Longfellow Arboretum

Located in the city of Portland, Maine, the Longfellow Arboretum is set within Payson Park and is the result of collaboration between the Longfellow Garden Club and the City of Portland’s Forestry Division. Having a Level 1 Accreditation validates what the Longfellow Garden Club and the City of Portland are trying to accomplish to educate the public on the different varieties of trees and native plants not commonly grown in Maine. The Longfellow Garden Club was established in 1924 and was originally founded to renovate and maintain the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow House garden, located at 487 Congress Street in Portland.

The Longfellow Arboretum is free and open daily to the public. The original arboretum, which began with only 11 trees representing 11 families and three continents, has expanded to 116 trees, both native and exotic. The garden is also home to several varieties of shrubs including lilac, hydrangea, dogwood, azaleas and rhododendrons. The boundaries of the arboretum are comprised of native oak forest and a small tidal marsh.