At Seasons End

It was a cool, sunny morning in mid October when I finally made it out to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. The breeze was light but cold enough to feel a chill in the shade. I had seen the gardens in three out of four seasons but never in the fall. I wasn’t sure if anything would still be blooming at the end of the season as my own garden was only a ghost of its former self. Determined to spend as much time as possible in nature and enjoy the fall foliage before the cold winter set in, I embarked on the journey anyway. I was surprised to see my trip to the coast was not in vain.

While many flowers had gone by and the butterfly house was closed for the season, the botanical gardens remained a colorful labyrinth of vegetation. The Dalias still bloomed in an array of vibrant colors agains the bright orange foliage on the surrounding trees. It was peak foliage at this point and a beautiful sight even outside the gardens. Wandering through the winding paths I took note of flowers still blooming to add to my garden next year. The dahlias will be a great addition.

Quest for Trolls

The trip turned into an unexpected hunt for trolls. The map advertised the excitement of locating all four of the giant troll sculptures scattered on various paths throughout the gardens. This was originally of no interest to me as I had come to see the plants in the gardens, but after coming across three of the four trolls I know I could leave without finding the final troll. The last one was quite a distance away from the previous three, but the map lead us in the right direction. Spiraling around the waterfall that I have never made it to in previous visits the troll finally revealed itself. Dapple light shone through the trees illuminating the textured wood pattern.

Another plant that caught my eye was a wispy golden and white tall grass that was illuminated by the backlit sun.

It was a gorgeous autumn day in the gardens for a calming walk through nature. I have enjoyed experiencing the Botanical Gardens through the changing seasons. It is encouraging to see that while nothing stays the same, there is peace and tranquility in change. The gardens were preparing for the winter Gardens Aglow and already displayed trees wrapped in colorful holiday lights. I look forward to returning in the cold season.