Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
We live in Northeastern Massachusetts and have a cottage in Rockland Maine. With no traffic we can make this drive in just over two and a half hours. We usually drive up on a Thursday evening and home early Monday morning. Although we don’t have TV in the cottage, we do have internet so we can both work from there. Whether we are headed north or south we are always in a hurry. Even the dog is anxious to get from one place to another. We might stop for fast food on our way up but other than that it is always a race against time.
Recently we spent an entire week at the cottage. We had a lot of rain but it was nice to just sit and read. I can’t quite explain why it is more relaxing to sit and read in the cottage than in our house. Our house in Massachusetts is lovely and we have a lake right outside our door. Unfortunately, there are always a million things I should be doing when I am at home. I have worked hard to keep life at the cottage very simple. I think it is easier to relax when you don’t feel guilty about the dusting or laundry or sweeping that needs to be done.
Any way, in between the bad weather in Maine we planned to take some road trips. I am truly a road trip junky. I read road trip books and watch travel shows on TV. When I get on a nice smooth road, especially one in the country, I want to drive forever.
When we drive to or from the cottage we drive through Boothbay Harbor. This is a lovely town that deserves more attention than just a measuring point for our drive. I asked lots of people for Maine road trip ideas and every person said Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.
On one of our sunny days we loaded the dog into the car and headed south. It was glorious to not be in a hurry. When we arrived at the garden we started with a lovely lunch in the Main building. Although they did not have the squash soup I really wanted, the chowder was wonderful and the salad had lots of fresh local ingredients.
Then it was off to walk through at least part of the gardens. This place is gimungus. We started with a multi-senses garden. Although things were slowing down for the fall there were lots of plants to touch and smell. Neal was busy taking pictures of plants we might plant in one of our yards. This was only the beginning. There is a coastal garden and lots of trails through every kind of forest and meadow. Scattered throughout the gardens are lovely sculptures and places to sit. Even the people we met on the pathways were wonderful and friendly. This was truly a great way to spend a fall day. We joined the group that takes care of this piece of heaven and we will go back again and again.
Maybe we will even stop on our way up or back from the cottage. I wonder what else we are missing.