The Restorative Power of Nature and Art
September 24, 2009By Barri Lynn Moreau
Haystack in September
I used to be a big fan of the summer months, but now as I get older, I find that September is my favorite month. There is something about the colors of September, the feel of the wind, the blue, blue of the sky with the puffy white clouds zipping by. But September is also one of the most hectic months of the year for most of us who are parents and educators, it means another school year is upon us. I find myself gearing up for the stress of the season: the schedules, the changes, the meetings, the planning for the meetings as everything starts to speed up.
September sky
Peaceful reflection time is at a premium; it’s hard to turn down the volume of the details in my head. But sometimes the universe provides the perfect antidote. In my case, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens has become an antidote to stress and a sanctuary for my sanity.
Of course, driving north up Route 1 during fall foliage is always a treat, even with the hordes of traffic, but once you arrive at the gardens, you are enveloped in a magical place full of sights, sounds, and smells of harmony. My multi-generational family took an impromptu field trip one Saturday; all of us found inspiration and points of interest. There is such beauty in the natural world, especially all around here in Maine. But, at the Coastal Maine Gardens the beauty of nature combined with the unexpected beauty of large and small art installations and garden areas devoted to all the senses just transported me.
An early morning in September
For all who are stressed, consider giving yourself a health day and get yourself up to the gardens. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, you might even feel a little bit of grace as your body begins to decompress. The gardens radiate powerful healing; the art work inspires.
me arts ed 
Barri Lynn… thanks for the wonderful post and mentioning of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Sounds like a place that is definitely worth a visit. Nice pics too!
There are places in Maine that I return to again and again that really give me peace, which is a much needed resource when one has a teenager…Macworth Island is one, Cobscook Bay is another, and Bailey Island. I swear that those places just ooze healing vibrations, as does the Coastal Maine Garden. It reminds me of that line from C,S,N’s “Woodstock” “And we’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden…” I’ll be going back again and again.
One of my favorite Maine places is Schoodic! This summer is was great to visit my favorite spots there and the International Sculpture Symposium at the same time.