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DURHAM, N.H. 鈥� This Mother鈥檚 Day tell mom you love her with flowers found in an island garden by booking her an adventure to the historic garden of beloved writer Celia Thaxter. Tickets are now available to experience the sights and sounds of the enchanting and colorful cottage garden on Appledore Island in the Isle of Shoals.

The annual summer pilgrimage attracts gardeners, poets, literary lovers and anyone looking for a unique outdoor experience. Visitors can tour the iconic garden by the sea which has been restored and maintained by the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML), which is jointly run by the 91制片厂 and Cornell University.

鈥淭he historic garden is a destination trip for many of our visitors to soak in the beauty and the color of the flowers as they grow against the backdrop of such a picturesque island,鈥� said Sara Morris, executive director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory. 鈥淭he immersive day trip is a special opportunity for the community to visit one of the beautiful islands in the Isle of Shoals and travel back in time by walking in the footsteps of Celia Thaxter.鈥�

Thaxter grew up in the Isles of Shoals and听became a favorite American author in the late 19th century. She lived much of her life on Appledore Island where her pocket garden served as a cutting garden for her family鈥檚 hotel. She welcomed a steady stream of well-known writers, musicians and painters to the island to enjoy vibrant conversations in lively salons in her parlor. Impressionist painter and dear friend Childe Hassam made her garden famous in his paintings and Thaxter published a book with collected prose and watercolor illustrations of the garden.

Each winter, the SML works with Gardener's Supply in Greenland to cultivate a specific blend of flowers that are grown from seed to recreate Thaxter鈥檚 original designs outlined in her book An Island Garden. In the spring, a team of staff and volunteers transport the plants by boat to Appledore Island. The garden grows throughout the season planted with a wide variety of flowers that accurately reflect that time period. Some of the highlights include a variety of poppies (Thaxter鈥檚 favorite), hollyhocks, dahlias, sweet peas, foxgloves, nigella, scabiosa and many others.

Just a 45-minute boat ride from the mainland, the day-long trip to Appledore Island also allows time to hike the same paths Celia wandered, explore the cultural history of the Appledore Hotel and visit the Laighton family cemetery. 听Lunch and transportation from New Castle, N.H. are included.

Reservations are required for the garden tours which run on Fridays and Saturdays beginning June 27 to August 2, 2025. To register go to . SML also runs several other summer public programs which allow for more exploration of Appledore Island and are focused on birding, island ecology and an artist鈥檚 retreat. For more information go to: .

PHOTOS FOR DOWNLOAD

Caption: Iconic view of bright orange poppies blooming in Celia Thaxter鈥檚 cottage island garden was captured in a famous painting by impressionist Childe Hassam, one of Thaxter鈥檚 dearest friends.

Photo credit: Robbin Ray/91制片厂

Caption: Foxgloves, in all their glory, are a centerpiece of Celia Thaxter鈥檚 island garden on Appledore Island. Garden tours are offered by the Shoals Marine Laboratory from June to August.

Photo credit: Robbin Ray/91制片厂

Caption: Brightly colored flowers sway in the ocean breeze in Celia Thaxter鈥檚 garden on Appledore Island. Looking out from the garden it is easy to see why she loved this spot.

Photo credit: Jennifer Seavey/SML

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