Our Native Plant Tour begins with a stroll down the Haney Hillside, moving from cultivated native plantings to the natural landscape of the Shoreland Trail. From there, we walk along the Maine Woods Trail, past fern glens and wetlands, then to the upland spruce-fir forest off the Birch Allée. Please note: this tour lasts about an hour and a half and moves swiftly over hiking trails. Registration is strongly suggested. To join the tour, please meet outside the Market building by the Great Lawn.

Join us for a staff-led walk through our many wetlands down to the Back River. On this tour, learn how important wetlands are to our ecosystem, how they provide vital habitat for wildlife, and what we can do to preserve them. From ponds to vernal pools to small rivers, we’ll see how water affects each natural community. Please note: this tour lasts about an hour and a half and moves swiftly over our steeper hiking trails. Registration is strongly suggested. To join, please meet outside the Lyn and Daniel Lerner Visitor Center by the Heafitz Wetland Bridge.

Join us for this hour-long tour through our central gardens. Meet by the Café building and walk through the gardens surrounding the Great Lawn. Learn the origin stories and people who made each garden possible, highlights of the Gardens’ history, design elements, and botanical details.

Wednesdays, May 24, June 21, July 26, August 23 & September 20

Join us for a staff-led walk through the Gardens' many wetlands down to the Back River. On this tour, learn how important wetlands are to our ecosystem, how they provide vital habitat for wildlife, and what we can do to preserve them. From ponds to vernal pools to small rivers, we’ll see how water affects each natural community. Please note: this tour lasts about an hour and a half and moves swiftly over our steeper hiking trails. Registration is strongly suggested. To join, please meet outside the Lyn and Daniel Lerner Visitor Center by the Heafitz Wetland Bridge.

Tuesdays, May 9, 23, June 6, 20, July 11, 25, August 8, 22, September 5, 19, & October 10

The Native Plant Tour begins with a stroll down the Haney Hillside, moving from cultivated native plantings to the natural landscape of the Shoreland Trail. From there, we walk along the Maine Woods Trail, past fern glens and wetlands, to the upland spruce-fir forest off the Birch Allée. Please note: this tour lasts about an hour and a half and moves swiftly over hiking trails. Registration is strongly suggested. To join the tour, please meet by the Great Lawn outside the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, July 31 - October 20
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

How can we build climate-resilient communities? By engaging with stories about the natural world and exploring how our relationships with the environment are impacted by the changing climate. Join us on this BRAND-NEW tour of the Gardens as, together, we examine shifts in human values and behaviors and discuss the future of nature’s interactions. Enjoy the chance to share your perspectives on the changes you see occurring around you in this unique, supportive conversational format. The tour lasts an hour and a half, starts on the Great Lawn, and concludes in the Vayo Meditation Garden.

May 1 - July 4, tours Monday-Friday
July 5-September 3, tours daily
September 4-October 20, tours Monday-Friday

Join us for this hour-long tour through our central gardens. Meet on the Great Lawn, then walk through its surrounding gardens. Hear about the origin story and the people who made each garden possible, highlights of Gardens’ history, design elements, and botanical details.

Fridays, May 5, 19, June 2, 16, July 7, 21, August 4, 18, September 1, 15, October 6, and 20

Dive into forest ecology and discover how to become a better steward of our ecosystem, just like the Guardians of the Seeds. These trolls have emerged at the Gardens to save the seeds of Maine’s most important tree species—help them protect the trees by deepening your connection to the forest around you. In this guided tour, learn not only how you, too, can become a guardian of the forest like our giant trolls, but all about these important trees, their significance in our landscape, and some of the many threats our forests face. Note that the emphasis of this excursion will be on the Maine forest, and we will only see three trolls on this tour.

May 1-October 20, Monday-Friday, 9-10:30 a.m., 10-11:30 a.m. & 3-4:30 p.m.
Our one and a half 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. Accessible Cart Tours are $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers, except for Wednesdays when tours are free.

Registration is required ahead of time. Admission to the Gardens is not included and must be purchased separately.