June 3
The Richards Garden
57 Salmond Street, Belfast
This in-town oasis shielded from the Charles Street side by mature cedars was started with a wheelbarrow full of plants from generous neighbors. Follow garden path to back yard. Pink dianthus blooming under crabapple tree, hydrangea, clematis, solar flood lights, Mongolian sculpture, hypertufa bird bath. Handicap Accessible.
Directions: From Northport Avenue turn on Salmond Street. Enter garden through wooden fence; exit through cedars on Charles Street.
June 10
Whitlock Garden
110 Union Street, Belfast
Designed for easy care by grandparents with play areas for grandchildren, this gently sloping lot has steps and little paths to special places with stone and iron frogs and rabbits along the way. Juniper replaces beds of annuals, pink and blue lungwort are groundcover, spring hedge of Solomon’s seal at rear, Siberian iris and day lily borders connect different beds; deep red rhododendrons, white birch, Scottish broom bush with acid yellow blooms and the only Enkianthus bush (‘Showy Lantern’) in Belfast. Handicap Accessible. Directions: From center of town, take High Street to left on Allyn Street to right on Union.
June 17
Block Garden
16 Church Street, Belfast
A city garden created for private spaces and planted to be attractive as a songbird habitat includes a pink thornless rose bush, yellow rhododendron, winterberry, honeysuckle, forsythia, lilac, mock orange bushes, and cherry, magnolia and plum trees. An under-planting of ferns, yellow and pink miniature azalias, white weigela and heliobores provides density. A small potting shed made from re-cycled windows with a stone floor for carefree watering is tucked in the rear for starting annuals and there is an herb garden outside the kitchen door. Handicap Accessible.
Directions: From center of town take Church Street nearly to end.
June 24
Tanguay Garden
206 W. Main Street, Searsport
Searsport Shores Campground
Forty acres to explore including a 550’long sea wall walkway beside a long flower & herb garden. See flowerbeds placed between campsites, poison ivy-eating goats, woodland trails, a potato tower, a “river of hostas,” gourds in trees and floating gardens built on boggy soil. Concurrent botanical-themed quilt show in barn and twig sculptures by Susan Perrine on display. Bring a picnic if you wish; benches at waterfront. Handicap Accessible and bathrooms available. Directions: From Belfast on Rt. 1 turn at vintage billboard for Searsport Shores Campground. Park along both sides of long road towards shore.
July 1
Woolsey Garden
27 George Street, Bayside
Natural privacy is created for a Bayside summer cottage by making trellises of twigs for Dutchman’s Pipe vines shielding the front porch and a vegetative barrier at the street containing rugosa roses, tall, bushy clumps of yellow heliopsis, hostas, day lilies and tall spires of orange ligularia. Also, black currant bushes for jam, a 20’ high Katsura tree with reddish-purple leaves, several small raised vegetable beds with twig teepees for pole beans & a raspberry bed. Early spring mulching for weed-free summer. Handicap accessible. Directions: Rt. 1 south; turn left to Bayside. Bayside Road becomes George Street. First house on right past West Street.
July 8
Waldo County Hospital Aid Garden Walk
July 15
Berk/Foley Garden
232 Beech Hill Road, Northport
Cooperative organic garden project planned and maintained by 5 gardening families on 3 acres of sunny fields. Walk through the wondrous 96’ long arbor of kiwi vines & 20’ long grape arbor producing a tunnel of fruit. Over 2,000 trees and shrubs including an edible array of mulberry, peach, walnut, apple and apricot trees; a chicken coop on wheels for 25 chicks; marine pump brings water from dug pond to gardens; vegetable and perennial gardens with Siberian pea shrub border. Co-gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. Uneven ground may be difficult for handicapped. Directions: From Rt. 1 south turn right on Beech Hill Road. Travel about 1.4 miles up hill. Park along one side of driveway.
July 22
Finch/Holmes Garden & Art Studio
33 Battery Road, Belfast
A friendly, casual garden style cascading with stone-walled islands of color along the way from the art studio down to the ocean’s edge. Natural woodland ferns abound and harvested seaweed is decoratively used as mulch placed under plants by color (browns and black). Spectacular 16’ trellis designed by Finch at stream. Garden art includes Zen stone piles, diminutive bronze sculptures by Finch, huge metal sculptures by David McLaughlin, a Forest Hart sea otter and botanical paintings on easels (weather permitting) by Kerstin Engman and Jerri Finch. Art studio is open; paintings are for sale. Handicap accessible. Directions: Rt.1 south from center of Belfast; turn opposite Aubuchon Hardware on Battery Road. Keep right at Y and park on side of road (not in driveway).
July 29
Bennett & Whyte Gardens
29 & 37 Bridge Street, Belfast
Connected by a shady path developed in 2008 when the two friendly neighbors cut some trees to allow easier visiting, the two small gardens seem like one. The Whyte property was inherited from a grandmother and some garden beds of perennials are over 60 years old; the Bennett garden was newly developed when the residence was redesigned as condos. Expect to see blooming day lily beds, coreopsis, Echinacea, Russian sage and cat mint and a row boat dry-docked in the garden. Gardens are on a gradual slope above the inner harbor with some water views. Directions: From the center of Belfast, go north one block on High Street to a right on Bridge Street.
August 5
Webster Garden
746 Shore Road, Bayside
Creative landscaping and hearty perennials planted in a berm were needed here at the ocean’s edge where salt mist and wind off the ocean would damage more fragile plant choices. A second berm planted with cedar, dogwood and Japanese maple trees and hosta was created at the roadside to provide friendly privacy. Other garden features include a small pond and waterfall built by 14-year-old son, vintage birdbath, whimsical birdhouse and window boxes and wicker baskets on mailbox posts. Step down to deck just above the ocean for enchanting view of harbor. Handicap accessible. Directions: From U.S. Rt. 1 south turn left on Bayside Road; bear right to Bluff Road; turn left on Cobe Road; turn right at end of Cobe Road on Shore Road.
August 12
Trotochaud/McDowell Garden
103 Northport Road, Belmont
A garden mosaic in the back yard is created by carving garden beds out of the lawn in a pattern to accommodate perennials and vegetables by this couple who are both gardeners. Forsythia, cherry and flame bushes define the entrance and a solar electric fence protects the vegetables from the deer in the neighborhood. Gardens feature a grape arbor for seating and stone lined swales for drainage. Lilies, iris, primroses, Jerusalem artichokes and orderly vegetable plants. Pottery studio on property is open; pottery is for sale. Handicap accessible. Directions: Take Rt. 52 from Belfast to Ryan Road on right. Drive 1.9 miles ( Ryan Road becomes Northport Road).
August 19
Anderson Garden
93 Kaler Road, Belfast
Originally a hayfield for a dairy farm, this open, sunny location is now a CSA garden serving about 10 families who can come and harvest their own vegetables. Flowers and bushes around house include blueberries, quince, magnolia, lilac, honeysuckle and an ancient oak tree can be seen down the hill by stream. Straw mulch and tomato cages made from concrete rebar maintain order when the NW winds blow across the garden. Look up and you may see the nesting bald eagle in tall pine trees across the road or swooping across the sky. Handicap accessible. Directions: From High Street in the center of town, continue to Upper High Street, City Point Road and bear right on Oak Hill Road. Take first right on Kaler road.
August 26
Shure Garden
105 Woodmans Mill Road, Searsmont
An old fashioned perennial garden planted on the grounds of an 1830 Cape where you can hear the rushing waters of a stream bordering the property. Gardens are on two levels; the upper level is around the house and garage and the lower level is near the stream. Ferns, moss, lavender, creeping thyme, delphinium and rugosa rose bushes are found around the house; clematis, walking stick, hibiscus and more roses are around the garage. Flat rocks are the steps down the sloping lawn beside annual beds and Chinese lanterns to the cutting garden on the lower level including many dahlia varieties. Uneven terrain may be difficult for handicapped. Directions: From Rt. 3 in Belfast turn on Rt. 131 and follow to Searsmont village. Go through the village to a right turn on Rt. 173 which is Woodmans Mill Road. After a half mile, cross bridge and garden is up the hill on the right. Park along the road.