At Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, we consider members part of the family. It’s a reciprocal relationship, and members benefit, too, in so many ways! Beyond free admission, membership means access to the following exclusive events, tours, and programs carefully curated ONLY for members. Members experience more–add these events to your calendar and discover how MUCH more!
Members Only Events
Member Insider: Bird Walk
Join Curator of Living Collections, Andy Brand, for a bird walk in the Gardens during the height of the spring migration. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Gardens’ grounds looking for our feathered friends. Please bring binoculars. All levels of experience are welcome.
Member Insider: Trees of the Trolls
This year, our latest friends the Giant Trolls have hidden the seeds of our most important tree species deep in our woods. These sculptures can only be found by visiting all five trolls—or joining us on this tour. Join Sarah Callan as she takes you on a walk to the secret seed sculptures, exploring the native trees our trolls are protecting along the way. Come learn about the history of these trees and their importance to our native ecosystems. Steeper hiking trails will be taken during this tour.
Member Insider: Troll Sculpture Walk
The Guardians of the Seeds are here! Vanessa Nesvig, CMBG’s Interpretation & Exhibits Program Manager, will guide us through our latest installation by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, considered the world’s leading recycled-materials artist, famous for his troll sculptures. But don’t worry—none of these trolls are lurking under our bridges!
Member Insider: Coastline Botany Tour
Our shoreline is an often overlooked but beautiful aspect of the Gardens. We’ll take a close look at the wild plants adapted to daily flooding by salt water along the tidal shores of the Back River. Melissa Cullina, Director of Botanical Research and Herbarium, will join us on this tour to give us an expert look at this habitat. Steeper hiking trails and uneven shorelines are a part of this tour.
Member Insider: Good Bug or Bad Bug?
Join Curator of Living Collections, Andy Brand, for a tour of the Gardens’ insect life. Our little friends are often overlooked, but their impact is often felt! Come find out which bugs are pests and which are our friends in this fascinating tour.
Member Insider: Native Bee Exhibit Tour
Our bees are always buzzing with activity, and this year is no exception. Join us this July for a tour of our new native bee exhibit. Sarah Callan, CMBG’s Interpretation & Exhibits Educator, will walk you through our apiary and native bee exhibit, exploring our local bee populations.
Member Insider: Foraging for Edibles
Have you ever seen some wild blueberries or blackberries and just had to grab a quick snack? Berries are just the tip of the iceberg so to speak when it comes to edibles to forage in our rich forests and fields. Come along with Curator of Living Collections, Andy Brand, on this tour as we explore lesser-known edibles that grow throughout our native habitat.
Member Insider: Lerner Garden of the Five Senses Design Tour
Join Horticulturlist Lesley Paxson on this tour of the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through one of our most beloved gardens while learning about its unique design and planting themes.
Member Insider: Apple Cultivating & Pressing
Nothing says autumn like apples. Ron Ross, CMBG volunteer and apple expert, will explain how to cultivate new varieties of apples, going into some detail about breeding for desirable traits. The tour will end with a bit of apple pressing—can you guess how many apples it takes to make one gallon of cider?
