What is Maine famous for? Lobsters, of course. When people from all over the country, even the world, think of Maine, they are reminded of the delicacy that is the Maine Lobster. But of even greater importance are the trees that dot the landscape of Maine. Maine’s natural, rugged beauty is enhanced by the “sea of green” that covers this great state. First time visitors, and long time residents of this beautiful state are constantly in awe of the sheer number of trees that populate the landscape.
Starting July 1st, commercial photographers and videographers will be required to purchase a photography/videography permit to conduct business on Arboretum grounds. Commercial operations are defined as any "for hire" photography that occurs between businesses, organizations, and/or individuals for compensation.
During the summer of 2021 we fielded hundreds of questions regarding what we were doing to manage the dreaded brown-tail moth at the Arboretum. As we experienced defoliation of many of our oak specimens, and suffered terrible rashes after outdoor maintenance projects, we were asking ourselves the very same thing.
Viles Arboretum has joined the American Horticultural Society's Reciprocal Admissions Program which offers free admission and/or additional benefits at more than 345 gardens throughout North America and the Caribbean. We are excited to enhance our member benefits with the addition of this program.
It's official - we will once again be offering American chestnut seedlings for sale in 2022!
Trees are supplied by the Maine Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation and proceeds from the sale directly benefit the MCACF and Viles Arboretum.
An annual celebration of the coming of spring, Maine Maple Sunday provides an inside look into how pure Maine maple syrup is made. Syrup producers across the state open their farms to the public to offer sap house tours and give demonstrations in sap tapping, collecting, and boiling.
The four-leaf clover is a rare variation of the common three-leaf clover. There are several causes for the fourth leaf, which is usually smaller than the others. It could be from a recessive gene appearing at a low frequency, by somatic mutation, or by a developmental error of environmental causes.
The “Discovery Room” at Viles Arboretum, which has provided opportunities for hands-on learning since it launched in January of 2021, is set to close at the end of May. In collaboration with the Children’s Discovery Museum, the room has been outfitted to create opportunities for exploration, with a nature sensory table, train table, loose-parts ball ramps, imaginative farmers market, microscopes and more.
"Native trees in Maine are facing extraordinary stressors on many fronts, to the extent that Maine is at risk of losing substantial native tree cover and thus vital ecosystem balance, biodiversity and economic resources. A number of species prevalent in our forests are at risk of significant decline or disappearance due to invasive insect pests or disease. In addition, climate change is likely to radically alter the balance of which tree species can thrive here."
