My husband and I were enjoying a rare kid-free vacation in northern Maine at a friend’s cabin when we stumbled across Johnny’s Seed Company’s Trial gardens. The weather had been perfect, but a cloudy day had us googling the area for something to explore. Surprisingly, we were very close to the Johnny’s Seed Company Trial Gardens! So, of course, we had to check it out.
Touring Johnny’s Seed Company
When I called, the lovely lady said they don’t do formal tours, but we were welcome to look around. Awkward but ok; it is northern Maine and very informal. There weren’t even any directional signs to Johnny’s along the way!
We headed over and strolled around the gardens for a little bit. The sign nearly engulfed in the surrounding greenery, a dirt parking lot, and a modest building next to the building – the ultimate garden.
What did I expect? Maybe a more formal setting – I mean, it is Johnny’s Seed Company. What I witnessed, more logically, was a working farm. What was I thinking? We squeezed into the parking lot, and after checking in with the front desk to confirm we should just “wander around,” we started our self-guided tour with a four-page visitor’s guide we picked up at the front door.
Self-guided tour
My husband happily enough to hang out and listen to me talk my thoughts out loud – that man is a saint. At the same time, I was trying to absorb bits and pieces of gardening magic from mere observation alone. Long, straight rows of colorful vegetables and flowers in a kaleidoscope of colors. The grass between the plots is thick, lush, and mowed perfectly. A few garden fairies were taking notes, weeding, and tending the plants. Ok, fine. I might have built this up a little in my head, I knew it would be interesting, but I underestimated how much I would enjoy the visit.
We let ourselves in through the gate and began our stroll through their pristine gardens. This fence must be at least 9′ high and encircles the farm. Deer are high jumpers, and I would assume moose would be a threat, also.
Garden Fairies
A dozen people, aka “garden fairies,” as I had labeled them in my head, were in the field taking copious notes as they inspected and weeded through a plot. But honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted to interrupt them. True, there was no one to answer questions, but honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted to interrupt them. But man, I had a lot of questions -for example, there were many rows labeled “Bee Forage.” Is that to support the farm or bees in a general health way, or were they experimenting with different varieties? Or both?
While touring Johnny’s Seed Company’s trial gardens, the back of the pamphlet had some rules. Among the reasonable rules of not picking anything from the garden, we were also not allowed in the greenhouses due to the risk of contamination. A total bummer because these greenhouses were Pinterest-perfect. The floors swept, the pots lined up and evenly spaced, my OCD heart gave a little leap of joy at the mere sight.
I did learn quite a bit while Touring Johnny’s Seed Company from the visitor’s guide, though. One of the most curious things was the sheer scope of their work. Spending an entire decade breeding a new variety that would capture the home gardener’s interest and make that same variety taste good, look good, and perform in many climates seems to be a tall order. Amazing. Yet, they’ve been doing just that since 1975.
Decades of Focus
A company timeline of accomplishments is at the back of the visitor’s guide. Johnny’s Seed Company is unique in that it is 100% employee-owned. Cool right?
We are located in the Northeast, and Johnny’s Seed Company’s Trial gardens are located in Albion, Maine, which is one of the reasons I like to use their seeds. Check out Johnny’s Seed Company’s website, which is extensive, covering seeds of all kinds, tools, education, and instruction. You won’t be disappointed.
~ Lola
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