Open Garden Day 2026
Saturday, July 25th
10 am–4 pm*
Join us for a walking tour of seven private gardens in Northeast Harbor, Maine
Printable Map
*Rain or shine. Note the gardens are not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Houses are not open. Public restrooms are indicated on the map linked above. Parking is limited—carpooling is encouraged. Please no video cameras, dogs, or smoking. Cell phone photography only. If you have any questions, please contact info@gardenclubofmountdesert.org.
Purchase
Open Garden Day
Tickets
TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE
Join us for a walking tour of seven private gardens in Northeast Harbor, Maine on Saturday, July 25th from 10 am–4 pm.
Rain or shine.
Note the gardens are not wheelchair or stroller accessible.
Houses are not open.
Public restrooms are indicated on this map.
Parking is limited—carpooling is encouraged.
Please no video cameras, dogs, or smoking. Cell phone photography only.
If you have any questions, please contact info@gardenclubofmountdesert.org.
Purchase Patron Party Tickets
By invitation only: click here
#1
Western Way and Carriage House
121 Peabody Drive, Northeast Harbor
This is our most challenging site for visitors, with steep slopes, narrow paths and several stone and wood steps. There are two routes through the properties: the first and less strenuous Route #1 is shorter than the second more challenging Route # 2.
A Roc Caivano-designed wood shingled cottage has been joined with a revitalized 1890s Carriage House integrating stone pathways, grassy terraces, and gardens with creative use of trellis. These distinct dwellings sit on harbor cliffs overlooking Bear and Sutton islands to the south. Over the years, several noted landscape architects and talented stonemasons have contributed their efforts. Deborah Miller oversees both properties.
Route #1: Moving behind the Greeters’ Table, travel down the granite steps, noting forged iron railings by Robert Breeden. A teak deck is bordered with distinctive pots of dahlias and overlooks the Sunken Garden. The left side of the house provides a first view of the Western Way. Wooden stairs off the deck bring visitors through a shade garden with ferns and hostas.
(Route #2 re-joins here) A path leads to a cliff-side lower terrace appointed with Lunaform birdbaths, one planted with ornamental grasses, both surrounded by shrubs and tall, sturdy evergreens. Returning up the path and toward the fern and hosta shade garden, the Carriage House on the right overlooks a cutting garden. This abounds with sun-loving annuals and perennials including peonies, cosmos, Russian sage, zinnias, lilies, snapdragons, globe thistle, and dianthus. Creeping junipers, ornamental pine, and various evergreen shrubs serve as foundation plantings. Continue around the far side of the house and ascend wood stairs at the corner. Creative containers at the top of the stairs highlighting the original Carriage House double doors.
Route #2: After checking in at the Greeters’ Table, cross the bridge on the driveway to granite stairs on the left. Arriving at the bottom of the Sunken Garden in front of the house, carefully follow around the right side of the house, crossing over a stream bed. To the right is a shaded path and border with daylilies and Japanese iris. To the left and continuing around the house brings visitors to a lower stone patio and teak pergola. Massive pots are filled with herbs, vines, and other annuals. Climbing roses intermingled with clematis cover the pergola, and shelter a rock garden of shrubs, dwarf pines and striped maple. Continue toward the Carriage House where description joins with Route #1.
#2
Gull’s Cove
24 Huntington Road, Northeast Harbor
This natural seaside garden is new and unfolds in a broad meadow sweeping gently toward the harbor, offering breathtaking views of Bear Island and the distant horizon. The open expanse captures the spirit of the coast—wild, airy, and ever-changing with the light and tide. It is the owners’ intent to compliment rather than compete with the natural surroundings.
On the ocean side, a terrace enclosed by a stone wall overlooks the meadow, its garden beds and artfully planted pots adding structure and color to the landscape. Border gardens gracefully frame the new home, hinting at the beauty still to come as the young garden grows into its coastal setting.
#3
Sargent Head
8 Bear Island Way, Northeast Harbor
Sargent Head, previously known as Stone Acres, was built by Erastus Corning in 1883 and designed by the architects Albert Fuller & William Wheeler in the Romanesque Revival style. The gardens were originally designed by Joseph Curtis, co-founder of the Northeast Harbor summer colony and part-time landscape architect. Sargeant Head was redesigned in the 1950’s and again in 2010 by the present owners with landscape design by Mary and Gordon Lyman.
Beginning at a granite wall rising from the exposed ledge, its rugged surface is softened by plantings that spill gracefully down the lichen-accented stone. Beyond the entrance lies a small circular herb garden enclosed by a crushed granite path, its scent carried lightly on the coastal breeze. Following the path, bursts of color from Lunaform containers enliven the bluestone veranda, creating a playful counterpoint to the surrounding natural textures. Emerging onto the lawn, heather nestles in crevices of exposed ledge, seamlessly blending cultivated beauty with the wild terrain.
Three garden beds unfold across the landscape, their gentle curves echoing the coastal contours. Designed to enhance rather than dominate, they offer structure while providing host plants for butterflies and an abundance of flowers for cutting. The planting is soft and naturalistic, its rhythm inviting quiet contemplation of the Maine coastline beyond. Installed in 2024, the largest bed and a small shade garden complete the vision, their forms connected by a meandering path that draws us toward a breathtaking overlook of the open ocean—a serene finale to a garden that feels both crafted and timeless.
#4
Mount Desert Elementary School Garden
8 Joy Road, Northeast Harbor
The Mount Desert Elementary School Garden was three years in the planning stages and finally became a reality in 2014 under the leadership of Principal Scott McFarland. The Gothic Arch Greenhouse was erected by Robert Falt, pro bono. Various members of the community contributed to the project as well as the Garden Club of Mount Desert with a $ 10,000.00 donation. Garden beds were built, a tool shed installed and fence erected. In 2019, the Garden Club of Mount Desert gave another donation of $ 12,000.00 to expand the garden, increase the soil, and install drains around the perimeter of the garden.
To help pay for seeds and tools the students start seedlings in the greenhouse and have a seedling sale each Spring. Patricia Kelley is the Garden coordinator. Patricia Kelley does a fantastic job teaching the students and doing various garden projects, i.e.: spreading compost, pulling weeds, planting and harvesting and learning all about plants through measuring, drawing and studying. This garden has served as a model for other gardens around the state and was chosen as the 2026 School Garden of the Year.
The overall mission is two-fold; 1. To engage students in authentic learning. 2. To support community connections to nature, sustainability, healthy lifestyle choices and food security using garden and greenhouse space as a tool and resource.
#5
Pa’u Hana
10 Schoolhouse Ledge, Northeast Harbor
Pa’u Hana is a shingle-style residence designed by C.A. Candage in 1902 for hotelier Loren Kimball. It was one of the first houses built on Schoolhouse Ledge. The property has been reoriented for privacy and planting opportunities, minimizing driveway and parking areas. The gardens are an ongoing experiment and learning process for the hands-on owners. During ten years of amateur design and maintenance, they have focused on soil health, pollinator habitat, and a variety of experiments.
Approaching the entrance, one passes a recently planted 100’ screen of native trees and shrubs, including viburnum and dawn redwood. The upper parking area leads to the front lawn. Underneath the arbor, a Roman marble sarcophagus dating to 240 AD can be found. Proceed to terraced cutting gardens which are edged with stone that is reclaimed from a wall formerly located on the property. Continue down the hill, passing a moon gate on the right which supports a climbing hydrangea. This leads to a shade walk planted with ferns and moss. A small greenhouse on the left is used for over-wintering and spring propagation.
Below the house, lawn and perennial beds are anchored by mature boxwood, hosta, hydrangea, iris, rosa rugosa, and rhododendron. The lowest level features a path which passes a small waterfall, through grape and sweet pea arbors. Exit here to the lower driveway.
#6
Sunset Ledge
11 Schoolhouse Ledge, Northeast Harbor
This lovely property is located on a steep hillside with ledge and is considered “challenging” to navigate, especially behind the house.
This Frederick Savage designed home was completed in 1902 by G.W. Pepper, a Philadelphia lawyer and U.S. senator (1922-28). It sits atop Northeast Harbor’s Schoolhouse Ledge and is built directly into massive granite outcroppings. It has picturesque views of the surrounding mountains, Somes Sound, and the ocean beyond. The current owners purchased the home in 2016 and have worked for the past decade with Jen Macomber on landscape design, making improvements while staying true to its natural surroundings. Great care has been focused on preservation and on native plantings.
As one walks toward the house, a right turn at a Katsura tree leads to a path to the back of the house, passing a Japanese Maple along the way. A climb up beautifully placed stone steps, passing a Katie Bell rabbit sculpture opens to a view of an expansive, sloped granite ledge. It is meticulously planted with native material including Blueberry, Huckleberry, Sweet-fern and Bay.
An optional loop leads to a pine grove inhabited by friendly Dan Falt bears and offers a unique view of Southwest Harbor. Following the path around the house, the viewer passes Clethra, Hydrangea and evergreen trees selected for their beauty, variety of texture, color and suitability to the setting.
Reaching the gravel drive, a right turn leads to the lower end of a circular garden, whereupon a left turn leads to a path through it. Ascending yet another set of strategically and beautifully placed stone steps offers views of succulents, Lavender, grasses, Dahlias and Hollyhock. Emerging at the top of the circular garden, a right turn passes a bronze rabbit sculpture by Pat Toogood and leads toward the exit.
#7
Driftwood Gardens
14 Sargent Drive, Northeast Harbor
Established in 2016, the landscape and gardens of Driftwood have greatly matured. The landscape relies heavily on native plant materials with drifts of rhododendron and select ornamentals. Gardeners and groundskeepers hone their skills with these selections while also collectively working with nature. In many instances, they take their cues from natural plant competition while investigating alternative native species placement in a changing climate.
Garden venues with soft color schemes of greens, blues and whites add to the discovery of Driftwood, along with a series of paths which connect destination points on the acreage. The first garden is a formal rectangular walled garden at the left of the house. Referred to as “Mrs. Scull’s Garden,” it pays homage to the former owner’s design. The pink granite walls and the climbing hydrangeas were carefully salvaged from the old garden and placed in the current design. From here a meandering path wanders along Somes Sound through lowbush blueberry and huckleberry, which rest under a canopy of large white pines.
The path then leads to a walled garden, terraced in the side of a slope below a Folly. The Folly is shaded by white birch and accented with a whimsical perennial garden. Next on the path is a charming little Playhouse, where the former owner enjoyed her afternoon tea. The last portion of the path winds through a forest of oak trees and woodland plants leading to an estimated 200-year-old apple tree surrounded by a pink granite footpath.
Proceeds
After expenses are met, all proceeds from Open Garden Day are donated to not-for-profit organizations on Mount Desert Island and elsewhere that promote horticulture and/or conservation. These are the organizations we support:
Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association
Charlotte Rhoades Park and Butterfly Garden
Coastal Maine Botanical Garden
Garden Club of America Interchange Fellowship
Garden Club of America Summer Scholarship Fund
MDI Elementary School
Mt. Desert Land & Garden Preserve
Natural Resources Council of Maine
Nell Goff Federation Scholarship Fund
Northeast Harbor Marina
Seal Harbor Village Improvement Society
Somesville Village Improvement Society