Status report on the rhododendron blooms! Many people have asked: "Are the rhododendrons in bloom yet?" With over 150 varieties and species, this is one of our largest collections and not to be missed. We are not at peak bloom yet, but several are in full bloom, and some are just opening up. Weather-dependent, we expect full bloom to be late next week. Most of our rhododendrons grow on the shady hills of the Giles Rhododendron and Perennial Garden, but they are also interplanted throughout the other gardens. (fb)

How do you determine if a tree has rot in it without cutting it down? You use a resistograph! The Gardens is a Level III Arboretum through the ArbNet program, and we're lucky to have many large trees. To ensure our collection of trees remains healthy and not at risk of falling, we use this special tool to conduct tree assessments. To learn more about our Arboretum status, check out this post: https://www.mainegardens.org/blog/the-gardens-gains-two-new-global-accreditations/ (fb)