Homeschool Days: Decomposers (Ages 5-12)

Monday, May 22, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. & noon-1:30 p.m.

Students will investigate life underground, discovering 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. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Sense of Wonder (Ages 5-13)

Tuesday, May 9, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. & Monday, May 22, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Students will explore the web of life in our forest ecosystem through the lens of author, marine biologist, conservationist, and seasonal Maine resident, Rachel Carson. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Spring Wildflowers (Ages 9-18)

Friday, May 19 & Monday, May 22, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Students will practice thinking like a botanist as they learn about different plant characteristics and how to use a key to identify the spring wildflowers they discover. The skills they acquire will help them identify plants on their own in the future. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Bridget VerVaet
Price: $10 / $12
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Spring Explorations: Decomposers (Ages 3-6)

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.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Erika Huber
Price: $10 / $12
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Watercolors in the Spring Garden

Tuesday-Thursday, May 30-June 1, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Come out and enjoy painting in the best studio ever, the great outdoors! In spring, the Gardens offers joyous inspiration, sparking creativity after a long winter with daffodils, tulips and budding trees. Via both group instruction and putting skills to work in the Gardens, class will focus on watercolor techniques and learning what creates a good composition. Students can expect demonstrations as well as time to work independently, with plenty of instructor feedback. Though open to all levels, students will benefit from having some basic knowledge of painting with watercolor prior to these workshops. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Erica Qualey
Price: $295 / $310
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Home Composting for All

Whether you live in an apartment building, on a suburban lot, or on a rural property, this class will address the opportunities everyone has for composting at home. Instead of adding to the food waste that makes up 1/3 of America's trash, you can learn how to effectively turn it into a treasure, whether the method is indoor vermiculture or outdoor bins or piles. Join Don Morrison, Master Gardener and compost aficionado, to learn about the different methods, containers, and materials that both accommodate your lifestyle and successfully compost food waste and garden debris. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $32 / $38
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Homeschool Days: Birds (Ages 8-18)

Tuesday, May 9 & Monday, June 5, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Join us on a walk to identify migrating birds as well as those that spend the season nesting and raising their young here in Maine. Students will learn to identify birds by their calls and identifying features. Binoculars will be available to borrow. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Bridget VerVaet
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Bees (Ages 5-18)

Tuesday, May 9 & Monday, June 5, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. & noon-1:30 p.m.

Do you know the difference between native and nonnative bees? Go behind the scenes at our Learning Apiary with our resident entomologist, Zac Smith-Hess, to take a peek inside a honeybee hive and get a glimpse into the life of these fascinating creatures. Then visit our native bee hub to learn about the differences between our native and nonnative bees and why both are crucial pollinators in our gardens. Please note that we’ll keep a safe distance from the active hives. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Zac Smith-Hess
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Maine Woods Walk (Ages 9-18)

Monday, June 5, noon-1:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Students will learn how to identify common Maine trees and distinguish a conifer tree from a deciduous one. Students will also gain an understanding of the ecology and cultural history of our native trees. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Spring Explorations: Garden Detectives (Ages 3-6)

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.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Erika Huber
Price: $10 / $12
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Construct A Garden Tuteur

Garden tuteurs, garden obelisk, or trellis—no matter what term you're familiar with, this creative pyramidal structure supports edible or ornamental vines. These practical features add vertical interest and provide visible textural contrast, line, and structure to a garden. Join us just in time to support seasonal vines and make your own rustic wooden tuteur to add to your garden space. Instructor and CMBG Horticulturist, Kelsie Birney, will provide all needed supplies and lead students through the constructing process. Please bring your own gloves, clippers, and battery-operated or cord drill, if you have one handy. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Kelsie Birney
Price: $68 / $85
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Homeschool Days: Pollinator ID Walk (Ages 9-18) (Canceled)

Tuesday, June 13, 1-2:30 p.m.

Can you tell the difference between a rusty-patched and a two-spotted bumble bee? Did you know that some types of wasps and flies are pollinators? Join us on an exploratory walk with our resident entomologist, Zac Smith-Hess, as he shows students how to identify the different types of pollinators they come across. Students will also learn some fun facts about flowers and their relationship with these amazing creatures. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. A discount will be given to families who register multiple children or for multiple programs.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Zac Smith-Hess
Price: $10 / $12
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Nature Journaling Workshop for Ages 9-14

Wednesday-Friday, June 28-30, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Create a nature-journaling keepsake! During this three-day workshop, students will explore the Gardens and surrounding woodlands, learning how to make journal observations that combine words and imagery. Once back in the classroom, learn lettering techniques using ink and how to add color, detail, lines, and texture using watercolors and colored pencils. We’ll discuss journal page design and layout, and everyone will get to take a journal of completed works home, ready to house more of their nature observations in the future. All materials provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.

Erica Qualey lives in Maine and works as a watercolor artist and illustrator. She is an award-winning member of the New England Watercolor Society and has exhibited nationally and internationally. Teaching students of all ages to draw and paint has become another passion for Erica in recent years. Her youth programming through the Skidompha Library is very popular, and she has also worked with children through visiting artists programs. She was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Arts Association supporting her work as a virtual art educator.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Erica Qualey
Price: $160 / $200
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Chewonki @ the Gardens: Mammals of Maine

Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. This is the first of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.

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.

Location: Seagull Pavilion
Instructor: Chewonki Science Educator
Price: Free

Make a Water-Wise Container Garden

Water-wise gardening is another way of referring to designing with water in mind, especially relevant to drought conditions. Water-wise container gardens lend themselves to an exotic and creative assortment of annuals or perennials like succulents, alpines, and plants with fuzzy leaves, leathery-glossy leaves, or those with varied color- and textural characteristics. Join Gardens Horticulturist Jen Dunlap for this creative workshop and make your own drought-tolerant container garden. Students are encouraged to bring their own clippers, apron, and garden gloves. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Jen Dunlap
Price: $68 / $85
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Introduction to Printmaking: Session I for Ages 8-12

Monday-Wednesday, July 10-12, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Does your child have an interest in learning printmaking? Join local artists Debra Arter and Kay Miller as they share their love of the art and various unique printing styles with young artists. Students will visit different parts of the Gardens each day, drawing inspiration and gathering natural materials to use for plant rubbings and botanical monotypes. Students will also experiment with gelli and collagraph plates to make cards, nature books, and framed work. All materials will be provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.

Debra Arter has earned a BA in art education and MFA in fine art. She has been teaching adults and children for over 30 years, both in Maine and internationally—but her favorite is printmaking. Her work will be featured in several curated shows this summer. When not teaching or traveling, she enjoys spending time in her own gardens in Damariscotta. She is a founding member of the Midcoast Printmakers.

Kay Miller's daily interactions with nature provide the starting point for her compositions. Using color and an array of natural materials she has picked and pressed, Kay is able to express how she feels about living on the coast of Maine. The process of monotype printing provides instant satisfaction, while offering a complexity in the layering and changing of form and color.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $160 / $200
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Line & Form: Drawing the Trolls, Ages 7-11 (July)

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.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Hélène Farrar
Price: $100 / $125
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Make a Container Water Garden

Water gardens are growing in popularity for a number of reasons: to attract wildlife like birds and butterflies, to add a melodic sound feature, to contribute light reflection, to offer a place for personal respite, and to cool down a garden space. Water gardens that incorporate unique and lush plants add bold shapes, forms, colors, defined lines, and textures to a garden space. In class, students will make and take home a small water garden container filled with personally selected plants supplied by the Gardens. We'll talk about the wide variety of plant options, materials, and different kinds of water garden designs. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens 105 Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Courtney Locke
Price: $68 / $85
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Nature Adventure Camp for Ages 4-6 (Sold Out)

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.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Karen Jones
Price: $150 / $187

Summer Discovery Walk: Pollinators

Tuesdays July 18 & August 29; Friday, August 4

Join us as we search the flowers of the Gardens for the pollinators that make this place possible! Participants will learn about the process of pollination, who qualifies as a pollinator, the differences between them, and the kinds of flowers each loves best. Participants will discover reasons to appreciate pollinators and all they do to sustain the life cycles of so many plants. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.

Location: Alfond Children's Garden Boothbay
Instructor: Education Staff
Price: Free
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Chewonki @ the Gardens: Biomimicry

Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. Drop in anytime during your visit between 10 am to 2 pm. This is the second of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.

Many of the engineering challenges facing humans today are similar to difficulties that exist in the natural world. Plants and animals have evolved through generations of successes and failures resulting in remarkable adaptations to overcome these challenges. Join us to explore the ways engineers have taken advantage of nature’s bright ideas through biomimicry, and meet some live animals that help us draw comparisons between human-made products and animal adaptations. As we look for creative solutions to future problems, perhaps we can find inspiration by observing nature in our own backyard! Drop in anytime between 10 am to 2 pm.

Location: Seagull Pavilion
Instructor: Chewonki Science Educator
Price: Free

Nature Adventure Camp for Ages 6-8 (Sold Out)

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.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Karen Jones
Price: $150 / $187

Summer Discovery Walk: Woodlands

Thursdays, July 27 & August 24

Have you ever looked closely at a tree stump or wondered who might be living in the holes left by woodpeckers? Venture into the woods with us as we investigate the plants and animals that live there and discover how they are all connected. Together we will appreciate the ecology and natural history of the Maine woods. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.

Location: Alfond Children's Garden Boothbay
Instructor: Education Staff
Price: Free
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Garden Investigators Camp: Wild Wetlands for Ages 6-8 (Sold Out)

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.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Karen Jones
Price: $150 / $187

Chewonki @ the Gardens: Owls of Maine

Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. Drop in anytime during your visit between 10 am to 2 pm. This is the third of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.

Two live owls are the highlight of this program introducing participants to the native owls of Maine and New England. Using pictures and sounds, participants will learn the identifying characteristics and calls of each owl. Then, using talons, wings, and skulls, explore the adaptations of these silent nocturnal hunters. This program features an intimate and detailed look at live owls, bringing these creatures of the night into the light! Drop in anytime between 10 am to 2 pm.

Location: Seagull Pavilion
Instructor: Chewonki Science Educator
Price: Free

Garden Investigators Camp: Wild Wetlands for Ages 4-6 (Sold Out)

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.

Learn More
Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Karen Jones
Price: $150 / $187

Summer Discovery Walk: Signs of Life in the Garden

Friday, July 14; Thursday, August 10

The Gardens is home to many plants and, in turn, those plants become home to many interesting creatures. 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. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.

Location: Alfond Children's Garden Boothbay
Instructor: Education Staff
Price: Free
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Garden Explorers Camp for Ages 4-7 (Sold Out)

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.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $150 / $187

Introduction to Printmaking: Session II for Ages 9-14

Wednesday-Friday, August 16-18, 9:30-a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Using gelatin/glycerin soft plates, brayers, and printing inks, young artists will use cuttings from the Gardens to make multi-layered botanical print sheets and learn how to layer plant forms to get vibrant patterns and compositions. Students will use these prints over the next two days in multiple fun and crafty applications, including collage, simple accordion book-making, and card-making. Students may choose their desired projects from a number of examples and materials. All materials provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.

Mary Beth began making in art in childhood, later discovering watercolors with Stan Keirstead, a regional landscape painter. She has explored printmaking, clay work, painting, collage, gallery ownership, teaching, and collaborations. She currently serves with the Pastel Society of Maine, exhibits her work at Art Space Gallery, and teaches classes in her studio in New Sharon, Maine.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Mary Beth Morrison
Price: $160 / $200
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Line & Form: Drawing the Trolls, Aug. (Ages 7-11) (Sold Out)

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.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Hélène Farrar
Price: $100 / $125

Chewonki @ the Gardens: Bats of the World

Chewonki is coming to the Gardens for four single-day naturalist residency programs, free to all guests with admission. Drop in anytime during your visit between 10 am to 2 pm. This is the fourth of four days, all focusing on animals and their amazing adaptations.

Bats comprise nearly one-quarter of the world’s approximately 4,000 mammal species, yet humans continue to fear and misunderstand them. Bats do so much to help us survive, but now they need our help. This interactive demonstration will introduce participants to the role bats play in ecosystems ranging from the Maine woods to the South American rainforests, to help dispel common myths about these flying mammals. Participants leave the program with an appreciation for the tremendous diversity of bats in the world and for their irreplaceable niche in natural ecosystem. Drop-in anytime between 10 am to 2 pm. 

 

Location: Seagull Pavilion
Instructor: Chewonki Science Educator
Price: Free

Summer Discovery Walk: The Five Senses

Monday, July 3; Saturday, July 29; Tuesday, August 15; Thursday, August 31

Discover all that you can see, smell, hear, feel, and even taste as we tour the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses together, experiencing the Gardens in new ways as you focus on each of your senses. This free program is intended for children ages 3-8 with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. Registration is strongly suggested, but walk-ins are welcome even if registration is full. To join the walk, please meet at the entrance of the Alfond Children’s Garden.

Location: Alfond Children's Garden Boothbay
Instructor: Education Staff
Price: Free
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Homeschool Days: Life of a Butterfly (Ages 9-18)

We'll introduce students to native butterflies and moths in all stages of their life cycle as we visit our Native Butterfly House. Participants will learn about the unique adaptations of these insects, their role in the food web, and their key differences. We'll also discuss how to grow a garden to support these pollinators. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Pollinator ID Walk (Ages 9-18)

Can you tell the difference between a rusty-patched and a two-spotted bumble bee? Did you know that some types of wasps and flies are pollinators? Join us on an exploratory walk with resident entomologist Zac Smith-Hess as he shows students how to identify any pollinators we come across. Students will also learn fun facts about flowers and their relationship with these amazing creatures. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Zac Smith-Hess
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Life of a Butterfly (Ages 5-10)

A native Maine butterfly sits on a smiling child's cheek.Tuesday, September 19, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Monday, September 25, 2-3:30 p.m.

We'll introduce students to native butterflies and moths in all stages of their life cycle as we visit our Native Butterfly House. Participants will learn about the unique adaptations of these insects, their role in the food web, and their key differences. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register for more than one Homeschool Days program or register more than one child for the same program receive a special discounted rate at checkout.

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Erika Huber is the Youth and Family Program Manager at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She holds degrees in forestry and horticulture and has over fifteen years of experience working with children in environmental and gardening education.

Bridget VerVaet is the Youth Programs Educator and has worked at the Gardens since 2018; you can most often find her leading youth groups and families in nature-based education programs. She holds a degree in biology and enjoys sharing the wonders of the natural world with guests of all ages.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Apple Cider Pressing (Ages 4-12)

Students will learn about the botanical and cultural history of apples as they participate in making apple cider with an old-fashioned press. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: All About Seeds (Ages 4-9)

[caption id="attachment_30928" align="alignleft" width="225"]Homeschool Days All About Seeds Homeschool Days All About Seeds[/caption]

Tuesday, September 19, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Monday, September 25, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.; noon-1:30 p.m
Thursday, October 5, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Students will discover the wonders held within a seed, then go garden-exploring to see how plants spread their seeds in the fall. We'll dissect a bean seed, review the life cycle of a plant, learn about the importance of seeds in nature, and explore how seeds have adapted for survival over time. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult. Families who register for more than one Homeschool Days program or register more than one child for the same program receive a special discounted rate at checkout.

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Erika Huber is the Youth and Family Program Manager at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She holds degrees in forestry and horticulture and has over fifteen years of experience working with children in environmental and gardening education.

Bridget VerVaet is the Youth Programs Educator and has worked at the Gardens since 2018; you can most often find her leading youth groups and families in nature-based education programs. She holds a degree in biology and enjoys sharing the wonders of the natural world with guests of all ages.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Erika Huber
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Plant Adaptations (Ages 9-15)

Understand plant adaptions by learning about Earth’s biomes. Through in-depth classroom investigations and field explorations, students will be able to identify the physical traits that help plants survive in nature. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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Homeschool Days: Maine Woods Walk (Ages 9-18)

Students will learn handy tricks for remembering the Maine woods' coniferous and deciduous trees during this session. Participants will also gain an understanding of the ecology of our native trees as well as the science behind fall foliage. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $10 / $12
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White Pine Cone and Chick-a-Dee

Join us as we celebrate the Maine state bird, the Black-capped Chickadee, and the unique state flower, the White Pine Cone and Tassel (Pinus strobus, linnaeus). Learn about this tiny bird from egg to feather and its deciduous habitat as we explore anatomy and composition. By the end of the four-week online class, students will create an original painting of a Black-capped Chickadee on a White Pine tree branch with a pine cone! All levels are welcome. Suitable for teens 14+. Students can work in watercolor or colored pencil.

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Location: Online
Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe
Price: $180 / $260
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