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.
Inviting all young and aspiring birders to join us for our first ever Gardens birding club! Youth ages 10 and up can join our resident birders every other week this spring to identify birds migrating through Maine as well as those spending the season nesting and raising their young here. For further essential program information before registering, click Learn More.
CMBG’s Summer Camp Club is back! Summer camp club runs from July 26-Aug. 20 and covers a different topic every week. Since these are self-guided activities, you can sign up for the camp’s entirety at any time. Starting any day the week of June 28, campers can pick-up their first week of “Animal Kingdom” camp activities exploring the relationships between the flora and fauna of Maine. A new week of activities will be made available each Monday for a total of four weeks. Activities will include secret stashes, scavenger hunts, games, experiments, art projects, recipes and more. Campers will be invited to attend small-group outdoor learning sessions with CMBG staff throughout the summer based on camp themes. Each camper will receive a special bag to keep filled with tools for investigation and discovery as well as a camp hat. Families who sign up a child for both sessions of Summer Camp Club (“Animal Kingdom” and “Minibeasts!”), will receive a 15% discount at checkout. For further essential program information before registering, click Learn More.
"Forest bathing" is the act of using your senses to take in your surroundings while slowly moving through the woods. Enhance your happiness, creativity, and wellbeing during this easy walk that covers less than one mile in 1 hour.
In this session, CMBG horticulturalist Lesley Paxson will show participants which plants in our gardens and surrounding woodlands can be used safely to treat headaches, colds, upset stomach, stress, anxiety, and so much more. Participants will learn some herbal folklore as well as how to make a flower essence.
Young artists will study, explore, and compare the fresh and saltwater habitats at the Gardens. Participants will develop a strong foundation in observation, drawing, and painting skills using pencil, pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. By the end of the week, students will have a portfolio of drawings and paintings based on daily discoveries.
During this two-part, shore-based marine science program, participants will investigate how geology, climate, and weather change over time and how these changes impact the organisms living in the Back River and the Damariscotta River. They will perform net tows and, using secchi discs, refractometers, and other scientific equipment, gain a better understanding of the marine life that makes its home in these rivers.
Monday-Friday, July 19-July 23 | Young artists will study, explore, and compare the fresh and saltwater habitats at the Gardens. Participants will develop a strong foundation in observation, drawing, and painting skills using pencil, pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. By the end of the week, students will have a portfolio of drawings and paintings based on daily discoveries. For further essential program information before registering, click Learn More.
CMBG’s Summer Camp Club is back! Summer camp club runs from July 26-Aug. 20 and covers a different topic every week. Since these are self-guided activities, you can sign up for the camp’s entirety at any time. Starting any day the week of July 26, campers can pick-up their first week of “Minibeasts!” camp activities exploring insects and other invertebrates. A new week of activities will be made available each Monday for a total of four weeks. Activities will include secret stashes, scavenger hunts, games, experiments, art projects, recipes and more. Campers will be invited to attend small-group outdoor learning sessions with CMBG staff throughout the summer based on camp themes. Each camper will receive a special bag to keep filled with tools for investigation and discovery as well as a camp hat. Families who sign up a child for both sessions of Summer Camp Club (“Animal Kingdom” and “Minibeasts!”), will receive a 15% discount at checkout. For further essential program information before registering, click Learn More.
Monday-Friday, July 26-30 | Young artists will work together to create art from nature, including botanical-, woodland-, and edible-plant mandalas, fairy houses, stone and stick sculptures, nature people, and leaf insects. Some of the work will be built in place and reclaimed by nature, and some will be created in our outdoor studio and taken home by students. For further essential program information before registering, click Learn More.
During this session, participants will get an up-close look at dragonflies and damselflies and learn how to tell the difference between them, as well as how to identify a few specific species within the groups. Participants will also learn about their life stages as they explore the ponds of CMBG in search of the larvae that transform into the adults we all know so well.
Learn to see the world from a bee’s-eye view! During this session, Sarah Callan will teach participants how to identify common native bees. Participants will visit the Gardens’ two bee-themed exhibits and go behind the scenes at our apiary to learn about the differences between native and non-native bees.
In this session, participants will explore new garden areas in search of medicinal plants with CMBG horticulturalist, Jen Dunlap. Participants will be introduced to a wide variety of medicinal plants that can be used safely to treat colds, wounds, stress, headaches, and so much more. Participants will also learn what part of the plant to harvest, how to harvest, and how to dry and prepare medicinal plants.
Spend time with naturalist Sam Jaffe on a special tour of The Caterpillar Lab exhibit. Hone caterpillar-identification skills and learn some of the different unique adaptations caterpillars take followed by a guided walk in the Gardens to look for caterpillars.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this program geared toward students ages 8-14, participants can join our specialists for weekly, small-group outdoor sessions.
Plants may be slowing down this time of year, but insects are busy preparing for the coming winter. Join us as we visit our apiary with our beekeeper, search for the different stages of butterflies in our many gardens, identify insect mating calls, and dip nets into our ponds to learn about the different winter survival strategies used by our native insects.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Please bring a face covering to be worn while indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone.
Join our educators this fall for in-person walks to explore nature and experience fall at the Gardens, perfect for ages 4-8.
Join us as we investigate what exactly plants are up to in the fall. We will search for interesting seeds and seedpods (even some edible ones!), learn about seed dispersal and the lifecycle of a plant, and discover the importance of seeds and their many adaptations! Participants will also make seed bombs to take home.
Please bring a face covering to be worn indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone. Parent participation is optional.
Join our educators this fall for in-person walks to explore nature and experience fall at the Gardens, perfect for ages 4-8.
We will put our five senses to work as we wind our way through the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, experiencing this garden in a whole new way. Participants will be encouraged to sample different herbs and veggies that may be new to them. As a take-home, participants will pot up a mini herb garden to enliven their senses at home.
Please bring a face covering to be worn indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone. Parent participation is optional.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this program geared toward students ages 8-14, participants can join our specialists for weekly, small-group outdoor sessions.
Fall is a great time to forage for wild edibles as plants mature and offer us a tasty bounty of seeds, berries, mushrooms and more. Local forager and restaurateur, Nikaline Iacano, will lead participants through the Gardens and surrounding woodlands in search of wild edibles to enjoy and identify. Bring your taste buds and a sense of adventure! We will end the session by making a tea with some of our finds.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Please bring a face covering to be worn while indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this program geared toward students ages 8-14, participants can join our specialists for weekly, small-group outdoor sessions.
They might be small, but mosses and mushrooms play a pig part in keeping our forests healthy. They also love the fall weather, so join us on our search to identify them in our Maine woods. Participants will learn what makes them so special and all about their similarities and differences.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Please bring a face covering to be worn while indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this program geared toward students ages 8-14, participants can join our specialists for weekly, small-group outdoor sessions.
For trees, fall is a time of beautiful and dramatic changes. During this session, participants will learn handy tricks for remembering both the coniferous and deciduous trees of the Maine woods, gain an understanding of the science behind fall foliage, and learn an experiment they can perform at home.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Please bring a face covering to be worn while indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone.
Growing vegetables is enormously rewarding, especially when you start them from the tiniest of seeds. Witnessing and nurturing the growth of a plant, particularly one that nourishes in return, provides immeasurable fulfillment. Professional vegetable grower John Fromer invites gardeners of any ability, ages 14-adult, to learn about the selection and process of growing vegetables and herbs, whether started in your home or sown directly in your garden bed.
Thursdays, April 7 and 14 | Delve deeply into depicting botanical subjects with graphite. Using fruits and vegetables, gain an in-depth understanding of how light affects individual shapes in nature including highlights, midtones, shadow areas, reflected highlights, and cast shadows. Great for ages 14-adult, beginners, or those looking to refine their drawing and observation skills.
April is a big month for amphibians in Maine as they migrate to vernal pools to breed and lay eggs. Come explore the Gardens’ many vernal pools in search of wood frog and spotted salamander eggs as well as other seasonal residents. Learn how to tell the difference between frog and salamander eggs and help count the egg masses for our annual survey! Learn what makes vernal pools unique, and gain an understanding of their important role in the forest ecosystem.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Wildlife awakens upon the spring equinox, vibrant with the sound of a new generation. In this workshop, students ages 14-adult will learn which species belongs to which sound, identifying frogs, turtles, salamanders, and other herps (Greek for “crawling things”). Learn about the Big Night and the citizen science initiative surrounding it. From the comfort of your home attend the live instruction featuring these exceptional wetland fauna.
Wildlife awakens upon the spring equinox, vibrant with the sound of a new generation. In this workshop, students ages 14-adult will learn which species belongs to which sound, identifying frogs, turtles, salamanders, and other herps (Greek for “crawling things”). Learn about the Big Night and the citizen science initiative surrounding it. During the final hour of class, those onsite will explore CMBG’s vast wetland environments and practice identifying and observing these critical, fragile species.
Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.
April is a big month for amphibians in Maine as they migrate to vernal pools to breed and lay eggs. We’ll return to some pools visited last session and explore new ones, observing changes in wood frog and spotted salamander egg masses. We’ll identify differences between species’ eggs, help count the egg masses for our survey, and compare the differences between pools and ponds, drawing conclusions about which will have the most successful populations. Participants do not need to have attended the first class in order to attend this one.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Thursdays, April 21 and 28, May 5 and 12 | Delve deeply into depicting botanical subjects with graphite. Using fruits and vegetables, gain an in-depth understanding of how light affects individual shapes in nature including highlights, midtones, shadow areas, reflected highlights, and cast shadows. Great for beginners and those looking to refine their drawing and observation skills.
Come and enjoy the early blooms of spring with your family as we celebrate Earth Day together, getting a sneak peek at the Gardens before we open for the season. Join us for 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 on their own. *Please note that the Children’s Garden buildings, Café, and Lerner 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 and under are welcome to attend for free.
Whether you’re a land steward, forestry student, or simply passionate about the outdoors, ages 14-adult are invited to join Allyssa Gregory, Maine District Forester, to learn how to identify many of Maine's trees, the history of its forests, the soils that anchor and sustain the trees, and about silvaculture and climate-adaptive species. Students will leave with a native tree seedling to plant.
Starting May 2 | Our popular family gardening program is back! Join us this spring as we combine gardening and learning in a fun, rewarding program for children ages 4-11. This unique, parent-led program will guide participants through growing a spring and summer garden. Lessons combine gardening with science, math, English, social studies and art. Families will receive fruit and vegetable transplants and/or seeds and planting instructions weekly. For more essential program information, including weekly topics, admissions for parents during the program, and more details about included supplies, click "Learn more."
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is teaming up once again with Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension to participate in “Signs of the Seasons,” a citizen science program that engages volunteers in observing plant and animal phenology, or the study of seasonal life events like when birds make their nests in the spring, when berries ripen in the summer, and when leaves change color in the autumn.
Spring is one of the best times to go bird-watching—many birds are returning to their mating grounds and are as showy and colorful as ever! Take advantage of all the natural spaces at the Gardens and get a front seat to the show! Put your birding skills to the test – or gain a whole new set – as we look for our feathered friends while learning all about their lives, their habits, and adaptations. Participants will craft their own birds’ nests from natural materials to take home with them.
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
In this active field-study class, students ages 14-adult will learn more about our resident and migrating birds. We'll discuss identification and the New England avian lifestyle, from habitat to birds’ roles in the balance of the ecosystem and how we can better support them in the changing climate. We suggest students bring a pair of binoculars.
Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.
Calling all young birders and aspiring birders! Join us on a walk to identify birds migrating through Maine as well as those that spend the season nesting and raising their young here. Learn to identify birds by their calls and identifying features as well as how to use eBird to keep a record of birds observed.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
With all the flowers that we care for at the Gardens, it’s no surprise that we are regularly and frequently visited by all sorts of pollinators! Explore the Gardens with us as we search for these busy creatures and discover more about who they are, what they’re up to, and why they’re important. We’ll also get an up-close look at how pollination works as we take apart a flower together. Participants will plant a flower to take home with them that pollinators will be sure to enjoy!
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
This fun and family-friendly hands-on workshop will have you exploring your gardening creativity—in miniature! First, learn about and draw inspiration from several different types of miniature gardens including “fairy gardens” and Japanese gardens. Then, using wide shallow containers, small plants, fairy garden accessories, and other tiny elements, create a personalized miniature garden to take home. All materials are provided, and registration includes admission for a parent and child. Families are encouraged to work together, but if parents would like to make their own miniature garden, please register separately so that we can plan for supplies.
The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving aboveground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface! Join us as we explore the life thriving in the depths and shallows of our ponds. Together, we’ll search for aquatic critters, learning about their lives in the process. Participants will create a fun frog craft to help them remember everything they learned during the program.
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
While the Gardens is home to many beautiful, cultivated plants, there are quite a few wonderful wildflowers that pop up all on their own! Join us to walk the Gardens and trails together in search of these wild beauties, discussing their importance, some interesting facts, and their histories along the way. Learn basic identification skills to employ on your next wildflower hunting adventure!
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
This workshop introduces young artists to color and to the abundant life that emerges when we translate a 3D garden landscape into 2D. With the help of experienced instructors, participants will explore their botanical and landscape interests, learning how to translate those ideas into beautiful pastel paintings. Technique, demonstration, and personal guidance gives young artists confidence in navigating the pastel medium. Participants receive a small kit of pastel materials and paper and will leave with one piece matted and sleeved for presentation. Instructor Barbara Farcione is a member of the Pastel Society of Maine and on the Board of Directors.
Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.
The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving aboveground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface! Join us as we explore the life thriving in the depths and shallows of our ponds. Together, we’ll search for aquatic critters, learning about their lives in the process. Participants will create a fun frog craft to help them remember everything they learned during the program.
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
Continuing our botanical explorations, we’ll go in search of some of the wildflowers calling the Gardens home. If still blooming, we’ll revisit specimens from the previous session in more depth along with any new flowers that have sprung up. Participants will practice thinking like a botanist, learning more about the plant identification process and using a key to identify specific characteristics of these wildflowers. Participants do not need to have taken the beginner class in order to participate in this class.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
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
