Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine

If you go to Five Islands Lobster, and you certainly should, head on up to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, just as you should go to Five Islands if you’re going to the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are big — 300 acres — and very beautiful, with lots of massed flowers in bloom, during the blooming season, anyway. And there are trails through woodlands and along the coast. It’s a great place.

Okay, you say, it’s a great place, but I came here to read about food. But man does not live by bread alone, and still less does woman. Here’s what’s special:

That is one of six trolls in the gardens, being admired by the two Nancys. Breul and Tanner. That’s special, no? You can read more about the trolls on the Gardens’ website and wherever huge wooden trolls are discussed. Each represents an aspect of the life of the forest — seeds, flowers, and so forth. As you can imagine, the design and construction is a project: all of the wood is on its second use, and each piece is pre-cut to fit the design. Enough of me. Go see them.

You want more food? Fair enough. Try Bite into Maine for another lobster roll.

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