Monday, July 11-Friday, July 15

Young artists put their investigative skills to work as they collect, study, identify, and illustrate the Gardens’ butterflies and the flowers and plants they depend on. Daily, participants will explore and sketch on-location in the Gardens, developing a strong foundation of observation, drawing, and painting skills, simultaneously creating a portfolio of beautiful studies and illustrations using pencil, pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. Students also gain an understanding and appreciation for the important role these pollinators play in our gardens. All art supplies are included with this camp.

Hélène Farrar has taught and worked in the visual arts for twenty years, 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 a private art school out of her Maine “farmhouse” studio where she holds a variety of workshops and classes for children and adults.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Discover all that you can see, smell, hear, feel, and even taste as we tour the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses together, experiencing nature and the Gardens in a whole new way. Participants will finish the program by potting up an herb to take with them, carrying forward and cultivating that sensory experience at home! This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers

Monday, July 18-Friday, July 22

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, amphibians, the water cycle, and so much more. Through observations, games, stories, experiments, and nature-related projects, campers will be well on their way to becoming young naturalists the end of the week!

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Karen Jones is the Camp Coordinator for the Gardens and first grade teacher at Hall-Dale Elementary; she brings over fifteen years of teaching experience working with children of all ages.

Learn about what happens as a seed becomes a full-grown plant, then starts the entire cycle all over again! We’ll talk everything plants: life cycle, adaptations, and overall importance. We’ll dissect different parts of a plant, learn about their functions, and explore our Learning Garden, testing (and tasting!) what we’ve learned. Participants will take a plant home as a reminder of their botanical experience. This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers

Monday, July 25-Friday, July 29

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, amphibians, the water cycle, and so much more. Through observations, games, stories, experiments, and nature-related projects, campers will be well on their way to becoming young naturalists the end of the week! Karen Jones is the Camp Coordinator for the Gardens and first grade teacher at Hall-Dale Elementary; she brings over fifteen years of teaching experience working with children of all ages.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Monday, August 1-Friday August 5

Campers will spend the week getting up close and personal with the amazing pollinators making all of our gardens possible. Through games, activities, observations, and visits to our Native Butterfly and Moth House, honeybee hives, and annual resident exhibition, The Caterpillar Lab, campers will learn the ins and outs of pollination. Each day will focus on a different pollinator and its unique adaptations. Karen Jones is the Camp Coordinator for the Gardens and first grade teacher at Hall-Dale Elementary; she brings over fifteen years of teaching experience working with children of all ages.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Summertime is prime butterfly time! Join us to explore our Native Butterfly and Moth House, as well as other butterfly hot spots at the Gardens. We’ll learn about life cycles, special connections to plants, unique adaptations, and how to tell the difference between butterflies and moths. Students will leave with an even greater appreciation for—and understanding of—these lovely creatures. At the end of the program, participants will craft a colorful reminder of the butterfly life cycle to take home with them. This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers

Monday, August 8-Friday August 12

Campers will spend the week getting up close and personal with the amazing pollinators making all of our gardens possible. Through games, activities, observations, and visits to our Native Butterfly and Moth House, honeybee hives, and annual resident exhibition, The Caterpillar Lab, campers will learn the ins and outs of pollination. Each day will focus on a different pollinator and its unique adaptations.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Karen Jones is the Camp Coordinator for the Gardens and first grade teacher at Hall-Dale Elementary; she brings over fifteen years of teaching experience working with children of all ages.

Monday, August 15-Friday, August 19

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, Gardens-harvested snack-making, and take-home garden projects.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Come and enjoy the early blooms of spring with your family as we celebrate Earth Day together, and get a sneak peek at the Gardens before we open for the season. We’ll head out on a “signs of spring” scavenger hunt and plant some flower seeds to grow at home. Families are welcome to picnic afterward and explore the Gardens. *Please note that the Children’s Garden buildings, Café, and Visitor Center will not yet be open for the season. Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and up to two accompanying adults. Children two years old & under are welcome to attend for free. Please register ONLY for the children that are attending, not the adults.

What better way to learn about plants than by taking them apart? Participants will learn all about the life cycle of a plant, how their different parts help them grow, and what they need to survive. We’ll visit the Learning Garden to look for plant parts, then we’ll even taste a few and plant some seeds to grow at home. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

Venture into the woods with us as we look for signs of life amongst the trees. We may not always see who’s residing in our woods, but there are many clues we can look and listen for to tell us who lives there. Registration for this program includes admission for one child and one adult.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.