There’s something about these shorter, cooler days as the season winds down that makes you wish you could hold onto just a little bit of summer for later—for the more extreme months, for the harder days. Something about the satisfaction of the conclusion of another good growing season inspires hope as we gather the fruits of those hard-working seeds. Some flowers and leaves, depending on zone, are at still pretty delectable right now, what with all that making do with the last of the warm late summer/early autumn sun drawing sweet, pungent essential oils to the surface of their cells.

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Check out the Gardens’ Dig It! blog for more of my favorite road trips, perfect for an individual, a couple, or a small family. Every destination is within a 1-2 hour’s drive and can be stretched into a 2 to 3-day getaway; timing is based on a Friday-Sunday trip.

Disclaimer: There are a million things one might do here in MidCoast Maine, but I offer you a tour of places I have been to, worked with, and highly recommend. I encourage you to research with Yelp, TripAdvisor, VisitMaine.com, and travel apps like Roadside America; after all, planning is half the fun of any trip! Also, this trip was mapped pre-COVID. Be sure to call or check ahead to ascertain opening hours and general availability.

There’s no doubt that MidCoast Maine is the perfect place for a family vacation. I made many trips down to Boothbay Harbor as a child with family. Funny story, as a toddler, I dropped my pacifier (I called it a “dum-dum”) off the 1901 Footbridge as a child, and I was so upset, I never had another one. With all the changes children have been asked make due to COVID-19, they could certainly use a fun-filled vacation this summer! In a normal year, you could spend an entire weekend on the Boothbay peninsula enjoying such places as the Boothbay Railway Museum, the Maine State Aquarium, and the Carousel Music Theater. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, these places are not open this year. However, there are so many other fun things to do in MidCoast Maine. Follow me for a great family trip (or for a couple who are young at heart) around the Boothbay and Phippsburg peninsulas – with an obvious stop at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (get your tickets in advance, here)! Read More

Check out the Gardens’ Dig It! blog for more of my favorite road trips, perfect for an individual, a couple, or a small family. Every destination is within a 1-2 hour’s drive and can be stretched into a 2 to 3-day getaway; timing is based on a Friday-Sunday trip.

Disclaimer: There are a million things one might do here in MidCoast Maine, but I offer you a tour of places I have been to, worked with, and highly recommend. I encourage you to research with Yelp, TripAdvisor, VisitMaine.com, and travel apps like Roadside America; after all, planning is half the fun of any trip! Also, this trip was mapped pre-COVID. Be sure to call or check ahead to ascertain opening hours and general availability.

Whether you are parents thrown into the brave new world of homeschooling and itching for a well-deserved break or a young couple missing date nights, every couple has earned a Maine staycation to kick-start your summer. As someone who has fallen in love with (and in!) MidCoast Maine, I can attest that it is the perfect place for romance. Join me as I guide you through the Boothbay and Pemaquid Peninsulas – with an obvious stop at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (get your tickets in advance, here)! I hope you fall in love with MidCoast in this couples’ getaway.
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Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I outline some of my favorite road trips, perfect for an individual, a couple, or a small family. Everything is within a 2-3 hour driving distance and can be stretched into a 2 to 3-day getaway; timing is based on a Friday-Sunday trip.

Disclaimer: There are a million things one might do here in MidCoast Maine, but I offer you a tour of places I have been to, worked with, and highly recommend. I encourage you to research with Yelp, Travelocity, Google, and travel apps like Roadside America; after all, planning is half the fun of any trip! Also, this trip was mapped pre-COVID. Be sure to call or check ahead to ascertain opening hours and general availability.

 With warmer weather in the forecast and safety guidelines being revised, if you are anything like me, you’re itching for a stint in the great outdoors. Being able to leave our houses and enjoy the abundance of outdoor activities after so long makes being in Maine ideal. After all, we are the home of L.L. Bean, Acadia National Park, and the great “Down East” – outdoor activities are what we do! MidCoast Maine has some of the greatest outdoor activities, whether you like to sightsee, hike, explore, or simply relax and enjoy some sunshine. I hope you can find some adventure (and sun) in my favorite Great Outdoors road trip – with an obvious stop at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (get your tickets in advance, here)!
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It’s flower season! (Obviously, this is our favorite season here at the Gardens.) Maybe you planted your own cutting garden, like our social media maven, Tory, or maybe you have a field of wildflowers nearby. Not matter what, it’s hard not to be tempted to bring a little of that color and vibrancy into our own homes.
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Like many, I planned domestic and international travel for 2020, plans which have all been halted for now. Trying to decide how I wanted to use my vacation time was no harder than looking in my backyard. Maine is Vacationland, after all! Growing up here, I became a self-proclaimed “Road Trip Queen” (which is actually what brought me to my career here at CMBG). The Boothbay Harbor region has always tugged at my heartstrings—with its small-town atmosphere, genuine hospitality, breathtaking views, and offerings for anyone at any age. I hope I can inspire you to make your own adventure to MidCoast Maine – with an obvious stop at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (get your tickets in advance, here).

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I outline some of my favorite road trips, perfect for an individual, a couple, or a small family. Everything is within a 2-3 hour driving distance and can be stretched into a 2 to 3-day getaway; timing is based on a Friday-Sunday trip.

Disclaimer: There are a million things one might do here in MidCoast Maine, but I offer you a tour of places I have been to, worked with, and highly recommend. I encourage you to research with Yelp, Travelocity, Google, and travel apps like Roadside America; after all, planning is half the fun of any trip! Also, this trip was mapped pre-COVID. Be sure to call or check ahead to ascertain opening hours and general availability.
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I’m quite sure few would disagree that keeping a light heart has been challenging over the past few months. There are so many reasons a heart can feel troubled, either literally from illness or metaphorically from the end of a relationship, the death of a loved one, a parting of ways, or the result of disheartening current events. No matter what the circumstance, there are times when the heart—and spirit—are heavy.

Whatever the loss—emotional or physical—it can manifest itself as quite palpable, physical pain in the chest. Many of us know that emotional pain can feel just as crippling, just as real, as the pain experienced during a physical crisis of the heart. Whatever the cause, when in pain, we need time and energy to heal.

And, as I so often say—there’s an herb for that. Read More

As we spend more time at home these days, the speed at which dust and dirt accumulates is thrown into sharp relief—especially with windows open, wind blowing, and pollen dusting. If you’re anything like me, then a clean space opens the mind, relaxes the body, and makes spending so much time at home more rewarding.

Even those of us who normally eschew harsh chemicals have probably found ourselves reaching for them recently. However, in and around these more serious cleansing measures, we can reach back into nature for materials that clean and disinfect naturally. Let’s look at a few you might already have on hand. Read More

I think we can all agree that we’re not living in the easiest of times. Luckily—as I tell my herbal clients and students—there’s an herb for that.
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Fiddleheads are out! Searching for these edible beauties is a great way to spend time outside on these beautiful spring days! There are many different varieties of edible, yet-to-unfurl ferns around the world, but here in Maine, our springtime delicacy is the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). These young ferns, most commonly found near creeks, rivers, wetlands and moist woodlands in early spring, look like small green fists punching their way through the soil. The main way to identify the edible fern is to look for a “U” shaped stem. Once you have found a patch, harvest them when they are 6” or so from the soil, and the frond is tightly curled, leaving a ½” stem “tail.” Read More