Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Save $2 per ticket by buying ahead of time online.
Gardens Aglow will light up the Boothbay peninsula for the sixth year in a row, with one important change: this year it will be a driving tour. The annual family tradition of experiencing the lights of Gardens Aglow has been transformed to accommodate the safety protocols necessary for large events. All tickets must be purchased in advance; no tickets will be sold on-site.
Boothbay residents get free admission on weekends throughout the regular season. For admission, please show proof of residency at the front desk upon arrival.
Lincoln County residents get free admission on the first Wednesday of the month throughout the regular season. For admission, please show proof of residency at the front desk upon arrival.
Our one-hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come-first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Tours are free on Wednesdays. Our other weekday Accessible Cart Tours are $10 per person.
Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.
Our one-hour accessible cart tours are led by trained Gardens' docents, rain or shine, on our quiet electric cart. The cart can accommodate up to five people. Seating preference is decided on a first-come-first-served basis. These tours are a wonderful opportunity for those who may not otherwise be able to walk the Gardens. Tours are $10 per person, except on Wednesdays when the accessible cart tours are free.
Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included in the cost of the tour.
Thanks to generous support from L.L.Bean, kids 17 and under are free every Wednesday in July and August, 2021. No need to reserve tickets for your young guests – just bring them along and we’ll check them in at the door.
This registration is for the online event. Please note: both online and in-person registration is available for this event.
In this conversation Abra Lee will discuss her garden roots from the dirt-road country of the rural South to a lesson in family history that helped define her life’s purpose. This is a story of failure, persistence, and how taking her Mama’s advice to “don’t be no educated fool” led her on a journey to uncover Black America’s legacy in ornamental horticulture.
The Ina and Lew Heafitz Endowed Lecture celebrates leading thinkers in horticulture, landscape design, sustainability, and more. These nationally-recognized speakers address cutting-edge and timely topics, presenting enriching talks centered around their work in nature-related fields. The annual lecture is free for all.
Abra Lee is a national speaker, writer, and owner of Conquer the Soil, a platform that combines Black garden history and current events to raise awareness of horticulture. She has spent "a whole lotta time" in the dirt as a municipal arborist, extension agent, airport landscape manager, and more. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University and alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals.
This registration is for the in-person event, which will take place indoors in our Education Center at 75% capacity. Please note: both online and in-person registration is available for this event.
In this conversation Abra Lee will discuss her garden roots from the dirt-road country of the rural South to a lesson in family history that helped define her life’s purpose. This is a story of failure, persistence, and how taking her Mama’s advice to “don’t be no educated fool” led her on a journey to uncover Black America’s legacy in ornamental horticulture.
The Ina and Lew Heafitz Endowed Lecture celebrates leading thinkers in horticulture, landscape design, sustainability, and more. These nationally-recognized speakers address cutting-edge and timely topics, presenting enriching talks centered around their work in nature-related fields. The annual lecture is free for all.
Abra Lee is a national speaker, writer, and owner of Conquer the Soil, a platform that combines Black garden history and current events to raise awareness of horticulture. She has spent ""a whole lotta time"" in the dirt as a municipal arborist, extension agent, airport landscape manager, and more. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University and alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals.
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.
Now that the garden is put to bed, it’s a great time to read those books you’ve been meaning to get to all season long. Join the conversation as we discuss four acclaimed books featuring plants at their core. This year, to be sure everyone can participate, we will be conducting these conversations via Zoom. Just sign up, read the selection, and then join the group by logging into the Zoom discussion that day. Selections include: Life in the Garden, The Age of Wood, The Garden of Evening Mists, and Uprooted: A Gardener’s Reflections on Beginning Again.
Treat your mother to flowers at the Gardens! We’re offering free admission for all mothers. No need to purchase a ticket for her—just purchase your own and bring Mom along.
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.
Celebrate Dad with a day out! On Father's Day, we’re offering free admission for all fathers throughout the day. No need to purchase a ticket for him—just purchase your own and bring Dad along.
Join us and get mothing! The Gardens has teamed up with The Caterpillar Lab for an after-hours mothing extravaganza. Lightsheeting, or “mothing,” is the practice of providing an irresistible surface for insects to land on by illuminating a large white sheet. This favorite pastime of biologists has quickly become a popular hobby for nature lovers, gardeners, and the naturally curious worldwide. Popular events like National Moth Week and Mothapalooza have been attracting more and more attention—and now you, too, can be an explorer at this exclusive, after-hours event.
The Caterpillar Lab Director, Sam Jaffe, will arrange his ultra-moth-attracting setup and be on hand to help identify the hundreds of species we’ll likely attract. Come ready to be amazed by the diversity, size, and beauty of Maine’s nocturnal insect inhabitants. Before long, you too will be hooked on this popular pastime.
For the best experience, avoid bright clothing, wear long sleeves and pants, and bring a flashlight and insect repellant. This program is designed for anyone ages 10 and up, adults and families alike.
The Caterpillar Lab is moving in, and while the exhibit is filled with munching critters offering lots to explore, the real story is the one happening outdoors. In our many gardens (as well as your own backyard), these creatures are living out their strange lives in the wild. Join The Caterpillar Lab Director, Sam Jaffe, on an exploration of the Gardens in search of native caterpillars and other insects. Learn how The Lab finds its caterpillars, all about host plants and parasitoids, and discover caterpillar-finding secrets from one of the world’s foremost caterpillar hunters! This walk is appropriate for naturalists, gardeners, and explorers of all ages. It may not, however, be appropriate for more casually interested younger children.
Back by popular demand! Join us August 3-10 when perennial favorite, The Caterpillar Lab, sets up its functioning caterpillar rearing, researching, photographing, filming, and educating facility in our hallways. No two days of this residency are alike! Come experience live caterpillar displays and witness how The Lab cares for and works with these amazing, surprising creatures. Learn more about the exhibit here.
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.
Chewonki's single-day naturalist residency programs are free to all guests with admission. This is the first of three days, all focusing on different parts of Maine's native biodiversity.
Explore the opportunities for Wabanaki-led conservation in what is now Maine in this year’s Ina and Lewis Heafitz Endowed Lecture with Dr. Darren Ranco. In this free, endowed lecture, he will share contemporary scholarship about Indigenous conservation practices, define the terminology used by Indigenous people for conservation work, and identify best practices for partnerships with environmental organizations and Indigenous peoples.
The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research.
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