The annual Christmas Prelude (December 4 – December 14) will soon see the town decked out in twinkling lights and greenery, with a buoy-decked Christmas tree at its center – like a Hallmark Christmas movie come to life! See www.christmasprelude.com for full schedule details.
The re-imagined Santa’s arrival by lobster boat is a traditional event that got bigger and better last year, with a move to the Nonantum Resort. It will be back at the inn this year. Also returning this year are the craft fairs Prelude is known for – the perfect places to find unique, hand-crafted gifts. Midweek merriment includes a Cookie Crawl, house tours of the beautifully decorated White Columns, a Merry Market at Maine Art Hill, cookie decorating, art classes and the return of the ever-popular Storybook Christmas for children.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is thrilled to announce a transformative $500,000 gift from George and Diantha Harrington of Kennebunk, Maine, in support of the Garden’s Frank L. Harrington Orchard. This extraordinary contribution will add to the Harrington Orchard endowment to ensure the preservation, care, and educational impact of this heirloom apple orchard for generations to come.
Located along the botanic garden’s entry drive, the Harrington Orchard is a cherished feature that celebrates the region’s rich agricultural history. It preserves a collection of 119 heirloom apple varieties in an orchard of 268 trees. Also known as heritage apples, heirloom varieties have been passed down over generations and are celebrated for their diversity of taste, color, texture, and size. The Garden’s collection was founded during the Great Depression by Stearns Lothrop Davenport (1885–1973), a trustee of the Worcester County Horticultural Society (WCHS), the organization that operates New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. Representing a range of rare and historic apple varieties, the Harrington Orchard is both a living museum and an educational resource, connecting visitors to the art, science, and history of heirloom fruit cultivation.
“The Harrington Orchard has been a long-term family interest for our family,” said George Harrington. Frank L. Harrington, for whom the orchard is named, was George Harrington’s father and a long-time WCHS supporter. The Harrington family has a connection to Worcester County that dates back generations, with members serving in leadership roles within local government and cultural institutions. George Harrington’s uncle, H. Waite Hurlburt, served as WCHS president from 1979 to 1984. “With this gift, we hope to ensure the Orchard’s vitality and to inspire others to appreciate the deep history and scientific importance of heirloom fruit trees,” Harrington says.
The endowment supports long-term orchard care, including pruning, pest management, tree replacement, and interpretive programming. As apples cannot be preserved in a seedbank, maintaining living collections like the Harrington Orchard protects uncommon varieties from being lost. Thanks to recent collaborations with academic partners and other experts, the Harrington Orchard is emerging as a resource for advancing scientific knowledge of rare heirloom apple varieties and expanding public awareness about the importance of agricultural biodiversity.
“George and DD Harrington’s generosity is a testament to their dedication to the preservation of the living collection of this heirloom orchard,” said Grace Elton, CEO of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. “Their gift ensures that the Harrington Orchard will continue to flourish, delight, and educate our community for decades to come.”
The Frank L. Harrington Orchard is a vital part of the Garden’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the protection of natural resources. To learn more, visit https://nebg.org/orchard/.
Photo Caption/Credit: Apple blossom blooms in the Frank L. Harrington Orchard at New England Botanic Garden / New England Botanic Garden, Megan Stouffer
Tour six private gardens in a wide variety of styles and plantings, on this July 13 garden tour in Maine. There will be a pop-up garden boutique and lunch from the Texas Grace food truck. $40 in advance online or at the library, day-of tix available at Kennebunk Consolidated School; benefits Graves Memorial Public Library. Begin at Kennebunkport Consolidated School (24 School St.), get a details map and instructions. Purchase tickets online for $40 at https://graveslibrary.org/event/secret-garden-tour-of-the-kennebunks-july-13-2024/
The Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County and 10 private homeowners are pleased to announce the 17th Annual “Private Gardens of the Kennebunks†Garden Tour Saturday, July 16th, 2011. This self-guided tour features 10 unique private home gardens in Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Cape Porpoise area. View the gardens at your own pace, in any order you choose. This tour allows participants to gather landscaping ideas and view perennial and annual plants that may enhance their own gardens.
The gardens are open from 10am to 4pm on July 16th and will be held rain or shine. Participants are provided with a brochure describing all the gardens and a map that provides the driving directions to each garden. You determine how long you linger at the garden and in what order you visit the gardens. Refreshments will be provided by Lucas on 9 at 62 Mills Road, (Rte 9) in Cape Porpoise.
As a special feature, Honorary Chair, Paul Parent, host of the popular Sunday morning syndicated radio show “The Paul Parent Garden Club†will spend the day at Lucas On 9, sharing his knowledge and gardening tips, as well as answering questions on gardening in New England. All proceeds from the tour will benefit the prevention programs of the Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County. The Child Abuse Prevention Council’s programs consistently endeavor to educate and support children and their families, professionals that work with children, and the surrounding community. Central to their mission is the promotion of healthy, nurturing relationships between children and adults. This is achieved through education, collaboration and advocacy in established programs and events which foster the well-being of children and families throughout York County.
Advance Tickets are $15; after July 1 $20. Tickets may be purchased at Focal Point Gardens, 1029 Alfred Rd. (Rt 111), Arundel or by calling the Council office (207) 985-5975, email events@kidsfreetogrow.org or visit www.kidsfreetogrow.org. Tickets purchased prior to the tour must be exchanged for a map and brochure containing the garden locations the day of the tour or, brochures and maps can be purchased the day of the tour in the parking lot behind Marlows on Main Street in Kennebunk, at Kennebunk High School on Fletcher Street in Kennebunk; Blooms & Heirlooms on Route 1 north in Kennebunk and Carrots & Company Ocean Ave in Kennebunkport. This tour would not be possible without the support of the following sponsors: – Focal Point Gardens, Genest Concrete Works, Inc., Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution, Sold on Betsy and Jim Group at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and Woods Farm Landscaping.
The Sixteenth Annual Garden Tour, to be held Saturday, July 17, will again benefit The Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County, Maine. The nine garden tour throughout Kennebunk and Kennebunkport will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the advance ticket cost is $15 per person before July 1, and $20 per person thereafter. One featured garden is that of syndicated talk radio Garden Club host Paul Parent.   Generously sponsored by Estabrook’s Color Spot, Digital Research, Inc., Genest Concrete, Libby, O’ Brien, Kingsley & Champion, LLC., and Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution. For more information contact Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County, 62 Portland Road, Suite 15, Kennebunk, ME 04043, or log on to www.kidsfreetogrow.org. Tickets are available by calling 207-985-5975. You may also email events@kidsfreetogrow.org.
Join the Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County, Maine for a private tour and lecture of Summer Street Mansions in Kennebunk, Maine. The tour will take place Saturday, June 19, from 6 – 8 pm. Tour cost is $50 per person and all proceeds benefit the prevention programs of the Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County. Included in the ticket admission is a lecture at the Brick Store Museum by Kennebunk Town Historian and author Kathleen Ostrander. The lecture will take place one hour before and has limited seating to the first sixty ticket holders. To purchase tickets, or for more information, please call 207-985-5975, or email events@kidsfreetogrow.org.
The Fifteenth Annual Garden Tour will benefit The Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County, Maine. The eight garden tour will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the cost is $20 per person. Tickets are available at Carrots & Co., Kennebunkport, Maine, Focal Point Gardens in Arundel, Maine, or by calling 207-985-5975. For more information contact Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County, 62 Portland Road, Suite 15, Kennebunk, ME 04043, or log on to www.kidsfreetogrow.org.
