McLaughlin Garden — Attraction in Paris

Such a gorgeous, serene place in the middle of bustling South Paris, Maine! McLaughlin Garden and Homestead is an 1840's farmstead that was saved by visionary local residents. Whether you walk through rows of stunning flowers and trees, wander the beautiful gardens, sit on their lush green lawn listening to the birds, you'll be glad they did. They open in May with a Wildflower Celebration, then all through Spring with lots to do. Their famed Lilac Festival toward the end of May is very popular and the scent of the many lilac bushes of all colors is heavenly! They have many fun summer events, from great concerts, artists, dancing, plant sales, auction and kids activities. During the summer, there are live talks with gardening and outdoor experts and in the winter, this community nonprofit has informative, educational lectures online. October is their "Jack O' Lantern Spectacular" when the Garden offers beautifully lit paths, lined with carved pumpkins and sparkling light displays. A huge, cool historic barn is used for events, and there's a charming gift shop inside the farmhouse. Residents and tourists alike love the Garden, including tour buses who visit. Check out their website or FB for more news or stop by for a colorful,...

Quirky, cute, historic, and absolutely unique! The drive to South Paris, ME is not like the approach to Paris, France. You do not arrive expecting the Louvre or the Tour Eiffel. And you don't get that. But you do get a local gem lovingly cared for, carefully maintained, and willingly shared with the world. There are many places in our New England that do less with more. A visit to McLaughlin Garden reaffirms all that is good and honest and beautiful and perfectly human about our human colleagues on this weird spinning rock...

Most disappointing day trip ever. Loved the old barn, but gardens and lilacs are way overemphasized as a beautiful place to visit. Wasted drive, and it was a long one. Lilac bouquets weren’t fresh and very droopy. $12 was the price on a nearly dead, very small spider plant. Many lilac trees were in need of major pruning. Very few blossoms, but the few that were, put a nice aroma through out the trees. Very happy there was no charge to visit. Much more enjoyable to go...