When gardeners aren’t busy tilling the soil in their own backyards, they can be found surveying the variety of public gardens that blossom in Maine. A quick visit to mainegardenclubs.org lists the major gardens throughout the state. Here are a few gems not to be missed.

Mclaughlin Garden and Homestead Located on Main Street in a bustling area off Route 26, the McLaughlin Garden and Homestead is often called “Maine’s favorite public garden.” It is a true mecca for garden enthusiasts known regionally and nationally for its unique setting. It is also on the National Historic Sites Register.

In 1936, Bernard McLaughlin began planting what would become one of Maine’s most beloved gardens. A century-old Maine farmstead with massive stone walls and huge barn provided a unique background for his sophisticated collection of trees, woody shrubs, and perennials.

For years, McLaughlin welcomed visitors to the garden whenever the gate was open. With no formal horticultural training, he single-handedly tended the garden for most of his life. McLaughlin died at age 98 in 1995 and today the two-acre garden is operated by a nonprofit organization that maintains the historic home, barn and garden for the public.

The formal garden features mature collections of hostas, daylilies, astilbes, iris, phlox, sedum, cimicifuga, sempervivums, and over 200 lilacs beneath a canopy of mature deciduous and coniferous trees. There’s a diverse collection of Maine wildflowers and ferns that border a walking path.

Individuals can tour the grounds at no charge, but donations are accepted. For groups of eight or more, an advance call can secure a guide who will provide a one-hour tour of the grounds while describing the plants and history of the house and barn on the property. The group tour rate for adults is $8 with discounts for seniors/students. After the tour, guests can visit the garden gift shop and tour the grounds at their own leisure.

There are special events throughout the season including a Lilac Festival, a Celebration of Roses and an Illuminated Gardens tour after dark. From May 1 to October 31, the Garden gate opens daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The McLaughlin Garden is located at 97 Main Street, South Paris, Maine. For more information, call 207-743-8820 or visit www.mclaughlingarden.org.

The Garden at Pineland Farms Only 30 miles south of McLaughlin Garden, is Pineland Farms, a sprawling 5,000-acre campus with a working farm, business campus and educational/recreational settings that welcome visitors to a rural landscape. The Garden at Pineland Farms is a one-acre perennial, herb and vegetable garden with paved walkways and plenty of area for picnics on the lawn or sitting time on the Adirondack swing.

Highlights of the garden include more than 130 varieties of perennials, 6,000 flowering annuals, five different types of blueberry bushes, 20 apple trees, espaliered pear trees and an ornamental conifer bed. Vegetables, herbs and fruit produced at the garden are sold at The Market Pineland Farms.

There are monthly gardening seminars offered June through September in addition to a variety of special events throughout the entire Pineland Campus.

The Garden at Pineland Farms is located directly across from the Pineland Campus on the corner of Route 231 and Allen Road. In spring, summer and fall, it is open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. The Garden can also serve as a unique venue for special events.

Please be aware that Pineland Farms does not allow dogs on the premises in an effort to ensure the greatest safety of all visitors to the farm and for the safety of Pineland Farms’ animals.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens – Boothbay, Maine  Ranked number one on TripAdvisor’s Top 10 List of U.S. Gardens, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the ultimate garden tour experience. Before venturing to this horticulture wonderland, visitors should know that this is an expansive landscape with nearly 250 acres, making it among the largest botanical gardens in New England and one of the only gardens in the nation with a tidal waterfront that extends for a mile. Please plan plenty of time for your visit so that you can take in all the landscape has to offer.

In addition to an impressive Walk Garden and Visitor Center, the Botanical Gardens include a Children’s Garden, the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, The Giles Rhododendron Garden, Cleaver Event Lawn & Garden, Great Lawn & Ledge Garden, Burpee Kitchen Garden, Haney Hillside Garden, Slater Forest Pond, Vayo Meditation Garden, Shoreland Trail, and the Rose & Perennial Garden.

The gardens are open daily, year round, which allows visitors a rare look at the flora of changing seasons. Visitors can explore the gardens at their own pace using brochures from the Education Center or by reading the signs that identify the plants. The Botanical Gardens also have guided tours by knowledgeable volunteers who love to introduce visitors to the property. Free tours are offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. every Thursday and Saturday from June 1 until Columbus Day weekend. No reservations are required, and there is no charge for the tour except for the regular Gardens admission. Visitors simply meet the guide by the Saxon Fireplace in the Visitor Center.

A great feature on the Botanical Gardens website is a link called “What’s In Bloom.” This handy reference gives visitors a month-by-month list of which flora are in bloom at that time.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. year-round. From April 1 to October 31, the admission fee is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, children (3 to 17) $6, and children under 3 are free. There are special rates for groups of 10 or more. The Gardens are located at 132 Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay. For more information, call 207-633-4333 or visit  www.mainegardens.org.