Events
Community Service Project
Camp Kita
September 24, 2026
Acton, ME
Fall Education Day
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
October 1, 2026
Boothbay, ME
Registration form below.
Charter Bus Trip to Arnold Arboretum
Harvard University
October 15, 2026
Portland Area – Harvard - Portland Area
Go to Information & Registration
MELNA Certification Exam
SMCC – Brunswick Location
November 16, 2026
Brunswick, ME
Maine AG Trade Show
January 12-14, 2027
Augusta Civic Center
Augusta, ME
MELNA’s Grow Maine Green Expo Annual Meeting & Trade Show
January 20, 2027
Augusta Civic Center
Augusta, ME
Fall Education Day
Thursday, October 1, 2026
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Bosarge Family Education Center
3 Pesticides Credits --- 5 MELNA Certification Credits
Registration: $45 for MELNA Members. $55 for Non-Members. $20 for Students.
The Day's Schedule:
8:30-9:00 a.m. Check-in & Refreshments at the Bosarge Family Education Center
9-10 a.m. Gardens Tours with Staff Horticulturists
10-11 a.m. Session 1: Think Like a Pest: Using Behavior to Improve Integrated Pest Management.
Presenter: Hilary Peterson
11 a.m. - Noon Session 2: Invasive Plants Management
Presenter: Amanda Devine
Noon - 1 p.m. Lunch in the Café
1-2 p.m. Session 3: How it Works: Pesticide Registration in Maine
Presenter: Julia Vacchiano
2-3 p.m. Session 4: Dahlias and Peonies: Cut Flowers for Early Spring and Late Fall Color
Presenter: Stephanie Burnett
3-3:30 p.m. Afternoon Snacks & Closing
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Optional Tour of the new Edward and Gwendolyn Asplundh Horticulture & Plant Science Center at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
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REGISTER BELOW by 5 P.M. September 28, 2026
If paying by check, mail it to
Maine Landscape and Nursery Association
PO Box 292
Augusta, ME 04332-0292
You can also register at the door on October 1 but there is no guarantee about the availability of lunch.
Tour of Arnold Arboretum for MELNA Members October 15
Rodney Eason, Director of Horticulture and Landscape of the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, has invited MELNA members for a private tour on Thursday, October 15, 2026. You may recall that Rodney was our Keynote Speaker at our Grow Maine Green Expo this past January.
The Arnold Arboretum is Harvard University’s museum of trees and a key Boston City Park within the Olmsted designed Emerald Necklace. Join Rodney Eason as he provides an overview of how a vision started 154 years ago has manifested into a beloved place for all people. He will also provide a glimpse at how the Arnold is preparing for the next 100 years with a goal of bringing more people closer to nature and illustrating the importance of plants and design within our world.
We are chartering a bus that will leave O’Donal’s Nursery in the Gorham area at 7:30 am, arriving at Harvard University roughly at 9:45 am. There will be a tour of Arnold Arboretum from 10 am until 3 pm, with a catered lunch on the patio at the site. The bus should return to O’Donal’s Nursery at about 5:30 pm. Riders should arrive at O’Donal’s Nursery by 7:10 am. They will be given a breakfast sandwich and beverage for the ride down.
The bus is a Custom Coach with reclining seats, Wi-Fi and charging ports for connectivity, and a bathroom on board. This trip will also be a fundraiser, with profits split between the MELNA Scholarship Fund and paying down the deficit from the COVID-canceled Maine Flower Show. The cost of the trip is $100 per person and includes breakfast, round trip travel, and lunch. You can sign up for the trip online or by downloading the form and mailing it with a check. Trip reservations are on a first come - first serve basis.
We are actively seeking sponsors for this trip to make it even more successful and help keep the trip affordable! Contact the MELNA Office at exdir@melna.org, if you would like to sponsor!!
We have a hard limit of 55 for this trip, due to bus capacity! Reserve seat(s) by October 9.
Two ways to sign up:
1. Download, print and mail registration with a check. Download Tour of Arnold Arboretum PDF
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2. Register online with PayPal or Square by submitting the form below:
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Our Community Service Projects
Each year requests are submitted to our organization to request our expertise in landscaping a particular locale. It is our difficult task to choose a project deserving of our attention. Once chosen, a landscape is designed, plants and materials are donated by our membership in a coordinated effort, and we descend upon the site for the installation. It is an amazing to see a site transformed so quickly by many experienced hands. Equipment and materials quickly move about, completing the project many times in a matter of hours. The camaraderie amongst the workers is a true draw on the day for many. If you haven't had the experience, we encourage you to become involved - you will be in awe of what we can do!
If you have any questions or ideas, please contact
Don Sproul, Executive Director
Maine Landscape and Nursery Association
PO Box 292
Augusta, ME 04332-0292
Email: exdir@melna.org
Phone: (207) 623-6430