The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) in Boothbay plans to break ground on its new Edward and Gwendolyn Asplundh Horticulture and Plant Science Center.
The facility will be built by Landry/French Construction in Scarborough, Maine and is slated for completion by the beginning of 2027.
When it opens, the center will support two important parts of the Gardens' mission: furthering plant science and horticulture. In addition, it will establish a hub of plant cultivation, research, propagation, plant conservation and collaboration unlike any other facility in New England, according to an Aug. 18 news release from CMBG.
St. Louis, Mo.-based Christner Architects, and Lavallee Brensinger Architects, with offices in Portland, Boston and Manchester, N.H., make up the project's team of designers.
CMBG noted that it has responded to the increased environmental impact of climate change by planning for substantial growth in its plant science teams. As its gardens have grown, so has the need for more plant-growing space.
With that in mind, the new building will provide greenhouses, labs, offices and storage spaces to enable plant science and horticulture teams to increase CMBG's program scope and mission impact.
"We know that plants are essential to the health of the planet, and we continue to research, educate and inspire people to take action to mitigate the impacts of climate change," said Gretchen Ostherr, the president and CEO of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. "By fostering curiosity, deepening understanding, encouraging stewardship and teaching ecological horticulture practices, we are helping to shape a more sustainable future."
The Horticulture and Plant Science Center will house new ecology and microbiology research labs, allowing investigation into conservation techniques, plant migration and plant responses to climatic changes. Furthermore, a new and expanded herbarium will facilitate the study of Maine's plants and document changes in their distribution over time. A larger seed bank and a new tissue bank to store seeds and other plant material for future research and restoration will also be housed at the facility.
Two glass greenhouses, three hoop houses and a head house will be constructed to support the growth of native and ornamental plants for display, conservation, restoration and sale to the public. Essential storage and office space will facilitate collaboration among interns, graduate students and researchers, according to CMBG.
Plans call for the building to be a sustainable addition to the landscape by leveraging solar power and collecting rainwater for watering and non-potable water usage. In addition, the planned landscaping at the science center will provide trial gardens and outdoor gardening space as well as support the beautification of what is currently a storage area for soil and rocks.
"We are so grateful to the Asplundh family for their catalytic gift to this project, along with many other individuals and foundations who helped fund it," Ostherr said. "Additional thanks go to local and state elected officials for elevating our project to ensure its success and the continued impact of our mission."
At more than 325 acres, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the largest of its kind in New England. Home to thousands of different types of plants and visited by hundreds of thousands of guests each year, the gardens are an inclusive place of learning, with beauty around every corner.
Its mission is to inspire meaningful connections between people and nature and promote plant conservation through horticulture, education and plant science.
