Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve

lantern at azalea garden

The Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve is a non-profit organization with programs and properties on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Founded in 1971 as the Island Foundation, the organization owns and oversees the operation of gardens and lands that are accessible to the public throughout the seasons.

 

The mission of the Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve is to preserve, for public enjoyment, the aesthetic and spiritual heritage of certain horticultural and natural landscapes on Mount Desert Island. The mission will be achieved by:

 

• Preserving the unique character of historic gardens that lie south of Acadia National Park in Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor: the Asticou Azalea Garden and the Thuya Garden

 

• Maintaining the lands, roads, trails and pond that lie between the gardens, as those areas, in the future, may become the responsibility of the Preserve

 

gazebo at thuya

• Managing and maintaining public access to related properties that currently include a landing, the terrace path to the Thuya Garden, and the Thuya Lodge

 

• Honoring particular individuals who have contributed significantly to the landscapes of Mount Desert Island

 

• Practicing and encouraging environmentally sustainable horticulture

 

• Developing educational programs that promote the Preserve's mission

 

• Maintaining a small library to support the educational programs of the Preserve