Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in Boothbay, Maine. It was opened in 2007. The gardens have been named one of Maine's top attractions. Its gardens and landscape include nearly a mile of tidewater shoreline. After 16 years of planning, planting, and building, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens opened on June 13, 2007. This project began in 1991 when a group of Maine residents founded the grassroots organization. In 1996, after a thorough search for an appropriate site, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens purchased of land with of tidal shore frontage in Boothbay. Today, as the largest botanical garden in New England, the gardens comprise , 17 of which are gardens featuring native plants of Maine and other plants suited to northern coastal conditions. Yearly, the gardens see on average 200,000 guests from throughout the United States and (in 2018) 63 foreign countries. Gardens and grounds The Giles Rhododendron Garden is located a third of a mile from the central gardens and features more than a thousand rhododendrons and related shrubs as well as a spring bulb display. Garden designed by landscape architect Bruce John Riddell. The Haney Hillside Garden opened in 2006, but the Patriot’s Day Storm of 2007 brought down dozens of mature evergreens. The garden was completely renovated in 2010-11. Six thousand native plants were installed in the upper areas while the lower areas near the shoreline rely primarily on editing of the natural vegetation. Haney Hillside Garden was designed by landscape architect Bruce John Riddell and features three terraces linking 1,000 feet of switchback paths. A water terrace is followed by a moss terrace, and a final terrace featuring a glass orb by New York sculptor Henry Richardson. The Lerner Garden of the Five Senses opened in 2009. Designed by landscape architect Herb Schaal, it’s less than an acre in size with winding paths and changing elevation. The paths circle around and through five distinct regions designed to emphasize each of the senses. The garden also features several designs to facilitate its use by physically challenged guests, including brick paving with continuous striker stone bordering the path to help the visually impaired navigate the garden, while providing a smooth, hard surface and gentle slope for wheeled mobility aids. In July 2010, the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden opened. It encompasses two acres of woods, ponds, and theme gardens inspired by well-known children’s books by