Gardens and Landscapes

Whether you’re a bona fide horticulturist or have trouble keeping a houseplant alive, Maine’s renowned gardens, parks and arboretums provide tranquility, reflection and inspiration. With Maine as our muse, natural beauty is never far from reach and our curated parks and gardens act as an extension of our famed wild flora.

Options include historic treasures such as the Hamilton House, in South Berwick; the Woodlawn Museum gardens in Ellsworth and Deering Oaks Park (designed in part by Frederick Law Olmsted), and the Tate House and Colonial Herb Garden in Portland. There are also recently restored gardens including the McLaughlin Garden, in South Paris, and Camden Harbor Park, designed in 1931 by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, father of American landscape architecture. And there’s the new, expansive and spectacular Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. (Hint: Don’t miss the children’s garden.)

Try to seek out some of Maine’s lesser-known botanical delights. These include: Augusta’s Viles Arboretum, with the Governor’s Grove; Ecotat Gardens and Arboretum, in Hermon, with more than 1,500 varieties of perennials; Freeport’s Stone House, especially inviting when its rhododendrons bloom in spring; Bangor’s Mt. Hope Cemetery, the country’s second oldest cemetery garden; and Merryspring Horticultural Nature Park, in Camden, with its lovely woodland gardens.

Mount Desert Island is especially garden-rich. Of special note are the Asticou Azalea Garden and Thuya Garden, both in Northeast Harbor; the Wild Gardens of Acadia, at Sieur du Mont Springs in Acadia National Park; the pocket-sized Charlotte Rhoades Park and Butterfly Garden in Southwest Harbor; the Beatrix Farrand Garden located at Garland Farm in Bar Harbor; and the private Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, in Seal Harbor (open by reservation only).

Many of Maine’s gardens host special events including concerts amongst the blooms, special dinners cooked by Maine chefs, plant sales, high-teas, educational programs for the whole family, garden tours and antique shows.

Trip #1. South Paris & Norway

REGION: Maine’s Lakes & Mountains  |  Seasonal

Gardens

In 1936 Bernard McLaughlin began planting what would become one of Maine’s most beloved gardens, McLaughlin Garden and Homestead in South Paris. A century-old Maine farmstead with massive stonewalls and huge barn provided a unique background for his sophisticated collection of trees, woody shrubs and perennials. There is a wonderful garden gift shop and many programs and events.

Landscapes

Just outside downtown Norway, Roberts Farm Preserve (part of the Western Foothills Land Trust) offers year-round adventure, with hiking and mountain biking trails leading to scenic views in summer and fall.

Local Gems 

Café Nomad in downtown Norway serves from-scratch baked goods, locally roasted Carrabassett Coffee and fresh, seasonal fare made with ingredients sourced from nearby farms whenever possible. The café also showcases a rotating display of artwork, giving local artists a place on the walls. Celebration Barn Theater—Saturday evening shows all summer long at this international center of performing arts. Check the schedule. Historic Paris Hill—Listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Take a step back in time, drive or walk the Paris Hill loop. There is a wonderful annual Home and Garden tour here. Family-owned Norway Brewing Company brings Maine-made flavor to Main Street with house-brewed beer, seasonal handmade food, a seasonal garden and a year-round taproom.

Where to Stay

Kings Hill Inn — South Paris

Bear Mountain Inn — Waterford 

Trip #2. Boothbay & Boothbay Harbor

REGION: MidCoast & Islands  |  Seasonal

Gardens 

There are limitless ways to explore Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, where each season and every turn of the tide reveals something new. Wander through the Garden of the Five Senses and the Children’s Garden, and venture along wooded trails to discover the larger-than-life wooden troll sculptures created by renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo. Programs, events and exhibits are offered most of the year, so check the schedule before your visit.

From May through October, stop for lunch at the Kitchen Garden Café, browse the Garden Gift Shop and join a free guided tour to discover even more of the gardens.

Landscapes

With more than a dozen preserves, Boothbay Region Land Trust offers year-round, free-of-charge access to miles of trails, peaceful ponds and scenic overlooks that invite visitors to experience the natural beauty of the region.

Local Gems

Tucked along the coast on Lobster Cove Road, 10-acre Barrett’s Park in Boothbay Harbor is a peaceful spot to swim, launch a kayak, picnic or simply relax by the water. Spread out on the expansive lawn, find a shady spot beneath the trees or settle in along the rocky shoreline to read, take in the views and enjoy a little quiet.

Where to Stay

Topside Inn — Boothbay Harbor

Newagen Seaside Inn — Cape Newagen

Trip #3. Mount Desert Island

REGION: DownEast & Acadia  |  Seasonal

Gardens

Begin your day at these two exquisite and historic gardens. Access to the gardens by way of the Asticou Terrace Trail is breathtaking!

Thuya Garden and the surrounding land is a wonderful blend of semi-formal English border beds and indigenous eastern Maine woodlands situated on a granite hillside overlooking Northeast Harbor. Tours of the gardens can be arranged in advance. Note: Both properties connect to public paths and trails that also lead to the trails of Acadia National Park. Please consult trail maps and island guidebooks to plan a hike that can be combined with your visit to the gardens.

In Ellsworth, check out the Woodlawn Gardens at the Colonel Black Mansion. Visit the private Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden in Seal Harbor. Advance reservations are required for visiting the Garden. 

Landscapes

Also in Seal Harbor, Little Hunters Beach offers a breathtaking view of a rocky shoreline framed by towering pines. Continue along the coast for sweeping panoramas from Otter Point and Otter Cliff overlooks, then experience the ocean’s power up-close as waves thunder into the rocky inlet at Thunder Hole.

Local Gems

Since 1893, visitors have gathered on the picturesque Jordan Pond House lawn for tea and famously fluffy popovers, a tradition pioneered by the restaurant’s first proprietor, Nellie McIntire. Today, the menu ranges from fresh lobster to popover ice cream sundaes—best enjoyed with the scenery (and a reservation).

Where to Stay

Harbourside Inn — Northeast Harbor

Asticou Hotel — Northeast Harbor 

Trip #4. South Berwick, York & North Berwick

REGION: The Maine Beaches  |  Seasonal

Gardens

Described by Jewett as “an old plot of land where several generations have been trying to make good things grow,” the Sarah Orne Jewett House and Garden is a National Historic Landmark and the inspiration for Jewett’s famed novel, Deephaven. A National Historic Landmark, the Hamilton House is a quintessential Colonial Revival country estate with elaborate perennial gardens and a charming garden cottage.

Landscapes

At Vaughan Woods Memorial State Park in South Berwick, follow more than 3 miles of trails through 165 forested acres along the scenic Salmon Falls River, passing beneath old-growth stands of pine and hemlock. Choose the full loop or a shorter route, then linger for a picnic beneath the trees.

Or take in ocean views from the York Harbor Cliff Walk. Beginning at the sandy Harbor Beach, this half-mile trail hugs the rocky shoreline, with grand oceanfront homes on one side and sweeping coastal views on the other. The path transitions from soil and rocks to pavement before ending at a small pebbly beach.

Local Gems

Visit Main Street in South Berwick for breakfast at the Early Bird Cafe. Spend the morning exploring the Hamilton House Gardens and the Sarah Orne Jewett House and Garden. Both are historic New England properties. Head to York, approximately 12 miles away. Visit Stonewall Kitchen’s Flagship Store, have lunch in the café, shop in the home and garden section, take a jam tour or try your hand at a cooking class! Stop by the local roastery, Carpe Diem Coffee in North Berwick, to see where nearby businesses source their beans.

Where to Stay

Union Bluff Hotel & Meetinghouse – York

Stage House Inn – Berwick