Viles Arboretum facts for kids

The Viles Arboretum is a special outdoor place in Augusta, Maine, United States. It's like a big park where you can learn about plants! It used to be called the Pine Tree State Arboretum. This amazing place covers 224 acres (about 90 football fields) and has 5 miles (8 km) of trails for you to explore. It's open all year long, and you can visit for free.

The Arboretum is home to more than 300 different kinds of trees and shrubs. Part of the Arboretum is a certified Tree Farm Demonstration Area, which means it's a great example of how to manage forests. You'll find many of Maine's native trees growing here.

What Can You See at Viles Arboretum?

The Viles Arboretum has many interesting collections of plants and gardens. Each one is unique and helps you learn about different types of trees and plants.

Urban & Community Forestry Collection

This is the biggest collection at the Arboretum. It features over 60 different types of trees and shrubs. These plants were chosen because they are very strong and can grow well in cities and towns, even with all the challenges of an urban environment.

Conifer Collection

In this section, you'll find many different kinds of conifer trees. These are trees that usually have needles and cones, like pine trees. You'll see varieties from North America that have interesting features, such as the "weeping white pine" which has branches that droop downwards. There are also conifers from other parts of the world.

Governors Grove

The Governors Grove is a special area with over 60 Eastern White Pine trees. The Eastern White Pine is the official state tree of Maine. Each of these trees was planted to honor one of Maine's governors. It's a living tribute to the leaders of the state.

Chestnut Collection

This collection shows off the American chestnut tree and its close relatives. The American chestnut was once a very common tree in eastern North America, but many were lost due to a disease. With help from The American Chestnut Foundation, the Arboretum is working to grow new chestnut trees. They have a special Chestnut Plantation with young trees that come from American Chestnuts still surviving in Maine.

Daughters of the American Revolution Historical Gardens

These gardens are designed to show what gardens might have looked like around the time of the American Revolution. The flowers, herbs, and shrubs here were chosen for their beauty, for use in medicine, for cooking, and for everyday household needs. It's like stepping back in time to see what plants people grew long ago.

Lilac Collection

If you visit in May, you'll see the beautiful Lilac Collection in full bloom. This collection features many different kinds of lilacs, with flowers in white, pink, and purple colors. They also smell wonderful!

Hosta Garden

The Hosta Garden is a peaceful place winding through the shade of a white birch tree grove. It has one of the largest collections of hosta plants in Maine. These plants were given to the Arboretum by the Case Estate of the Arnold Arboretum in Massachusetts. Hostas are known for their beautiful leaves, which come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors.

Native Plant Garden

This is the newest garden at the Viles Arboretum. It's part of the landscaping around the new Education Wing of the Viles Visitors Center. This garden features plants that naturally grow in Maine and are easy to find at local garden centers. It encourages visitors to use more native plants in their own yards and to avoid using plants that are not native and might spread into the wild.