The Complete Guide to Maine's Botanical Gardens

In a state where winter can last six months and the growing season is measured in weeks rather than months, Maine’s gardens possess an intensity that’s hard to find elsewhere. When spring finally arrives, the explosion of color is almost violent in its beauty. Rhododendrons bloom in shades that shouldn’t exist in nature. Peonies burst open in fragrant clouds. And by late May, when other parts of the country are settling into summer’s green monotony, Maine’s gardens are just hitting their peak.

Maine’s botanical gardens range from world-class destinations drawing visitors from across the globe to intimate historic estates tucked away on quiet roads. They reflect both the state’s maritime climate—cool summers, harsh winters, and that blessed thing called “acidic soil” that rhododendrons and azaleas crave—and its history of wealthy summer colonists who brought sophisticated horticultural traditions to their coastal retreats.

Why Garden in Maine?

It seems masochistic: a growing season that barely reaches 120 days, soil that’s often rocky and acidic, and winters that regularly dip below zero. Yet Maine has produced some of the most spectacular gardens in New England, and for good reason.

The maritime climate moderates temperatures, preventing the extreme heat that stresses plants in other regions. The long summer days (16+ hours of daylight in June) allow plants to photosynthesize far longer than their southern counterparts. The acidic soil—a blessing for acid-loving plants—means rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries, and mountain laurel thrive here like nowhere else.

And there’s the cultural factor. Beginning in the late 1800s, wealthy summer visitors from Boston, New York, and Philadelphia built elaborate “cottages” along the Maine coast and brought with them a passion for ornamental gardening. They hired landscape architects, imported exotic plants, and created Italianate gardens, Japanese stroll gardens, and formal perennial borders that still exist today.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens: The Jewel of Boothbay

If you visit only one garden in Maine, make it Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Opened in 2007 on 295 acres overlooking the tidal Sheepscot River, CMBG is the largest botanical garden in New England and one of the finest in the country.

What sets CMBG apart is the scale and variety. The gardens contain distinct sections, each with its own character:

The Lerner Garden of the Five Senses: Designed for children (and adults who haven’t forgotten how to play), this interactive space invites visitors to touch fuzzy lamb’s ear, smell lavender, taste herbs, and listen to wind chimes. The “sound garden” features plants chosen for the rustling they make in the breeze.

The Hillside Garden: A series of terraced gardens descending toward the water, featuring massive drifts of perennials. In July, the daylilies bloom in waves of orange and gold. By August, the asters and cone flowers take over.

Rhododendron Garden: Over 600 rhododendron specimens turn the woods into a cathedral of color in late May. The blooms range from pale pink to deep burgundy, and walking through them feels like entering a fairytale.

The Burpee Kitchen Garden: A demonstration vegetable and herb garden showing what’s possible in Maine’s short season. Raised beds overflow with heirloom tomatoes, rainbow chard, and cutting flowers. It’s proof that “you can’t grow that here” is usually wrong.

Giants in the Sky: The headline attraction features enormous wooden troll sculptures by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, hidden throughout the gardens. Kids love hunting for them, and they provide a whimsical contrast to the formal plantings.

Gardens Aglow (November-December): The winter light display transforms the gardens into a wonderland of illuminated paths, glowing sculptures, and light-wrapped trees. It’s become one of Maine’s premier holiday attractions, drawing visitors from across New England.

Practical information:

Open daily except major holidays
Admission: $20 adults, free for children under 3
Plan at least 3-4 hours for a full visit
Bring comfortable walking shoes—the gardens cover a lot of ground
The cafe serves lunch and snacks featuring ingredients from the kitchen garden
Peak bloom: Late May (rhododendrons) and July (perennials)

Asticou Azalea Garden: A Japanese Masterpiece

Tucked in Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Asticou Azalea Garden is a hidden gem that many Acadia visitors miss. This Japanese-style stroll garden was created in 1956 by landscape architect Charles K. Savage, designed around a collection of azaleas and rhododendrons rescued from the nearby Reef Point estate of landscape designer Beatrix Farrand.

The garden occupies a small bowl in the hillside, centered around a pond crossed by stone bridges. Paths wind through groves of azaleas, past stone lanterns, and under Japanese maples. The design follows Japanese principles: borrowed scenery, controlled vistas, and asymmetrical balance.

Late May to early June is peak azalea bloom, when the garden explodes in shades of pink, coral, white, and red. But even outside bloom time, Asticou offers serene beauty. The fall color is spectacular, with Japanese maples turning crimson against the evergreen backdrop.

The garden’s placement in Northeast Harbor—a wealthy enclave of “rusticators” who summered here for generations—reflects Maine’s tradition of sophisticated, internationally-influenced garden design.

Visiting tips:

Free admission (donations welcome)
Open dawn to dusk, May through October
Small parking lot; arrive early on weekends
Bring mosquito repellent in June
Combine with a visit to Thuya Garden (see below)
Respect the quiet atmosphere—this is a meditative space

Thuya Garden: The Hidden Summit Garden

A steep stone stairway climbs from Route 3 in Northeast Harbor, ascending through dense forest. At the top, behind a rustic log lodge, lies one of Maine’s most enchanting gardens. Thuya Garden is a formal perennial garden perched on a granite ledge, offering sweeping views over the harbor and surrounding islands.

The garden was created by landscape architect Charles K. Savage (who also designed Asticou) on land donated by Boston landscape architect Joseph Curtis. The design is formal but not rigid: rectangular beds edged in boxwood overflow with cottage garden perennials in a controlled riot of color.

The peak season is July, when delphiniums reach 6 feet tall, roses climb the stone walls, and the scent of lilies fills the air. But the garden’s genius lies in its structure—even after the perennials fade, the bones of the garden (the evergreen hedges, stone walls, and dramatic site) remain beautiful.

Thuya Lodge, the log cabin at the entrance, houses a botanical library and small gift shop. The combination of rustic lodge and formal garden creates a peculiarly Maine aesthetic: refined taste presented without pretension.

Practical details:

Parking at bottom of hill on Route 3
0.3-mile trail (or steep stone steps) to reach the garden
Free admission (donations welcome)
Open daily July through September
The climb is worth it—both for the garden and the views
Combine with Asticou for a full garden day

McLaughlin Garden: The Lilac Lover’s Paradise

While most people associate Maine gardens with the coast, one of the state’s finest lies inland in the small town of South Paris. McLaughlin Garden began as the private garden of Bernard McLaughlin, who spent 50 years cultivating his three-acre property into a horticultural masterpiece.

The garden’s fame rests on its lilac collection—over 150 varieties, one of the largest collections in New England. In late May, the garden becomes a fragrant cloud of purple, white, and pink. The old French hybrids are particularly stunning, with massive flower trusses and intoxicating scent.

But McLaughlin Garden isn’t just about lilacs. The property includes perennial borders, a lily garden, shade plantings under mature trees, a kitchen garden, and alpine gardens featuring rare dwarf conifers. The overall effect is more “estate garden” than botanical garden—personal and idiosyncratic rather than formal and institutional.

McLaughlin bequeathed the garden to a foundation after his death, and volunteers maintain it with obvious devotion. It feels like you’re being let into someone’s private paradise, which, in a way, you are.

Visitor information:

Open April through October, dawn to dusk
Free admission (donations appreciated)
Peak lilac bloom: late May to early June
Small parking area; located on Main Street (Route 26) in South Paris
Best visited midweek to avoid crowds during lilac season
The gift shop sells plants propagated from the garden

Beyond the Big Four: More Gardens to Explore

Merryspring Nature Center (Camden)

A 66-acre preserve with 10 acres of cultivated gardens, including herb gardens, rose gardens, and woodland trails. The site hosts educational programs and the monthly Camden Library Garden and Horticulture Collection. Peak bloom: June through August. Free admission.

Hamilton House Gardens (South Berwick)

A Georgian mansion and formal garden overlooking the Salmon Falls River. The garden features boxwood-edged beds filled with old-fashioned flowers. Managed by Historic New England. Peak bloom: June through July. Admission fee.

Great Garden at the Farnsworth Museum (Rockland)

A two-acre Victorian garden behind the Farnsworth Art Museum, featuring over 3,000 plants. The garden was inspired by 19th-century seed catalogs and includes formal beds, cutting gardens, and a children’s garden. Free with museum admission. Peak bloom: July.

Wild Gardens of Acadia (Bar Harbor)

A small but botanically important garden within Acadia National Park featuring native Maine plants in habitat settings: woodland wildflowers, alpine plants, bog species, and seaside flora. Free. Peak bloom: May through August (different species bloom throughout).

Abbie Museum Garden (Bar Harbor)

The Abbe Museum’s Wild Gardens of Acadia showcases native plants used by the Wabanaki people for food, medicine, and crafts. It’s both garden and living history lesson. Free. Peak bloom: varies by species.

Timing Your Visit: When to Go

Maine’s garden season is compressed, creating distinct windows for different displays:

Late April - Early May: Spring Ephemerals

Woodland wildflowers bloom before the trees leaf out. Look for trilliums, bloodroot, and wild ginger in gardens with woodland sections.

Late May - Early June: The Rhododendron Peak

This is the big show. Rhododendrons and azaleas bloom in an explosion of color. Gardens like CMBG, Asticou, and McLaughlin are at their most spectacular. Book accommodations early—this is peak garden tourism season.

Late June - July: High Summer

Perennial gardens reach their stride. Delphiniums, roses, lilies, and daylilies bloom in succession. This is when formal gardens like Thuya look their best.

August: Late Summer Glow

Gardens take on a softer quality. Hydrangeas bloom in shades of blue and pink. Late perennials like phlox, asters, and rudbeckia provide color. The intensity of July gives way to a mellower beauty.

September - October: Fall Interest

While most gardens wind down, fall foliage creates a different kind of beauty. Japanese maples at Asticou turn brilliant red. Ornamental grasses catch the low autumn light. It’s a quieter time but still rewarding.

November - December: Gardens Aglow

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ light display extends the season into winter, offering a completely different experience.

Practical Gardening Wisdom: Learning from Maine’s Gardens

Visiting these gardens isn’t just about admiring beauty—it’s an education in what’s possible in a challenging climate.

Embrace the conditions: Maine’s successful gardens work with, not against, the climate. They feature plants that thrive in acidic soil (rhododendrons, blueberries, mountain laurel) and tolerate cold (peonies, lilacs, rugosa roses).

Focus on seasonal bursts: Rather than trying for year-round color, Maine gardens embrace intensive seasonal displays. When rhododendrons bloom, they bloom spectacularly. The rest of the year, structure (evergreens, hardscaping, winter interest plants) carries the design.

Site selection matters: Many of Maine’s best gardens occupy protected microclimates: south-facing slopes, areas buffered by water (which moderates temperature), or sites protected from wind. If you’re gardening in Maine, choosing the right site is half the battle.

Soil preparation pays off: The state’s acidic, often rocky soil requires amendment. The gardens you see at CMBG and Thuya didn’t happen by accident—they’re built on years of soil improvement.

Think year-round: Maine’s best gardens plan for winter interest: evergreen structure, ornamental bark, persistent seed heads, and dramatic siting. A garden that looks good only in July is missing 11 months of potential.

Supporting the Gardens

Most of Maine’s botanical gardens operate as nonprofits, relying on admission fees, memberships, and donations. Your visit directly supports maintenance, educational programs, and conservation work.

Consider joining as a member if you live locally or visit regularly. Members typically receive free admission, discounts on programs and plant sales, and invitations to special events. Many gardens offer reciprocal admission agreements with other botanical gardens nationwide.

Plant sales are another way to support gardens while bringing home a piece of Maine. Many gardens propagate and sell plants grown on-site—often hard-to-find varieties perfectly adapted to the Maine climate.

Final Thoughts: Gardens as Resistance

There’s something quietly rebellious about gardening in Maine. The climate doesn’t make it easy. Every garden represents thousands of hours of labor: soil improvement, plant selection, winter protection, and constant vigilance against deer, slugs, and unpredictable weather.

Yet Mainers persist. They coax impossible beauty from rocky soil and short seasons. They experiment with plants that “shouldn’t” grow here and often prove the experts wrong. The gardens you’ll visit aren’t just pretty—they’re testaments to stubbornness, skill, and the human need to create beauty even when conditions suggest you should just give up and plant a lawn.

Visit these gardens. Support them. Learn from them. And if you’re inspired to start your own garden—whether in Maine or anywhere else—remember what these places teach: great gardens aren’t about perfect conditions. They’re about working with what you have and refusing to let obstacles stop you from making something beautiful.