Something for everyone sprouting up soon at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ calendar for the coming season promises enjoyment, experiences, and education for all ages.

Through classes, walks, art shows, and special events, a lot of the activity this year will revolve around the theme Feathers and Foliage: Celebrating Bird and Plant Interactions in Maine. The first of these, in collaboration with Maine Audubon, is Attracting Birds to Your Backyard on March 21 in Falmouth and again on the 24th at the Gardens. Nancy Bither will lead an early-morning bird walk at the Gardens on May 25, and all birders are invited to help with a bird inventory of the property on June 2. One of the in-residence experts is a bird carver, and the Gardens will feature Bird of the Week exhibits all season. There’s even a birdcall contest for kids on May 26, in conjunction with the reception for a show of bird-related student art.

A new series, "Landscape Horticulture: An Introduction to Ornamental Gardening," begins on March 31. Workshops will cover everything from history to harvest. 

Several week-long nature camps offer exciting discoveries for kids in different age groups; and fun, learning, and adventure happen every day during activities in the amazing Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden.

Art shows, each with a free public reception, begin with the “Local Colors” exhibit of work by midcoast artists in a partnership between the Gardens and the River Arts Gallery of Damariscotta. The sculpture show “On the Wing,” curated by June LaCombe, will offer a number of different sculptors’ view of birds. Artists who sign up ahead of time are invited to paint en plein air at the Gardens from May 29-June 3 with no admission charge; selected works will then be on display and for sale.

In another of its many exhibits this year, the Gardens will help Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts celebrate its 25th anniversary with works by a resident from each year. The Gardens has its own In-Residence program, starting with exceptional botanical artist Linda Heppes Funk and award-winning bird sculptor Hank Tyler, each with demos and classes. In a new partnership with the New York Botanical Garden, acclaimed artist Katie Lee will offer a multi-day workshop on botanical illustration.

On July 26, the Gardens’ annual fundraiser, “A Bloomin’ Good Time,” will combine the best food, live music, and an incredible array of auction items to create the party of the summer.

For more information on these exciting programs and events, visit  http://www.mainegardens.org

Photo courtesy of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

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