One Of The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens On The East Coast Is An Artsy Paradise

The Maine coastline is one of the most picturesque spots in the U.S. With its stunning blend of dramatic rocky cliffs, exquisite beaches, charming traditional fishing villages, iconic lighthouses, and the almost Nordic fjords of Downeast and Acadia, it is a uniquely beautiful place. A trip along Maine's coast might have you relaxing on the golden sands of Ogunquit Beach, exploring the rugged trails and iconic Bubble Rock of Acadia National Park, or enjoying lobsters and oysters by the sea in Bar Harbor, Portland, or Kennebunkport. You'll discover bleakly beautiful remote lighthouses teetering over wild grey seas and some incredible art and culture in museums and galleries like the Farnsworth Art Museum or the Abbe Museum.

One unmissable treat on any Maine coastal adventure is the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, justifiably celebrated as one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the U.S. One of Maine's top attractions, these wonderful gardens cover more than 300 acres of shoreline near the town of Boothbay, a glorious explosion of color, lush vegetation, and exquisite landscape gardening.

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are located roughly an hour from Portland or Camden by car. The nearest airports are Portland International Jetport and Bangor International Airport, both of which serve domestic destinations around the U.S. Portland Jetport is just over an hour away by car, while Bangor is nearly a two-hour drive. The nearest international hub is Boston International Airport, nearly three hours' drive away.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is rooted in the local community. It began life in 1991, when a group of friends based in the area were chatting about their love for flowers and gardens. They formed a grassroots organization, bought a parcel of land in 1996, and the gardens finally opened in 2007, covering 148 acres of forest and rocky coastline. The gardens have been a huge success since then, doubling in size and welcoming over 200,000 visitors every year.

Maine Coastal Botanic Gardens offers over 15 different gardens to explore, a combination of native Maine and northeast habitats, and more exotic varieties. These include a formal European rose garden, a dahlia garden, a rhododendron garden, a sensory garden, an aquatic garden, a meditation garden, and a coastal garden. The vast Great Lawn offers a wonderful sense of scale, designed to echo the classic English country gardens and landscape parks of the 19th century, while the traditional kitchen garden provides vegetables, fruits, and herbs which are used in the on-site kitchen.

Alongside the plants and flowers, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is a haven for the tiniest of wildlife. The gardens have 16 honeybee hives, and visitors can watch these industrious creatures hard at work at the Learning Apiary and Native Bee Exhibit before buying a pot or two of ultra-local honey at the gift shop. There is also a stunning, 2,160 square-foot Gothic-style butterfly house, which is home to a dazzling array of winged insects, including mourning cloaks, American ladies, painted ladies, red admirals, black swallowtails, and monarch butterflies.

As well as being filled with flowers, plants, and tiny animal life, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is something of an artsy paradise, which is perhaps unsurprising, as Maine is one of the best places on the East Coast for art lovers to visit. The gardens are filled with a wide variety of sculptures, art exhibits, and immersive experiences, which add an extra dimension to a visit. From Axis Deer and Running Deer by Windy Klemperer at the entrance, to the steel Flock of Birds by George Sherwood in the sensory garden, and the Stonewall Dragon in the children's garden, every visit is filled with wonder.

Another delightful part of a visit to the gardens is the Guardians of the Seeds scavenger hunt. Designed to be fun for kids and adults alike, this charming experience leads you to discover five giant, magical trolls hidden around the site, learning about the various gardens and forests as you go.

If immersive experiences are your thing, it is worth keeping an eye on the calendar and timing your visit to coincide with the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Aglow events. Usually running from November to December, after the summer season has finished, the gardens are decked out in over 750,000 lights, creating a stunning, luminous display that lights up the site and creates a wonderful sense of magic and marvel.