Payson Park, Botanical garden in Portland, Maine.
Payson Park is a botanical garden in Portland that features the Longfellow Arboretum with numerous tree species on its grounds. Visitors can walk along marked paths through different garden areas, past sports fields and open spaces designed for various activities.
Portland received the land in 1917 from William Martin Payson, establishing what would become the public botanical garden seen today. This gift allowed the city to create a place dedicated to preserving and studying trees.
The garden club hosts regular teaching programs where visitors learn about local plants and how to grow them at home. Walking through the sections, you see how trees from distant places flourish alongside native species.
The park remains open year-round with clearly marked paths throughout the garden sections and open areas. Visitors can walk at their own pace through different zones or use the spaces for outdoor activities depending on the season.
The arboretum sits next to a tidal marsh connected to Back Cove, creating soil conditions that allow both native and non-native plants to thrive together. This proximity to salt water shapes which species grow best in different parts of the park.
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