissect a flower to understand its parts, gaining a better understanding of the process of pollination and the critical role pollinators play in a plant’s life cycle. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
We’ll begin by walking through the Gardens to select spring blooms like tulips, daffodils, and azaleas, making them the subject of this watercolor workshop. Once back in the classroom, we’ll work on painting larger-than-life flowers, focusing on observation techniques and learning how to scale, mix colors, apply masking techniques, and create large washes of watercolor. Students will work towards having a finished piece by the end of the day. Whether new to watercolor, or working on refining your skills, this class is appropriate for all skill levels. All art supplies will be included.
Erica Qualey lives in Maine and works as a watercolor artist and illustrator. She is an award-winning member of the New England Watercolor Society and has exhibited nationally and internationally. Teaching students of all ages to draw and paint has become another passion for Erica in recent years. Her youth programming through the Skidompha Library is very popular, and she has also worked with children through visiting artists programs. She was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Arts Association supporting her work as a virtual art educator.
Monday, May 22, 10-11:30 a.m. & Monday, June 5, 2-3:30 p.m.
Can you tell the difference between a rusty-patched and a two-spotted bumble bee? Did you know that some types of wasps and flies are pollinators? Join us on an exploratory walk with our resident entomologist, Zac Smith-Hess, as he shows students how to identify the different types of pollinators they come across. Students will also learn some fun facts about flowers and their relationship with these amazing creatures. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Monday, May 22, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. & noon-1:30 p.m.
Students will investigate life underground, discovering the important role decomposers play in helping our gardens grow. Students will learn to identify these living organisms, learn about the anatomy of a worm, and understand how decomposition works. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Tuesday, May 9, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. & Monday, May 22, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Students will explore the web of life in our forest ecosystem through the lens of author, marine biologist, conservationist, and seasonal Maine resident, Rachel Carson. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Friday, May 19 & Monday, May 22, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Students will practice thinking like a botanist as they learn about different plant characteristics and how to use a key to identify the spring wildflowers they discover. The skills they acquire will help them identify plants on their own in the future. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Join us as we investigate life underground and look for the critters we call “decomposers.” We’ll identity what we find and get up close with a worm to learn about its unique body and how it helps our garden grow. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.
Tuesday-Thursday, May 30-June 1, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Come out and enjoy painting in the best studio ever, the great outdoors! In spring, the Gardens offers joyous inspiration, sparking creativity after a long winter with daffodils, tulips and budding trees. Via both group instruction and putting skills to work in the Gardens, class will focus on watercolor techniques and learning what creates a good composition. Students can expect demonstrations as well as time to work independently, with plenty of instructor feedback. Though open to all levels, students will benefit from having some basic knowledge of painting with watercolor prior to these workshops. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Whether you live in an apartment building, on a suburban lot, or on a rural property, this class will address the opportunities everyone has for composting at home. Instead of adding to the food waste that makes up 1/3 of America's trash, you can learn how to effectively turn it into a treasure, whether the method is indoor vermiculture or outdoor bins or piles. Join Don Morrison, Master Gardener and compost aficionado, to learn about the different methods, containers, and materials that both accommodate your lifestyle and successfully compost food waste and garden debris. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Tuesday, May 9 & Monday, June 5, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Join us on a walk to identify migrating birds as well as those that spend the season nesting and raising their young here in Maine. Students will learn to identify birds by their calls and identifying features. Binoculars will be available to borrow. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Tuesday, May 9 & Monday, June 5, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. & noon-1:30 p.m.
Do you know the difference between native and nonnative bees? Go behind the scenes at our Learning Apiary with our resident entomologist, Zac Smith-Hess, to take a peek inside a honeybee hive and get a glimpse into the life of these fascinating creatures. Then visit our native bee hub to learn about the differences between our native and nonnative bees and why both are crucial pollinators in our gardens. Please note that we’ll keep a safe distance from the active hives. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Monday, June 5, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Students will learn how to identify common Maine trees and distinguish a conifer tree from a deciduous one. Students will also gain an understanding of the ecology and cultural history of our native trees. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Explore the Gardens with us as we look closely for all sorts of signs of life under leaves and up in the trees, above-ground and below, and even in the pond. A scavenger hunt activity will help guide our search. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.
Garden tuteurs, garden obelisk, or trellis—no matter what term you're familiar with, this creative pyramidal structure supports edible or ornamental vines. These practical features add vertical interest and provide visible textural contrast, line, and structure to a garden. Join us just in time to support seasonal vines and make your own rustic wooden tuteur to add to your garden space. Instructor and CMBG Horticulturist, Kelsie Birney, will provide all needed supplies and lead students through the constructing process. Please bring your own gloves, clippers, and battery-operated or cord drill, if you have one handy. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Tuesday, June 13, 1-2:30 p.m.
Can you tell the difference between a rusty-patched and a two-spotted bumble bee? Did you know that some types of wasps and flies are pollinators? Join us on an exploratory walk with our resident entomologist, Zac Smith-Hess, as he shows students how to identify the different types of pollinators they come across. Students will also learn some fun facts about flowers and their relationship with these amazing creatures. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.
Wednesday-Friday, June 28-30, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Create a nature-journaling keepsake! During this three-day workshop, students will explore the Gardens and surrounding woodlands, learning how to make journal observations that combine words and imagery. Once back in the classroom, learn lettering techniques using ink and how to add color, detail, lines, and texture using watercolors and colored pencils. We’ll discuss journal page design and layout, and everyone will get to take a journal of completed works home, ready to house more of their nature observations in the future. All materials provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.
Erica Qualey lives in Maine and works as a watercolor artist and illustrator. She is an award-winning member of the New England Watercolor Society and has exhibited nationally and internationally. Teaching students of all ages to draw and paint has become another passion for Erica in recent years. Her youth programming through the Skidompha Library is very popular, and she has also worked with children through visiting artists programs. She was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Arts Association supporting her work as a virtual art educator.
Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. This is the first of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.
This exciting and interactive program introduces audiences to our native warm-blooded vertebrates: Maine mammals. Each participant can study a mounted animal and observe its characteristics, such as teeth, feet, and fur. We use these observations as clues to understanding each mammal’s adaptations, niche, and habitat. A collection of skulls, study skins, and other specimens complements a discussion of adaptations and the role each animal plays in the food web. This program also provides a living example of a non-releasable wild mammal.
Water-wise gardening is another way of referring to designing with water in mind, especially relevant to drought conditions. Water-wise container gardens lend themselves to an exotic and creative assortment of annuals or perennials like succulents, alpines, and plants with fuzzy leaves, leathery-glossy leaves, or those with varied color- and textural characteristics. Join Gardens Horticulturist Jen Dunlap for this creative workshop and make your own drought-tolerant container garden. Students are encouraged to bring their own clippers, apron, and garden gloves. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Monday-Wednesday, July 10-12, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Does your child have an interest in learning printmaking? Join local artists Debra Arter and Kay Miller as they share their love of the art and various unique printing styles with young artists. Students will visit different parts of the Gardens each day, drawing inspiration and gathering natural materials to use for plant rubbings and botanical monotypes. Students will also experiment with gelli and collagraph plates to make cards, nature books, and framed work. All materials will be provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.
Debra Arter has earned a BA in art education and MFA in fine art. She has been teaching adults and children for over 30 years, both in Maine and internationally—but her favorite is printmaking. Her work will be featured in several curated shows this summer. When not teaching or traveling, she enjoys spending time in her own gardens in Damariscotta. She is a founding member of the Midcoast Printmakers.
Kay Miller's daily interactions with nature provide the starting point for her compositions. Using color and an array of natural materials she has picked and pressed, Kay is able to express how she feels about living on the coast of Maine. The process of monotype printing provides instant satisfaction, while offering a complexity in the layering and changing of form and color.
Thursday & Friday, July 13 & 14, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The Gardens’ five resident trolls are fabulous sketching subjects! In this two-day workshop, young artists will develop an understanding of shape and form as they create their own sketches of these giants. Students will draw both on-site and in the studio and become familiar with a variety of drawing media, including various pencils and an introduction to watercolor. After capturing the trolls, participants will apply their new skills to other subjects at the Gardens such as butterflies, flowers, and frogs. All materials provided.
Hélène Farrar has taught and worked in the visual arts for twenty years while actively exhibiting in commercial, nonprofit, and university galleries in New England, New York City, Pennsylvania, Italy, and England. Farrar has a BA in studio art from the University of Maine and an MFA in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College in Vermont. Hélène currently owns and operates her own private art school in Maine out of her “Farmhouse” studio, where she holds a variety of workshops and classes for children and adults.
Water gardens are growing in popularity for a number of reasons: to attract wildlife like birds and butterflies, to add a melodic sound feature, to contribute light reflection, to offer a place for personal respite, and to cool down a garden space. Water gardens that incorporate unique and lush plants add bold shapes, forms, colors, defined lines, and textures to a garden space. In class, students will make and take home a small water garden container filled with personally selected plants supplied by the Gardens. We'll talk about the wide variety of plant options, materials, and different kinds of water garden designs. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Monday-Friday, July 17-21 | Our summer nature camps provide fun and enriching opportunities for young people to learn about the natural world. Exploration-filled activities will take us on adventures throughout the Gardens and surrounding forests as we investigate bugs, birds, food chains, mammals, sun power, and much more. Through observations, games, stories, experiments, and nature-related projects, campers will be well on their way to becoming young naturalists by the end of the week! Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.
Tuesdays July 18 & August 29; Friday, August 4
Join us as we search the flowers of the Gardens for the pollinators that make this place possible! Participants will learn about the process of pollination, who qualifies as a pollinator, the differences between them, and the kinds of flowers each loves best. Participants will discover reasons to appreciate pollinators and all they do to sustain the life cycles of so many plants. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.
Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. Drop in anytime during your visit between 10 am to 2 pm. This is the second of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.
Many of the engineering challenges facing humans today are similar to difficulties that exist in the natural world. Plants and animals have evolved through generations of successes and failures resulting in remarkable adaptations to overcome these challenges. Join us to explore the ways engineers have taken advantage of nature’s bright ideas through biomimicry, and meet some live animals that help us draw comparisons between human-made products and animal adaptations. As we look for creative solutions to future problems, perhaps we can find inspiration by observing nature in our own backyard! Drop in anytime between 10 am to 2 pm.
Monday-Friday, July 24-28 | Our summer nature camps provide fun and enriching opportunities for young people to learn about the natural world. Exploration-filled activities will take us on adventures throughout the Gardens and surrounding forests as we investigate bugs, birds, food chains, mammals, sun power, and much more. Through observations, games, stories, experiments, and nature-related projects, campers will be well on their way to becoming young naturalists by the end of the week! Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.
Thursdays, July 27 & August 24
Have you ever looked closely at a tree stump or wondered who might be living in the holes left by woodpeckers? Venture into the woods with us as we investigate the plants and animals that live there and discover how they are all connected. Together we will appreciate the ecology and natural history of the Maine woods. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.
Monday-Friday, July 31-August 4 | The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving above ground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface too! Our many ponds are teeming with life, and campers will spend the week exploring them, catching frogs, salamanders, and aquatic bugs while learning all about their life cycles in the process. Campers will also discover the unique adaptations of the plants and animals that depend on these diverse habitats for their survival. Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.
Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. Drop in anytime during your visit between 10 am to 2 pm. This is the third of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.
Two live owls are the highlight of this program introducing participants to the native owls of Maine and New England. Using pictures and sounds, participants will learn the identifying characteristics and calls of each owl. Then, using talons, wings, and skulls, explore the adaptations of these silent nocturnal hunters. This program features an intimate and detailed look at live owls, bringing these creatures of the night into the light! Drop in anytime between 10 am to 2 pm.
Monday-Friday, August 7-11 | The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving above ground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface too! Our many ponds are teeming with life, and campers will spend the week exploring them, catching frogs, salamanders, and aquatic bugs while learning all about their life cycles in the process. Campers will also discover the unique adaptations of the plants and animals that depend on these diverse habitats for their survival. Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.
Friday, July 14; Thursday, August 10
The Gardens is home to many plants and, in turn, those plants become home to many interesting creatures. Explore the Gardens with us as we look closely for all sorts of signs of life—under leaves and up in the trees, above-ground and below, and even in the pond! A scavenger hunt activity will help guide our search. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.
The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections between people and nature and promote plant conservation through horticulture, education, and plant science.
Copyright 2024 Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
