A Fall Tour of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Take a tour of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and discover a meeting ground of natural beauty, expert design, and horticultural excellence. Nestled in the picturesque landscape of coastal Maine, this garden offers a symphony of colors, fragrances, and serene vistas that will surely captivate any nature enthusiast. In this video, director of horticulture (and frequent Fine Gardening contributing writer) Andy Brand takes us on a journey through three of his favorite gardens and gives insights as to what makes them unique. This tour barely scratches the surface of what CMBG has to offer, however, with its more than 300 acres and 16 unique gardens connected by well-maintained paths and trails. You can spend days at the garden and still find something new.

CMBG’s Lerner Garden of the Five Senses is a sensory masterpiece, inviting visitors to explore the natural world in a unique and immersive way. This garden is thoughtfully designed to engage all five senses—sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound—so that differently abled visitors can enjoy a vast array of sensory stimulation no matter how they experience the world.

Sight: This garden is a visual delight, with a kaleidoscope of colors and plantings that vary throughout the seasons. From vibrant blooms to the soothing greens of foliage, every corner of this garden offers something visually stunning.

Smell: Fragrance is a central element in this garden. Aromatic herbs, scented flowers, and foliage with distinctive scents make this garden a paradise for olfactory exploration.

Touch: Visitors can interact with various plant textures, from the velvety leaves of lambs’ ears to the rough bark of trees. Here they can explore the tactile aspects of gardening and learn how to