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

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

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

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

Homeschool Days: Pollinator ID Walk (Ages 9-18)

Monday, May 22, 10-11:30 a.m. & Monday, June 5, 2-3:30 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

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

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

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

A Children’s Garden: Plants and Activities

Join Horticulturist Jen Dunlap and Youth and Family Coordinator, Erika Huber, for a detailed tour of the plants, features, and activities that make an effective children’s garden. Jen and Erika know first-hand the wants and want-nots of a children’s garden, and they’ll share insider knowledge regarding the plants that serve as aesthetic, educational, and fun features, including edibles and plants that make both good ingredients and activities. Discussion will include how water, soil, planting activities, creative features, and living creatures all play a part in the makeup of an unforgettable children’s garden for any setting.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $30 / $36

Mosaic Garden Art for Adults

Monday-Wednesday, August 14-16,10 a.m.-3 p.m.

In this fun mosaic class, students will make a garden stepping stone and a garden stake. We will use various tiles, broken china dishes, and found objects. All material will be provided, except for a mosaic wheel tile cutter, which can be purchased from the instructor for $15. If you already have one, feel free to bring your own. There are so many delightful things that can be incorporated into mosaics. If you wish, feel free to bring sentimental pieces of broken ceramic china, smooth stones, and shells from home to add to your stepping stone. You can also bring 3D figurines, salt and pepper shakers, etc., to add to your garden stake. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Caroline Clare Davis is a painter, crafter, floral designer, and the Arts and Exhibits Coordinator at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Caroline Davis
Price: $185 / $205

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.

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