OUR ABORETUM

Arboretums are living collections of trees and woody plants curated for conservation, education, research, and public enjoyment. They serve as outdoor museums where species are identified, labeled, and often arranged to highlight scientific, historical, or aesthetic themes. Beyond their botanical role, arboretums provide quiet, restorative landscapes that support wildlife, improve local air and soil conditions, and offer opportunities for learning—guided walks, interpretive signage, and plant records help visitors connect with the natural world and understand the importance of preserving plant diversity.

Being a designated arboretum at Hope Cemetery in Kennebunk, Maine, means combining the cemetery’s long historical role as a resting place with a stewardship commitment to its trees and plantings. The Old Church Yard, established in 1816 and later expanded, already carries deep historical significance—early burials such as Hannah March Storer’s (re-interred there after her 1790 death) tie the grounds to local families and Revolutionary-era figures like Colonel Joseph Storer. As an arboretum, Hope Cemetery would document and preserve notable specimens, interpret how historic landscaping and plant choices reflect changing eras, and manage the landscape to protect both cultural resources (grave markers, plots) and living monuments (veteran trees and commemorative plantings). This designation supports conservation, education for visitors about local history and horticulture, and thoughtful maintenance that honors both the deceased and the trees that mark their memory.