We’ve been counting down here at CMBG, and spring has sprung! With warmer weather just around the corner, we’re eager for our season to officially begin in just three weeks. Explore these opportunities and more online at www.mainegardens.org.

New wheels

This year, you’ll see our horticulture staff getting around the gardens on some new wheels, graciously funded by a grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. The staff will be cruising around on a new, non-motorized fleet of cargo bicycles. These bikes are able to tow cargo trailers, and can haul up to 500 pounds of tools, plants, weeds, mulch and other materials around.

This new fleet of bikes will provide our horticulture team the opportunity to get more work done, with the added benefit of alleviating some of the congestion caused by the larger utility vehicles and golf carts.

In addition to the bikes and cargo trailers, the grant covered new garden carts for those staff or volunteers who are either unable or uncomfortable with riding bicycles. The carts are made right here in the state, and can withstand our occasionally harsh Maine climate.

Little Diggers

Our Little Diggers Gardening and Nature Spring Series for ages 3-5 with Erika Huber begins Friday, April 17. This parent-and-child program will have preschoolers learning about seeds, flowers, vegetables and animals through stories, crafts and planting activities in our Learning Garden and greenhouse. On alternating Fridays, parent-child pairs will explore everything from “Sensational Seeds” which examines the life cycle of a plant, to “Wonderful Worms” and “The Garden Habitat,” which delve into the types of creatures we can find living in the garden. Each class will include a take home project, as well as time to search the garden habitat high and low for animal residents.

This series runs on April 17, May 1, May 15 and May 29 from 10 a.m. to noon. Register online and find out more in the Learning for Families and Children section of our website.

Looking forward

In addition to their regular duties, our horticulture team has been hard at work all winter helping the facilities staff with snow management. Now that spring has arrived, they’re gearing up for snow removal and mulch spreading. The greenhouse is revved up and seeds are starting.

The horticulture staff have also been getting ready for an exciting new collaboration with Portland textile artist Angela Adams, who has designed for J. Crew, Macy’s, Anthropologie and more. This collaboration will include an installation in the Gardens done by Angela herself, as well as a section by our horticulture team in the Children’s Garden that has been inspired by Angela Adams designs. The double-pronged installation will start early this spring, and will grow into its full and beautiful potential over spring and summer.