“The sweeping views out over Penobscot Bay from our cottage were matched by an impressive display of perennial flower borders scattered with care all around this Eden-like landscape.”  - Chiles T. A. Larson travel writer, author and photojournalist

“For privacy, views, and uniqueness, you can’t beat these cottages, and they’ve won accolades from the national media again and again.”
~ Insider’s Guide ~ Maine Coast

” Guests enjoy the luxuries of theses unusual accommodations, and the pleasures of their privacy and setting make a stay extraordinary. The energy that maintains the perennial beds, among them a 200-bulb dahlia bed that fills vases, shows how much the owners dote on their business.” - 2010 Maine An Explorer’s Guide.

“This hidden sanctuary offers a tranquil setting at the edge of the sea. Ocean-view cottages sport luxurious details, such as stone fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and private decks. Enjoy breakfast in a pretty dining room before or after a walk through gardens overflowing with blooms.”   – Yankee Magazine 2008 Editors’ Choice.

If  you would like to experience the perfect Maine getaway at a truly unique haven you will see why Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn is a noted Maine Coast gem. Designed and built by your hosts with meticulous attention to detail, each cottage is tastefully decorated with our guests comfort a priority.  All accommodations have their own private deck, wet bar, with some featuring native stone fireplaces and 2 person spa tubs. Our emphasis is “comfort without the stuffiness combined with natural hospitality”. Exceptional oceanfront location, renowned perennial gardens, serene and relaxed atmosphere, make the Inn a requisite visit for the selective traveler. Guests love our home baked specialties many of which use fruits grown here at the Inn.

An abundance of colorful perennials and annuals blooming right now. Here are just a few pics of some gardens at our oceanfront Bed and Breakfast Inn Camden, Maine.

One Of Our First Gardens Created

This garden has developed over 15 years of planting, back breaking lifting, dividing, & transplanting.  Like all of our gardens we are never fully satisfied with all the colors and textures within, it is a continual work in progress.

Lots Of Color

Lavender plants border this colorful garden filled with Asiatic and Oriental Lilies, Poppies, and Rudbeckia.

West Side Of Guest Registration

Guest Registration Entrance

Guests are greeted with a beautiful mix of colors at our guest registration entrance. Nearly all of our annuals are started by seed, most of which are purchased from Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Winslow Maine, then germinated and nurtured in our greenhouse until planting day.

We Love Sunflowers

Many colorful varieties of sunflowers dot numerous spaces around our Inn. We have created a special haven for all kinds of birds, bees, butterflies, and moths. It is an incredible sight to watch all of the hummingbirds zoom around like fighter jets from garden to garden and it’s especially enjoyable watching them quench their thirsts from our garden hose while we are watering the plants.

This Pathway Leads To Another Water Fountain

This perennial garden is set on the eastern side of our property and contains a water feature that attracts green and brown frogs.

We Built This In 2001

All of the gardens that we have created have been done the old fashioned way with hand tools,  pick axes, shovels etc.. With that being said, over the years we have amassed a hefty amount of rocks and boulders from the earth while preparing new flower beds. These stones are saved and piled in an area for future use. Every stone wall and stone feature, and we have quite a few, is our creation using the stones and rocks unearthed over the years.

Rose Arbor And Cherub Garden

This garden is situated on the northeastern side of our property and features a cherub fountain at the end of the crushed granite pathway.

The pathway wyes out to lawn and our grape arbor, apple trees, cutting flower garden and one of our vegetable gardens containing squash, basil, swiss chard, pole beans, bush beans, snow peas, and pumpkins!

Rose Arbor and Cherub Garden

Our Rose Arbor

Cherub Fountain

Squash And Pumpkin Patch

Plenty of squash to sustain us through the winter and the pumpkins will decorate the entrance to our Inn come Fall Harvest season.

Hiking Up To The Cross

The trail to the summit is only 1 mile and affords scenic views of Megunticook Lake, the interior and coastal mountains with distant views of Penobscot Bay.

Trailhead

Access to this trailhead can be found off route 52 in Camden, however you may take longer hikes through various trails within the Camden Hills State Park trail system to reach Maiden Cliff.

Starting Off

The trail is not difficult yet steadily climbs upward through the woods over rocks and tree roots.

Over Some Rocks And Roots

Footbridge Over A Seasonal Stream

Along the  way  you will cross over a wooden footbridge. This time off year it is relatively dry however in the spring there is usually a steady flow of water rushing under the bridge.

Trickling Water

Water Under Footbridge

Lots Of Tree Roots Along The Way

Plenty of exposed tree roots along this part of trail.

Half Way There

Halfway along this trail one of the other trails intersects. We stay on course to the cliff.

Continuing Along The Trail

A Westerly View

At the summit gazing at interior mountains and pristine Meguntiook Lake.

Southerly View

Distant views of Penobscot Bay and Islands to the south. The cross was erected some years after Elenora French fell off the cliff and died in 1864.

Osprey Flying Just Above Us

Incredible opportunity to see Osprey, Eagles and Turkey Vultures soaring just above, below, and at eye level.

Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn is on the oceanside and just 1 mile from the incredibly beautiful Camden Hills State Park. To download a trail map click  here.

Roasted Garlic Scapes

It’s an exciting time of year in our vegetable garden when our garlic crop begins producing those mild and delectable scapes. If you don’t grow your own garlic they can be commonly found at farmers markets. Although there are countless ways to incorporate scapes into recipes and various cooking methods, our favorite way  is to roast them. By doing so it brings out a most subtle and delicious deep garlicky flavor. We call them garlic scape frites.

Garlic Scape

If left untouched the tip of the scape will develop into a top heavy seed pod laden with several pea-sized seeds.  When the seeds mature they will drop to the ground, root themselves, and eventually produce tiny garlic plants. It takes several years before a seed can produce a bulb worth harvesting. If anyone is interested we will post photos of this growing sequence.

Clipping The Scape

Clipping the garlic scapes puts the plant’s energy into the bulb (develops a larger bulb) and not the seeds. We clip the scapes promptly after they curl before the seed head (white tip) puffs out. This ensures tender scapes not tough and stringy ones.

Rinsing Scapes

An Abundance Of Scapes

After the garlic scapes are rinsed they are chopped into 3-4 inch pieces and placed into a large bowl. The arrow is indicating a scape that got away from us and would be too tough when cooked for our liking so we enjoy watching it transform its shape in a vase.

Chopping Scapes

Scapes Drizzled With Olive Oil

A judicious amount of olive oil, kosher salt, and sugar are added to the chopped scapes then tossed and scattered onto a baking sheet. They are placed into a preheated oven at 425 degrees and roasted for approx. 25 min.(we have a large heap) checking and tossing several times with tongs in-between to ensure even roasting.

Roasted Garlic Scapes

We let them roast until the tips get crispy.

A Delicious Side Of Tender Scapes

We love roasted garlic scapes  as a side dish with practically anything, this time around they are served with marinated and grilled strip steaks with crispy roasted panko encrusted little red potatoes.

Grilled Strip Steak With Scapes And Roasted Reds

Camden Harbor is quaint and unquestionably picturesque and with the dramatic backdrop of  Mount Battie it is certainly an eye catcher.

Schooners in Camden Harbor

Impeccably restored old schooners fill the harbor and offer day trips or overnight cruises.

Camden, Maine

Mount Battie, Camden Hills

The arrow indicates the turret at the Mount Battie summit (Camden Hills State Park) which can reached by driving the auto road or by hiking the various trails in the park.

Camden Harbor Views From Turret Atop Mount Battie

Overnight Schooner

Beautiful Yachts In The Harbor

Day Sailer

Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn Review

Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn has been selected as a “special highlight” for Midcoast’s Camden/Rockport Maine area lodging in the 2010, 15th edition of Maine: An Explorer’s Guide.

Maine: An Explorer's Guide

The author writes about Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn’s fabulous oceanviews, the luxuries of our unusual accommodations and the landscaped grounds, including a 100-bulb dahlia garden.

Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn's Review

Camden, Maine

So hard to choose what to highlight with so much happening at once. But here are a few picks.

Oriental Poppies

Oriental poppies add a colorful punch in our expansive perennial “S” garden with a large and fragrant Lilac shrub in full bloom in the background.

Bearded Iris

Intense blue Veronica provides a dramatic background for the delicate colors of this German Iris.

Rhododendron

One of many blooming Rhododendrons here at our Inn. This one receives the perfect amount of dappled sunlight.

Dianthus

Large mats of fragrant Dianthus are easy to grow. We have been meaning to divide these for years now.

Peonies

Several raised gardens in the foreground with our “S” garden in the background. Peonies starting to pop.

Peony "Jules"

Peony “Jules Elie” with its extra large pink flowers.

Cherub Garden

Eye-popping blue Amsonia planted alongside the brilliant yellow flowers of Coreopsis line the pathway leading through a rose arbor and down to the cherub water fountain.

Digitalis (Foxglove)

Tall spikes of Digitalis grace numerous spots in the gardens, here they attract hummingbirds and bees to our vegetable patch.