Register early and save! Only $250 if you sign up by April 15th—price increases to $275 on April 16th.

Members recieve a 10% discount on this program! 

Click here to become a member! 

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Sit in the grass. Trace raindrops down a windowpane. Examine a tree. Take a walk.Watch the light reflect off stone sculptures. Observe. Immerse. Beauty is everywhere.

In this 6-week workshop, held at Viles Arboretum either outdoors or indoors dependingon the weather, we will write poetry in response to the landscape by using observational journaling and fresh poetic techniques.

If you love learning about nature and learning new tools to expand your poetry practice, this workshop is for you. Go out into a field, agrove, a barn, and write poems about what is all around you, and how you are part of itall. From romantic poetry to ecopoetry, this workshop will inspire poetry that, as Joseph Campbell says, “to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match yournature with Nature."

Workshop Schedule

5/21 - Week 1—Seeing. Craft technique: Imagery.Welcome, Introduction, free write, craft lesson, nature writing. HW: complete poem.

5/28 - Week 2—Listening. Craft technique: Anaphora.Introduction, free write, craft lesson, nature writing. HW: complete poem.

6/4 - Week 3—Feeling. Craft technique: Syntax. Introduction, free write, craft lesson, nature writing. HW: complete poem.

6/11 - Week 4—Remembering. Craft technique: Still Life poems. Introduction, free write, craft lesson, nature writing. HW: complete poem.

6/18 - Week 5—Desiring. Craft technique: Portrait poems. Introduction, free write, craft lesson, nature writing. HW: complete poem.

6/25 - Week 6—Imagining. Craft technique: Modern sonnets. Introduction, free write, craft lesson, nature writing. Share favorite poem written.

About the Instructor

Meghan Sterling lives in Gardiner, Maine with her family. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Rhino Poetry, The Los Angeles Review, Rattle, Colorado Review, Pinch Journal, Radar Poetry, Rust & Moth, SWIMM, The West Review, Pirene’s Fountain, the Inflectionist Review, Rise Up Review, the Mom Egg Review and many others.  Her chapbook, How We Drift, was published by Blue Lyra Press. She was Featured Poet in Frost Meadow Review’s Spring 2020 issue, a Dibner Fellow at the 2020 Black Fly Writer’s Retreat, and a Hewnoaks Artists’ Colony Resident in 2019 and 2021. She was co-editor of the anthology, A Dangerous New World: Maine Voices on the Climate Crisis, published by Littoral Books.  Her debut full-length poetry collection, These Few Seeds (Terrapin Books) came out in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Eric Offer Grand Prize Award. Her second full-length collection, View from a Borrowed Field, won Lily Poetry Review’s Paul Nemser Book Prize and came out in March 2023. Her chapbook, Self-Portrait with Ghosts of the Diaspora (Harbor Editions) came out in April 2023. Her third full-length collection, Comfort the Mourners (Everybody Press) came out summer 2023. You Are Here to Break Apart (Lily Poetry Review Press), is forthcoming in 2025 and Sick Poems from the Lovebed (Harbor Editions) is forthcoming in 2026. When she isn’t writing poetry, being a mom or swimming, she teaches workshops and works as a professional writer.

Join herbalist, homeopath, and flower essence practitioner Debra Bluth for a guided walk through Viles Arboretum, where you'll meet a variety of medicinal plants and trees along the way. Discover key identifying features, folklore, and traditional uses of these plants from herbal, homeopathic, and flower essence perspectives. Ages 16+

Each walk will feature different plants, so you're welcome to join one or all three for a unique experience every time. Wear sturdy shoes that can handle a bit of dirt!

Potential Plants for Each Walk (subject to change):

Walk #1: Plantain, burdock, dandelion, sumac, yarrow, elder, lungwort, white oak, bloodroot, violet,Solomon seal

Walk #2: Red clover, ginkgo, iris, Japanese knotweed, hawthorn, rose, comfrey, horse chestnut, catalpa,poison ivy, lesser cinquefoil

Walk #3: elecampane, mugwort, lesser periwinkle, goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace, boneset, gravel root,jewelweed, blue vervain, white cedar, white pine

Register for all 3 walks and use promo code THREE to save 10%

Viles Arboretum is proud to host a talk in the Tree Talks series, which pairs tree identification with local history, and community project.

Join Viles Arboretum, the Maine Forest Service, the Maine Tree Farm Program, and Maine Woodland Owners for a unique guided walk exploring both natural and cultural history in the Cony & Knight Cemetery.

Maine Forest Service District Forester Allyssa Gregory and retired forester Andy Schultz will lead participants through an engaging exploration of tree identification alongside observation and discussion about the meanings behind historic headstone symbols. 

From weeping willows and clasped hands to lambs and urns, gravestone carvings from the 18th and 19th centuries often carry symbolic meanings - expressing grief, faith, hope, and remembrance. These quiet markers tell stories about the values, beliefs, and lives of those buried in the cemetery and reflect artistic trends of their time.

We're excited to welcome you to this thoughtful walk through one of Augusta's lesser-known historic spaces - where stories of the land and the people are rooted together. 

• To ensure an inclusive and engaging experience, registration will be limited to 20 participants.
• Walk begins and ends in the Education Barn at Viles Arboretum.

About the Guides

Allyssa Gregory is the Maine Forest Service’s District Forester for the MidCoast and chair of the Town of Thorndike’s Cemetery Committee. She assists with regulatory issues related to NRPA and FPA, leads educational workshops, and offers in-person visits to landowners with 10+ forested acres. She obtained a forestry degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Her professional background includes rural forestry, urban forestry, horticulture, and structure firefighting. Allyssa is involved with the Tree Farm program as a certified inspector and serves as chair for Knox & Waldo Counties. She is a member of the Maine Old Cemetery Association and is a Project Learning Tree facilitator.

After graduating from the University of Maine School of Forest Resources in 1976, Andy Schultz began his career as a forester. He has worked in the private sector as a lumber grader for a small sawmill, and a field forester for International Paper Company. He also worked as a Landowner Outreach Forester for the Maine Forest Service. Most recently, he has worked as an independent consulting forester. Retired now (almost,) he continues to enjoy walking and talking in and about the Maine woods.

Maine’s bird populations are constantly shifting, with some species thriving while others decline. State of the Birds: Decades of Change explores these patterns over the past few decades, highlighting which birds are disappearing, which are on the rise, and what these changes might mean for the future.

This presentation is led by Nick Lund, Maine Audubon's Advocacy and Outreach Manager. A passionate birder and writer, Nick is the author of The ABA Field Guide to the Birds of Maine; Dinosaurs to Chickens: How Evolution Works; and The Ultimate Biography of Earth. His articles have appeared in Slate.com, The Washington Post, National Geographic, and more.

Following the presentation, join us for a guided bird walk to put your knowledge into practice. We’ll explore the surrounding landscape, searching for some of the species discussed and observing firsthand the changes in Maine’s bird populations. Whether you're an experienced birder or just getting started, this is a great opportunity to deepen your appreciation for the birds of Maine.

Join Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District and Viles Arboretum as we host Maine Forest Service District Forester Jared Gregory on a walk through Viles Arboretum to learn about some key species of Maine's forests.

We will learn what makes species unique, including:

• Distinctive features
• Ecological niches
• Cultural importance
• Insect and disease concerns
• Use as forest products
• Stewardship implications

All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the "Forest Trees of MaineCentennial Edition - 1908 to 2008" guide to continue your tree identification journey.

Light refreshments will be provided before we head out and we explore the diverse treespecies of the arboretum.

Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to enhance your knowledge of Maine's woodlandecology while enjoying the beautiful grounds of Viles Arboretum! Space is limited to 24 attendees, so register today.

You may call 207-626-7989 to register by phone, Wednesday through Saturday from 10:30am-4:30pm.

This program is part of the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Program. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

How many species can you spot? L.L.Bean’s skilled guides have teamed up with a local birding expert, Casey Hynes, to lead you on a quiet, slow-paced hike through one of Maine’s top birding locations. After a quick refresher on how to tune your binoculars, you’ll embark on an easy walk through woodlands and open fields, listening and looking for the many birds that make these areas home – with plenty of educational narration along the way.

Participants with all levels of birding experience are welcome. Binoculars will be provided.

Months of Operation: May-October

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Begins: Varies

Age Requirements: Minimum Age: 12 (17 & under with parent/guardian)

Registration: This program is part of the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Program. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Join us for a guided, nature walk that will encourage you to slow down and reconnect with nature. During each forest bathing walk you'll be invited to engage in activities like silent observation, mindful breathing, and guided reflection, designed to promote relaxation and rejuvenation. 

These walks are designed for everyone, regardless of fitness level, and no prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to embrace the calming and grounding benefits of nature. Walks are 15+ unless indicated that it is a family walk. Children over the age of 4 must be registered.

Location: Meet at the Trail Map Kiosk

About the Instructor

Constance Woodworth is a certified Forest Therapy Guide from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Program based in California and is currently studying to become a Maine Master Naturalist.

A Celebration of Maine's Pollinators & Honey Makers

Buzz into a day of fun, flavor, and discovery at Pollinator Palooza!

Celebrate the essential role of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators through hands-on activities, educational exhibits, and sweet local treats. Learn how pollinators support Maine's ecosystems and food systems, get a look at beekeeping up close and talk with local beekeepers.

Explore a vibrant market featuring Maine-based vendors, artisans, and of course, honey makers and products!

This family-friendly event is FREE to attend and all are welcome!