Opening on May 1 for the 2024 season.
During this session, participants will get an up-close look at dragonflies and damselflies and learn how to tell the difference between them, as well as how to identify a few specific species within the groups. Participants will also learn about their life stages as they explore the ponds of CMBG in search of the larvae that transform into the adults we all know so well.
Spend time with naturalist Sam Jaffe on a special tour of The Caterpillar Lab exhibit. Hone caterpillar-identification skills and learn some of the different unique adaptations caterpillars take followed by a guided walk in the Gardens to look for caterpillars.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this program geared toward students ages 8-14, participants can join our specialists for weekly, small-group outdoor sessions.
Plants may be slowing down this time of year, but insects are busy preparing for the coming winter. Join us as we visit our apiary with our beekeeper, search for the different stages of butterflies in our many gardens, identify insect mating calls, and dip nets into our ponds to learn about the different winter survival strategies used by our native insects.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Please bring a face covering to be worn while indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone.
Join our educators this fall for in-person walks to explore nature and experience fall at the Gardens, perfect for ages 4-8.
Join us as we investigate what exactly plants are up to in the fall. We will search for interesting seeds and seedpods (even some edible ones!), learn about seed dispersal and the lifecycle of a plant, and discover the importance of seeds and their many adaptations! Participants will also make seed bombs to take home.
Please bring a face covering to be worn indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone. Parent participation is optional.
Join our educators this fall for in-person walks to explore nature and experience fall at the Gardens, perfect for ages 4-8.
We will put our five senses to work as we wind our way through the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, experiencing this garden in a whole new way. Participants will be encouraged to sample different herbs and veggies that may be new to them. As a take-home, participants will pot up a mini herb garden to enliven their senses at home.
Please bring a face covering to be worn indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone. Parent participation is optional.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this program geared toward students ages 8-14, participants can join our specialists for weekly, small-group outdoor sessions.
They might be small, but mosses and mushrooms play a pig part in keeping our forests healthy. They also love the fall weather, so join us on our search to identify them in our Maine woods. Participants will learn what makes them so special and all about their similarities and differences.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Please bring a face covering to be worn while indoors at the Gardens.
Cost includes admission for child and adult chaperone.
April is a big month for amphibians in Maine as they migrate to vernal pools to breed and lay eggs. Come explore the Gardens’ many vernal pools in search of wood frog and spotted salamander eggs as well as other seasonal residents. Learn how to tell the difference between frog and salamander eggs and help count the egg masses for our annual survey! Learn what makes vernal pools unique, and gain an understanding of their important role in the forest ecosystem.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Wildlife awakens upon the spring equinox, vibrant with the sound of a new generation. In this workshop, students ages 14-adult will learn which species belongs to which sound, identifying frogs, turtles, salamanders, and other herps (Greek for “crawling things”). Learn about the Big Night and the citizen science initiative surrounding it. From the comfort of your home attend the live instruction featuring these exceptional wetland fauna.
Wildlife awakens upon the spring equinox, vibrant with the sound of a new generation. In this workshop, students ages 14-adult will learn which species belongs to which sound, identifying frogs, turtles, salamanders, and other herps (Greek for “crawling things”). Learn about the Big Night and the citizen science initiative surrounding it. During the final hour of class, those onsite will explore CMBG’s vast wetland environments and practice identifying and observing these critical, fragile species.
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.
April is a big month for amphibians in Maine as they migrate to vernal pools to breed and lay eggs. We’ll return to some pools visited last session and explore new ones, observing changes in wood frog and spotted salamander egg masses. We’ll identify differences between species’ eggs, help count the egg masses for our survey, and compare the differences between pools and ponds, drawing conclusions about which will have the most successful populations. Participants do not need to have attended the first class in order to attend this one.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Come and enjoy the early blooms of spring with your family as we celebrate Earth Day together, getting a sneak peek at the Gardens before we open for the season. Join us for 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 on their own. *Please note that the Children’s Garden buildings, Café, and Lerner 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 and under are welcome to attend for free.
Join Director of Horticulture, Andy Brand, and Youth Programs Educator, Bridget VerVaet, for a morning tour before the Gardens opens to the public. Explore our wonderful bird population at the height of the spring migration season. Bring a sharp eye, but binoculars are recommended. All skill levels welcome.
Calling all young birders and aspiring birders! Join us on a walk to identify birds migrating through Maine as well as those that spend the season nesting and raising their young here. Learn to identify birds by their calls and identifying features as well as how to use eBird to keep a record of birds observed.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving aboveground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface! Join us as we explore the life thriving in the depths and shallows of our ponds. Together, we’ll search for aquatic critters, learning about their lives in the process. Participants will create a fun frog craft to help them remember everything they learned during the program.
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
While the Gardens is home to many beautiful, cultivated plants, there are quite a few wonderful wildflowers that pop up all on their own! Join us to walk the Gardens and trails together in search of these wild beauties, discussing their importance, some interesting facts, and their histories along the way. Learn basic identification skills to employ on your next wildflower hunting adventure!
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Spring is one of the best times to go bird-watching—many birds are returning to their mating grounds and are as showy and colorful as ever! Take advantage of all the natural spaces at the Gardens and get a front seat to the show! Put your birding skills to the test – or gain a whole new set – as we look for our feathered friends while learning all about their lives, their habits, and adaptations. Participants will craft their own birds’ nests from natural materials to take home with them.
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
Bring the family and join us as we walk the trails of the Gardens in search of the unique and mysterious pink lady slipper. We’ll discuss the fascinating biology and ecology of this delicate flower and talk about why the Gardens is lucky to be one of its protected homes. Participants will view these flowers’ complicated pollination process and stop to identify other wildflowers along the way.
With all the flowers that we care for at the Gardens, it’s no surprise that we are regularly and frequently visited by all sorts of pollinators! Explore the Gardens with us as we search for these busy creatures and discover more about who they are, what they’re up to, and why they’re important. We’ll also get an up-close look at how pollination works as we take apart a flower together. Participants will plant a flower to take home with them that pollinators will be sure to enjoy!
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving aboveground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface! Join us as we explore the life thriving in the depths and shallows of our ponds. Together, we’ll search for aquatic critters, learning about their lives in the process. Participants will create a fun frog craft to help them remember everything they learned during the program.
This is a parent/child program. Admission to the Gardens for one child and one adult is included with class registration.
Continuing our botanical explorations, we’ll go in search of some of the wildflowers calling the Gardens home. If still blooming, we’ll revisit specimens from the previous session in more depth along with any new flowers that have sprung up. Participants will practice thinking like a botanist, learning more about the plant identification process and using a key to identify specific characteristics of these wildflowers. Participants do not need to have taken the beginner class in order to participate in this class.
Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult. Please note: This is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Join Tyler Pascocello, Horticulturist & Wildlife Specialist, and Bridget VerVaet, Youth Programs Educator, for a morning tour before the Gardens opens to the public. Explore our wonderful bird population at the height of the spring migration season. Bring a sharp eye, but binoculars are recommended. All skill levels welcome.
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
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
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
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
The Gardens is home to many (many!) plants. In turn, those plants become home to lots of interesting creatures! Come explore the Gardens as we look closely under leaves and up in the trees, aboveground, below, and in the pond for all sorts of signs of life. A scavenger hunt will help guide our search, and participants will leave having created their own portable habitat—a toad house—to take home with them. This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers.
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, 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.
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
The famous and well-loved monarch is the inspiration for this program! Participants will learn all about this beautiful butterfly, from its anatomy to its life cycle, adaptations, migration, and the effects of climate change on these creatures. Participants will become community scientists as they help us tag monarchs at the Gardens for future monitoring on their autumnal journeys southward. Recently listed as an endangered species, monarchs need us to understand their importance now more than ever. Participants will leave with an appreciation for these creatures that they can share with others. Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
The famous and well-loved monarch is the inspiration for this program! Participants will learn all about this beautiful butterfly, from its anatomy to its life cycle to its migration. Participants will become community scientists as they help us tag monarchs at the Gardens for future monitoring on their autumnal journeys southward. Recently listed as an endangered species, monarchs need us to understand their importance now more than ever. Participants will leave with an appreciation for these creatures along with a monarch butterfly art piece that they create themselves. This parent/child class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
Come and search for underground life with us! Participants will learn about the important role decomposers play in helping our gardens and forests grow, how to identify these critters, and some decomposer anatomy. Participants will leave with an understanding of how decomposition works along with their own handmade worm jars to inspire curiosity about decomposition back at home. This parent/child class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? During this session, participants will expand their botany skills as they learn to identify fall wildflowers. Skills acquired during this session will help participants to identify plants on their own in the future. Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
During this session, participants will learn handy tricks for remembering both the coniferous and deciduous trees of the Maine woods. Participants will also gain an understanding of the science behind fall foliage and collect a variety of fall leaves along their walk to create a colorful suncatcher that captures the essence of fall. Registration for this class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options.
Join us for a scavenger hunt through the woods as we learn how to identify some of Maine’s native trees and discover why their leaves change color in the fall. Participants will learn how to distinguish a coniferous tree from a deciduous one. During our walk, we will collect leaves to make a leaf-rubbing banner to help us remember our native trees. This parent/child class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
Come and enjoy one of the last open days of the season as we take in all the fall has to offer. We’ll investigate plant parts and their role in continuing the life cycle of a plant, search for a variety of seedpods, harvest veggies and herbs from the Learning Garden, and cut a bouquet to take home. This parent/child class includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult.
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.
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.
The Gardens is filled with beauty and wonder aboveground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface too! Join us as we dip our nets into our many ponds in search of aquatic friends, including frogs, salamanders, and dragonfly nymphs, learning about their lives in the process. This program is intended for children with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. This program meets at the Timber Frame behind the Education Center.
Join us for a scavenger hunt through the woods as we learn how to identify some of Maine’s native trees and discover why their leaves change color in the fall. Participants will also learn how to distinguish a coniferous tree from a deciduous one. During our walk, we’ll collect leaves to make a leaf-rubbing banner to help us remember our native trees. This program is intended for children with an adult caregiver. Please register ONLY for the number of children in your group. This program meets at the Timber Frame behind the Education Center.
The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research.
Copyright 2024 Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
