Greenhouse and Gardens
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The New England Garden Rehabilitation:
First Lady Karen Baldacci and Governor John Baldacci cut the ribbon on the New England Garden Rehabilitation at the Blaine House grounds in Augusta
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The Olmstead Brothers landscape architectural firm designed the original landscaped gardens at the Blaine House in 1920. Only portions of the original design were implemented. In 1987 the Blaine House grounds committee undertook an ambitious effort to revitalize the grounds. In the spirit of the original design, a new plan divided the site into four areas: front entrance to the east, shrub garden to the south, Governor's garden to the north, and lawn and service area to the west. The front entrance, including construction of the granite retaining wall and steps, elegant Colonial Revival balustrades and arbors, as well as the introduction of plantings which originally had been proposed by Carl Rust Parker of the Olmstead firm have been realized.
Today, the Baldacci family has installed a new cutting and herb garden in the lawn and service area, and a large vegetable garden behind the guesthouse. The Blaine House also has a new Victorian greenhouse.
The new Victorian greenhouse, fully funded by private donors, was completed in November 2004. An endowment fund has been established to maintain the greenhouse. The Victorian greenhouse extends the growing season at the Blaine House, providing fresh flowers and vegetables, and serves as an educational working greenhouse.
In spring/summer 2006, a restoration of the Governor's back (north) gardens
will begin. This project will restore the garden to the original square English
cottage garden. 
The
plan for this project is to be a public and private partnership with schools
and universities, Master Gardeners, local garden clubs, the State
of Maine, greenhouses and nurseries, and private individuals. Pressley
Associates, Inc., will implement a restoration based on the Olmsted Brothers'
design,
further preserving the Blaine House and its grounds.
Pressley Associates, Inc., are using original designs, plant lists, pathways, benches, shrubs, annuals, and perennials in the project. To supplement the restoration of the original north garden, Blaine House staff have added thirteen lilac bushes near the new gate, removed old cedar shrubs, and installed azaleas and rhododendrons. Additionally, Johnny’s Selected Seeds have donated over five hundred daffodil and narcissus bulbs.
Downeast Magazine recently named the Blaine House garden one of the top ten gardens in Maine. The restoration of the Governor's back (north) garden, which will begin in spring/summer 2006, will continue the rich tradition of gardening at the Blaine House.