Gardens Aglow tickets are on sale NOW! Weekends and holidays do sell out, so get your tickets early to ensure your ideal day and time.
Orchids are amazing plants—and an engrossing indoor hobby for us northern gardeners. In this fun and enlightening class, learn from CMBG horticulturist Courtney Locke how to successfully grow orchids year-round as houseplants. With so much advice out there, it’s inevitable that confusion would arise. Learn from a true orchid grower and enthusiast, and soon you’ll be on your way to nurturing these intoxicating plants in a variety of arranged containers.
When designing a new garden, it’s tempting to dive right in and start selecting plants – it’s what we plant nerds love best! But we’re doing more than creating a space to show off favorite flowers—we’re creating one that also incorporates and considers circulation, function, character, and scale. Join us as we train our brains and sketching hands, learning how to use graphic and conceptual tools to think bigger about the possibilities of place-making.
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.
Monday, April 11 and Saturday, April 16 | Soil is alive, and a fundamental understanding of soil science is critical when selecting well-adapted native plants or choosing amendments needed by native plant communities. A two-day class for the ecologically-minded grower, students will gain an understanding of soil's dynamic relationship with a plant's health.
Wetland plants are wildly diverse and complex—take the marsh marigold or the wild calla, the native relative of the traditional calla lily. Join ecologist Ted Elliman for this online lecture and captivating visual presentation, and learn more about freshwater wetland plants. Ted will guide participants in identification, wetland classifications, habits, and the fauna that have co-evolved with these verdant plants, gaining a deeper understanding for their ecological value.
From gardening to landscape projects, the right tool makes the process easier, less strenuous, and more efficient. A chef wouldn’t use a butter knife to slice a roast, and a carpenter wouldn’t secure an inch-thick board with a half-inch nail! In this behind-the-scenes look at the CMBG horticulture staff's favorite tools, you'll learn why certain tools are appropriate for certain jobs. We’ll also discuss the more effective and ergonomic options out there—it might be time to replace that splintering, 30-year-old spade you're still using!
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.
Once we’ve got the bigger picture of our garden spaces in mind, we can start shaping them with program and structure. In garden design, structure is more than a row of shrubs, a fence, or a wall at your property line – it’s how you shape a space, create a sense of enclosure, and lead the eye to landscape destinations.
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.
Friday, April 29 and Friday, May 6 | Learn how plants adapt, compete, and depend on surrounding living and nonliving influences, and get familiar with concepts like parasitism, pollination, and dispersal. After day one’s online session, spend day two in the living classroom of the Gardens.
In this session, we’ll look at palette and plant choices, focusing on personal and environmental considerations, and take our design dreams and translate them onto paper. Utilizing the base plans created in an earlier session, we’ll look at the current garden space, visualize what we want it to become, and articulate that onto paper in several conceptual drafts.
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.
The Photography Club meets every other Thursday morning at the Gardens, 7-9 a.m. Enjoy having the whole of our campus to yourself for two hours before we open to the public. Come and capture the stunning morning light, May-October. You must be a member of the Gardens to enjoy this amazing perk. The first meeting of the year is Thursday, May 12.
Friday, May 13 and Sunday, May 22 | Learn how Maine’s native plants behave in their natural habitats. Guided by ecologist Ted Elliman, this comprehensive, two-day course will introduce students to several plant communities, the native plants living in them, and the natural processes affecting them.
Set up your easel and paint or sketch at the Gardens for free! Enjoy glorious spring weather and capture some brilliant color. The event is a bit earlier this year, and thinner crowds mean artists can spread out and enjoy the tulips and daffodils. There is no charge for entry, but you must pre-register for this event. You may attend one or all of our plein air days.
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.
Whether you're working on a new garden design or revising an existing space, this final installment of our garden design series will address both the large-scale process and the detailed specifics of your personal design. We’ll work together in a collaborative workshop, presenting and providing constructive feedback on students' unique design efforts.
Mindy Lighthipe image.[/caption]
For new and returning Botanical Arts Certificate students: join us to review 2022’s courses, the requirements needed to receive your certificate, and an introduction to this year’s instructors and their artwork. Those already enrolled in the program should sign up to attend, but there is no need to pay an additional fee. The presentation will be indoors and masks will be required; students must be members of the Gardens to enroll in this program.
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.
Deepening your connection to nature through moving meditation offers enormous benefits for personal well-being. In this gentle class, experience how the simple practice of walking mindfully through a forest can provide deep serenity. By engaging with all five senses, we can enhance awareness and presence. Follow Susan Bickford, certified guide in the ancient Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest therapy/forest bathing, and gain the tools needed to begin your own meditation practice. The walk ends with a tea ceremony.
Friday, May 27 and Saturday, June 4 | With a core understanding of plant biology, working with nature takes on a whole new depth. Beginning with basic plant anatomy, students will learn how every aspect of the organism works together to sustain photosynthesis, respiration, and water and mineral uptake.
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.
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