Gardening Trips

Spring is officially here and now I'm anxious to get out in the dirt and start gardening. Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the U.S., so I know that I'm not alone.

To speed things along, I've shoveled the piles of snow into sunny areas to make the snow melt faster. My marigold seedlings are struggling on the kitchen window sill. My house is littered with gardening catalogs and magazines. The stray shovels scattered around the yard are now waiting by the back door to be stored away. But, I'm afraid that if I put them away, we'll be doomed to another snowstorm.

While waiting for the ground to thaw, I'm making grand plans to visit some public gardens. On the top of my list is the much recommended Maine Botanical Gardens(http://www.mainegardens.org/ ) in Boothbay. Afternoon announcer, GV went last year and he raved about the gardens and he's not a gardener!

My friend, Cathy and I have been talking about going to the McLaughlin Gardens(http://www.mclaughlingarden.org/About.html) in South Paris for years. The gardens of Bernard McLaughling have been maintained through a non-profit group since his death in 1995. I hope this year we'll make the trek.

If you're looking for gardening inspiration or a fun day trip, there are dozens of beautiful gardens around New England, here are a few ideas:
The Asticou & Thuya Gardens in Northeast Harbor. Spring is the best time to view the Asticou Gardens because of the large number of azaleas.
http://www.acadiamagic.com/asticou-garden.html

At the Strawbery Banke gardens in Portsmouth, you can enjoy the flowers and learn about New England history.
http://www.strawberybanke.org/historiclandscapes.html

At Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, not only can you visit Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's gravesite and watch the birds, but it's a great place to enjoy the spectacular landscaping.
http://www.mountauburn.org/

I would love to hear from you about gardens that you have visited and would recommend to others.