The University of Maine’s gardens require an overhaul. I visited the Heritage Garden and was disappointed by its yardscape, feeling that it wasn’t living up to its potential. There was fantastic architecture to accompany the design and layout of the garden, but it lacked fundamental aspects.
It is situated strangely on the border of the Belgrade and CCA parking lots, and I think that if the garden were refurbished, it would make campus seem more approachable. A facelift for this garden would mean planting native flowers throughout the space, allowing it to burst with life.
The Fay Hyland Botanical Garden is another on-campus garden that I visited. Maybe this was my fault, or that of GPS, but I had trouble locating the garden. I had to find an opening of the garden trail around the back of a building. While the garden was delightful, Fay Hyland still wasn’t fulfilling the criteria of a garden. There was a small spot before the trail with a plot of yardscape, but nowhere to sit, and I wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a place for students. When I walked past the odd patch of mowed grass among trees, there was a trail with some ducks in the river. The trees were dense enough to block the noise from the school. Ultimately, it felt less like a garden and more like a trail. I do not think these spots need total renovation. They both could benefit from native plant life and spots to sit.
After remodeling these could both support students during the spring, summer and fall semesters as quiet and isolated outdoor spots for studying.
The gardens on campus are underutilized. Right now, campus feels like it’s at capacity, and I think UMaine has ways to take advantage of the ecological benefits of our climate by integrating workspaces outside and among nature. There are benefits to having gardens around campus which extend beyond studying. I would hope one day, UMaine will consider the idea of community gardens on campus where different organizations can collaborate on care and maintenance.
