The Maine Coast
Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade. The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.
Gorgeous yachts and sailboats cruise around Casco Bay, Maine, all the time.
My blog posts generally contain a lot of substantive content supported by photos. I thought I would take a break from that approach with this post to show my many readers from all over the world and from other parts of the US photos of the Maine coast. Maine is a state located in the continental US in the far upper northeastern corner in a region called New England. It is one of the least populated and least developed US states. All the photos I am going to show you were taken in Casco Bay, which is located in the southern part of Maine right off Portland, the most populous city. Almost anywhere in Casco Bay or along the coast could produce photos like these, but most of these photos were taken on one small island.
As we sail off on our exploration of the Maine Coast, keep in mind that the plants you see are almost all native. Unlike most parts of the US, the native landscape is relatively undisturbed in Maine. That is why, at my family’s home in Maine, I garden almost exclusively in containers. The native landscape is more beautiful than anything that I could create.
We end with the obligatory sunset, beautiful and different every day. I hope you have enjoyed your tour and will consider visiting Maine someday.
Carolyn
Nursery Happenings: The nursery is closed until the fall. Thanks for a great spring season!
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CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS 
August 23, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Beautiful, I would love to visit some time. The coastline reminded me of North Devon. Christina
August 24, 2012 at 9:20 am
Christina, I can never understand why visitors from Europe head to Florida and New York City when there are places like Maine to visit. Carolyn
August 27, 2012 at 6:25 am
as someone from Europe who avoided Florida and only went through New York in the middle of the night on a train some Europeans do visit the beauty and nature of the north american continent, with beauty like this I can never understand USA Americans that come to Europe! Frances
August 23, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Lovely coastline, you never know, one day we may get over there!
August 24, 2012 at 9:20 am
Pauline, I know it’s a long trip but well worth it. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Last year you had a blog about a daylily garden that you visited just outside Freeport. I kept the address and visited it with my husband and some friends when we were in Maine this July. The only way we found it was by using our car’s GPS system! What a beautiful place – beautiful and unusual daylilies as far as you could see. Walter Young himself gave us a tour and I came away with three new daylilies for my garden. We visit Maine every year and love the gardens there – they never seem to look hot and tired like ours in New Jersey at this time of year.
August 24, 2012 at 9:24 am
Mary, You really made my day with the news that you had visited Walter Young at his daylily nursery. I haven’t made it there this year so I am glad to hear it is still as I remember it. The gardens in Maine are not plagued by the pests and diseases found in the mid-Atlantic. I agree that they are some of the most beautiful anywhere. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 2:53 pm
I have forgotton how beautiful Wish I was on that schooner!
August 24, 2012 at 9:27 am
Sahron, Yes, I want to sail on that schooner too—very picturesque. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Your photos are a great collection of the views of the rocky coastline of Maine. We have talked about going to Maine and explore a bit, hopefully one day we will.
August 24, 2012 at 9:28 am
Janet, Seize the moment and plan your trip. You won’t regret it. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Maine is indeed a beautiful state. My sister and brother-in-law’s family have a large old summer home on the beach in Kennebunkport and we have spent many wonderful times on that beach in the past. You are blessed to be able to be there on a regular basis! Beautiful photos! Larry
August 24, 2012 at 9:31 am
Larry, Kennebunkport is a gorgeous place to visit, fun and lively too. Not quite wild as other parts of the Maine coastline. So fun to think of you coming to Maine. Let me know next time you are there. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 3:48 pm
It’s on my bucket list… hope to visit on my way to Nova Scotia… someday. Closest I’ve ever come is Gloucester, Mass. Beautiful pics!
August 24, 2012 at 9:33 am
Carolyn, glad to hear you are planning a visit. There used to be a ferry from Portland to Nova Scotia, which is also quite beautiful. The ferry may still run from Bar Harbor. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Such beauty! Maine is one of the few states I have yet to visit. Your photos definitely make it enticing! One of these fine days I will make it up there!
August 24, 2012 at 9:34 am
Karin, If you have visited most other states, then you need to come to Maine. It is obviously at the top of my list. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Such pretty images, Carolyn, and you did catch a pretty sunset. I too could not get enough of those large sailing boats, they just go hand and hand with the Maine coast. We have a number of them here in the Buffalo area on Lake Ontario, but you very rarely see me photographing them as the shoreline is not as picturesque. I like that tiny island in your photo, I don’t remember that one.
August 24, 2012 at 9:37 am
Donna, I was thinking of you when I put that sunset in. It was unusual with lots of pink and orange. There are two little islands in the photos, one has the house on it. We didn’t visit there this summer, but we will have to go there in summer 2013. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 4:16 pm
have always wanted to see maine beautiful [pictures thanks so much lee
August 24, 2012 at 9:38 am
Lee, Glad you enjoyed your tour. I almost didn’t do the post, but my husband said readers would love seeing photos of Maine. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 10:16 pm
Well now that you have shown the whole world how beautiful it is, it won’t remain quiet and peaceful for long.
August 24, 2012 at 9:43 am
Les, I really had to laugh at your comment. I think you underestimate the reach of my blog! You will notice though that I didn’t reveal the name of the little island where I shot the photos. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Carolyn, I’ve only been back in Pennsylvania a few days, and these photos made me intensely homesick. A wonderful evocation of a special place.
August 24, 2012 at 9:45 am
Jean, I was wondering if you were back in PA yet. I can empathize with the reentry blues. Carolyn
August 23, 2012 at 11:34 pm
Stunning… and it reminds me of Door County, Wisconsin. The two locales are often compared. I agree–why disturb such a beautiful landscape. Although container plantings are fun around the house, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing the beautiful views!
August 24, 2012 at 9:46 am
PP, My husband is from St. Louis and went to Wisconsin in the summer. He is always telling me how beautiful it is, but I have never been there. Carolyn
August 24, 2012 at 7:58 am
Lovely place. It is good for all aspects of our lives to have a place surrounded by beauty.
August 24, 2012 at 9:48 am
Mary, It is always difficult to return to PA from a place where I am surrounded by beauty every day. Maine is a great place to recharge. Carolyn
August 24, 2012 at 9:22 am
What a beautiful area. I love all the water, rocks, trees, and greenery. I would love to see it in person some day.
August 24, 2012 at 9:49 am
Holley, I hope that you will be able to visit Maine. I know you would love it. Carolyn
August 24, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Consider visiting? I grew up there so know of the many wonders of Maine. I miss it a lot and seeing all your lovely pictures reminds me of how much I miss it.
August 24, 2012 at 9:14 pm
Tina, Do you ever come back here to visit? I would love to show you Cliff Island sometime. Carolyn
August 24, 2012 at 9:09 pm
The Maine coast is truly beautiful, and very distinctive. I haven’t been to Maine in years, but always make the effort when I find myself in New England. The yacht in your first photograph is very impressive!
August 28, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Clare, Let me know if you are ever in Maine. Carolyn
August 25, 2012 at 8:50 am
Carolyn it is my dream to visit Maine sometime hopefully when I retire and have time to travel. I will keep this area of Maine in mind…just amazing.
August 28, 2012 at 12:16 pm
Donna, You are going to have a very hectic schedule when you retire. Carolyn
August 25, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Shes a beauty, i would love to visit and take in the raw ruggedness of Maine. Thanks for the pics.
August 28, 2012 at 12:17 pm
I guess a virtual tour is second best to an actual visit. Hope you make it here.
August 27, 2012 at 6:37 am
Carolyn thanks for sharing these beautiful photos, I can’t imagine how you could move from such a beautiful place and live somewhere else, living with some beautiful scenery myself I have to say that when it is with you all the time it is nice to also have some lovely garden plants too, maybe that’s seems like wanting it all but it isn’t as island living means going without lots of things most people take for granted, I understand it can be hard on gardens on the north east coast due to very strong winter storms, Frances
August 28, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Frances, Gardening in Maine is actually ideal in many ways because pests and diseases are less virulent. I have never seen more beautiful perennial gardens. However, after running my nursery and gardening in PA all year, I am not anxious to do it here. I also truly believe that in tact native landscapes should not be disturbed even to garden. It was hard to leave Maine in the summer (but I haven’t) but it was easy to move away from the long winters and lack of spring. I am so glad you visited other parts of the US. Why do Americans come to Europe when the US is so gorgeous (and it is): for the culture, the food, the museums, the scenery….
August 27, 2012 at 8:31 pm
Carolyn, since moving to the east coast (just north of you in the Canadian maritimes) I’ve often thought of visiting Maine but certainly your photos have convinced me that I must do so. and preferably soon.
August 28, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Marguerite, I live most of the year in Pennsylvania but spend as much of summer in Maine as I can. I thought the Canadian maritimes probably looked a lot like Maine but I must be wrong. Carolyn
August 29, 2012 at 10:42 am
Carolyn, Your beautiful pictures have made me homesick for Nova Scotia where I grew up. It is very much like Maine.
August 29, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Jennifer, I have visited Nova Scotia and loved it–very similar. Carolyn
August 30, 2012 at 2:42 pm
The pictures of Maine that I had in my head were remembered from watching Ina Garten’s cookery programs. They never showed the untouched natural beauty though, so I’m glad I saw this post.
September 1, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Bag, Also keep in mind that I was visiting the southern most developed part of Maine. Farther up the coast and the interior of the state is even more beautifully wild. Carolyn
August 30, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Gorgeous photo pictorial… I don’t really know much about Maine.
September 1, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Rae, Glad I could give you an introduction to my favorite state. Carolyn
September 8, 2012 at 2:14 am
I was able to visit Maine about three years ago and it is gorgeous–I would love to go back for another visit. Beautiful photos!