This Memorial Day Weekend, from Saturday through Monday, May 28, 29 and 30, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will open its doors to Maine residents at no charge for the third annual Maine Days. To receive free admission, adults must show a Maine state ID or driver’s license.

The Gardens is expecting a record response to Maine Days due to the success of Gardens Aglow. Over six-thousand people came last year over the three days. This year there will be expanded off-site parking lots with shuttle service to and from the Gardens at the Boothbay Region Schools, the Boothbay Region YMCA and the Boothbay Town Office. More information on the lots will be available at www.MaineGardens.org.

During Maine Days, thousands of plants will be in bloom in the ornamental gardens surrounding the Visitor Center. Among them, spring bulbs – more than 35,000 in all – will still be vibrant; hundreds of flowering shrubs in the Giles Rhododendron Garden will be at their peak; and swaths of pink lady’s slippers will be starting their annual display.

Guests can explore miles of waterfront and woodland trails across the 270-acre grounds. Fountains and waterfalls will also delight guests during their journey through this coastal destination. Dramatic outdoor sculpture and striking stonework are the perfect complement to flowers and forest.

To add to the experience, and because it’s easy to work up a good appetite at the Gardens, the Kitchen Garden Café in the Visitor Center is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with delicious soups, sandwiches, snacks, and dessert, served both indoors and from the new express walk-up window. In addition, the spacious Gardens Gift Shop is full of new merchandise and returning favorites; there’s something for just about everyone.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens offers surprises around every turn, for like every exceptional garden, this one keeps growing — and getting more beautiful and more interesting with every year. Gardens hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through October, with extended hours in July and August until 6 p.m. Regular admission prices will be $16 for adults, $14 for seniors (65+), and $8 for children 3-17. Admission is always free for members and children under 3.

The Gardens is located at 132 Botanical Gardens Drive, off Barters Island Road, just over a mile from Route 27 and the Boothbay common. For more information and directions, call (207) 633-8000, or visit www.MaineGardens.org.