THOMASTON — The annual Georges River Land Trust Gardens in the Watershed tour will take place on Sunday, July 18, from 10 a.m. – to 4 p.m., rain or shine. This event is one of the highlights of the summer season in Midcoast Maine. This year’s tour will feature seven gardens located in Thomaston.  

“All of the gardens are in enchanting settings and are sure to please,” said GRLT, in a news release.

The Gardens in the Watershed tour is unique in that it features gardens which, for the most part, have been created and maintained by the garden owners. The seven gardens in this year’s tour are as varied as the gardeners. 

Each year the GRLT hosts the Garden Tour in a different section of the watershed to introduce garden visitors to the diversity and beauty of the landscapes along the St. George River from Montville to Port Clyde. The proceeds from the tour further the work of the Land Trust to conserve and steward the natural resources and traditional character of the region. The Land Trust has conserved over 4,000 acres of farms, wildlife habitat, wetlands, and shoreline along the 51-mile-long St. George River. 

Allyssa Gregory, District Forester for the Maine Forest Service, will speak at Montpelier at 1:30 p.m., on forest management, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity. 

Tickets may be purchased for $27 in advance from the Georges River Land Trust (GRLT) office located at 8 North Main St., Suite 200, Rockland, by calling the GRLT office at 594-5166, or via the GRLT website at@ www.grlt.orgeorgesriver.org.  

Beginning June 23, Advance tickets may also be purchased from the following local businesses:

Brambles, Belfast

Planet Toys, Camden

The Grasshopper Shop, Rockland

Eastern Tire and Auto, Rockland 

Green Thumb Nursery, Rockport

Plants Unlimited, Rockport

Hedgerow, Tenants Harbor  

Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the tour for $30 and will be available at either of the two designated parking lots: the Lyman Morse parking lot at the foot of Knox St. in Thomaston or at the municipal lot located to the north of the business block on Route 1 in Thomaston. 

A bag lunch provided by Home Kitchen Café in Rockland is available by pre-order for $10. Ticket and lunch orders must be received by the GRLT office by July 14, and the bag lunches will be available for pickup at Montpelier, The Henry Knox Museum, in Thomaston, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of the tour. 

Arranging the Garden Tour takes a year of planning by a dedicated crew of volunteers, according to GRLT. If you would like to volunteer to help on the day of the event, please contact GRLT at 207-594-5166.