Maine in June: Leaping Lupines

The best surprises we found in Maine in June were the flowers, especially the lupines. Nobody ever mentioned them when we've visited during the summer or fall, so we were amazed by their drama and profusion in fields, gardens, and along the roads. We'd never seen any lupines before, and now we've seen thousands, all north of Portland, it seems, from driving on I-95. I think there are no lupines in Massachusetts. Click on the photos to enlarge:

Lupines surround a mailbox and fill a field.

Pink lupines, and white ones, are rarer than purple.

Lupines on the edge of Southwest Harbor.

The buttercups are also profuse and beautfiul:

A field of buttercups on the road to Mount Desert Island.

We were also surprised to find tulips and lilacs still blooming up north. All of the blooming trees are finished, except for the chestnut trees. 

The flower garden at Thuya Lodge had very few blooms, but there were still some splashes of color from the many rhododendrons and azaleas at Asticou Garden. When we visit in the summer, Asticou Garden is entirely green.

Asticou Garden with some dabs of color.

Lilacs everywhere — in June!

Unidentified white flowers in Acadia National Park.

The garden at Thuya Lodge looking mostly green...

... except for this gorgeous Chinese blue poppy, worth the price

of admission all by itself.