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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Monday-Friday, August 14-18 | Budding gardeners will spend the week digging, planting, watering, and harvesting fruits and veggies in our Learning Garden. Campers will investigate the inner workings of the garden from the ground up and get the real “dirt” on plants, life cycles, composting, garden critters, and more! Join us for a week filled with games, explorations, snack making from the garden, and take-home garden projects. Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.

Monday & Tuesday, August 21 & 22, 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.

Tuesday, May 7, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2-3:30 p.m.
Monday, June 3, 10-11:30 a.m.

Explore a plant's life cycle from seed to fruit as we dissect a seed, learn about plant parts and functions, photosynthesis, the importance of plants, and their unique adaptations. We'll head out to the Learning Garden to sample different plant parts and pot up a plant to grow at home.

Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register for multiple programs or register more than one child for the same program, receive a special discounted rate at checkout. Financial Aid is available. Please email Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org for an application.

Monday, May 13, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2-3:30 p.m.
Monday, June 3, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2-3:30 p.m.

Learn to identify the aquatic creatures found in the Gardens’ ponds and understand their life cycles, gaining more knowledge about the food web and habitat of the pond in the process. With nets and buckets, participants will have time to explore life in the pond.

Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register for multiple programs or register more than one child for the same program, receive a special discounted rate at checkout. Financial Aid is available. Please email Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org for an application.

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | Our summer nature camps provide fun and enriching opportunities for children to learn about the natural world. Exploration-filled activities will take us on adventures throughout the Gardens and surrounding forests as we investigate birds, food chains, mammals, pond life, and 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! Extended Explorations aftercare is available as an add-on. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need.

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | Our summer nature camps provide fun and enriching opportunities for children to learn about the natural world. Exploration-filled activities will take us on adventures throughout the Gardens and surrounding forests as we investigate birds, food chains, mammals, pond life, and 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! Extended Explorations aftercare is available as an add-on. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need.

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | Bug lovers unite as we scour the garden, woods, and ponds in search of the Gardens' tiniest residents. Campers will learn about insect life cycles, their role in nature, and the secrets of their survival through activities, observations, and a special visit with our resident entomologist. We'll also spend time investigating the lives of caterpillars, butterflies, and bees in our on-site exhibits. Creepy crawly fanatics will love this camp! Extended Explorations aftercare is available as an add-on. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need.

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | Bug lovers unite as we scour the garden, woods, and ponds in search of the Gardens' tiniest residents. Campers will learn about insect life cycles, their role in nature, and the secrets of their survival through activities, observations, and a special visit with our resident entomologist. We'll also spend time investigating the lives of caterpillars, butterflies, and bees in our on-site exhibits. Creepy crawly fanatics will love this camp! Extended Explorations aftercare is available as an add-on. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need.

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | Budding gardeners will spend the week digging, planting, watering, and harvesting fruits and vegetables in our learning garden. We'll investigate the inner workings of the garden from the ground up and get the real "dirt" on plants, life cycles, composting, garden critters, and more! Sign your campers up for a week filled with games, explorations, garden snack-making, and take-home garden projects. Extended Explorations aftercare is available as an add-on. Scholarships are available for families with a financial need.

Investigate life underground and discover 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. Families who register for multiple programs or register more than one child for the same program, receive a special discounted rate at checkout. Financial Aid is available. Please email Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org for an application.

Gardens horticultural therapists will lead customized, 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. After planting a succulent bowl or fern terrarium to take home, students will tour the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, where they will use all of their available senses to explore the biodiversity demonstrated inside this universally accessible garden. Parents/guardians are asked to attend this session with their homeschoolers.

Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register for multiple programs or register more than one child for the same program, receive a special discounted rate at checkout. Financial Aid is available. Please email Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org for an application.

Come and enjoy one of the last open days of the season as we take in all that fall has to offer. We’ll investigate plant parts and their role in continuing a plant's life cycle, search for a variety of seedpods, harvest veggies and herbs from the Learning Garden, and cut a bouquet to take home. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register for multiple programs or register more than one child for the same program, receive a special discounted rate at checkout. Financial Aid is available. Please email Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org for an application.