Up the road from Hidden Lake Gardens, is Michigan State University in East Lansing. In my next life, I'm going to attend MSU and major in Horticulture. It's clear just by walking through the campus that growing things is a Very Big Deal there.
Michigan State was chosen as an All-America Selections flower trial garden in 1978. The grounds surrounding the horticulture education buildings are covered with bed after bed of nearly 1000 different annuals, all labeled with their names, date introduced, and the grower. There were some familiar to us, and some not yet introduced to the public, still in trial.
In addition to the AAS demonstration gardens, the walkways and buildings are beautifully landscaped. The rose gardens were in full bloom and fully fragrant as we tried to see it all before we got rained on. You could easily spend most of a day just perusing the gardens of MSU.
The jewel of the gardens is the 4H Children's Garden, much of which provided inspiration to my mom when she proposed creating a children's garden in Van Wert to her Master Gardener group.
Entrance
This building faces a mini amphitheater where educational programs are conducted.
Green roof over service building
Just across from the entrance to the children's garden is a large peacock topiary. The flowers planted in it aren't fully grown to fill the spaces yet, but it's still an impressive structure.
Just across the railroad tracks that run through campus is the Clarence Lewis Landscape Arboretum. Contained within the arboretum are individual landscape gardens, where students can practice their skills and get ideas.
Obviously, our initial plan of seeing these gardens plus the next stop on our Michigan Garden Tour (Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park) was just a little bit ambitious as the result of our being unaware of the size scope of the beauty both Hidden Lakes and MSU held. We arrived at our hotel in Grandville, near Grand Rapids, shortly before 8:00 and after a late supper at Panera's, we called it a night. The next day was going to be just as fun and flower-filled as this one.
Next: Garden Crossings Garden Center, Walters Gardens, and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
"Bejeweled"
7 comments:
What fun you ladies have had. I bet you went home and started thinking about all sorts of things you could put into your garden.
So lovely Kylee, did I read correctly that your mom is a Master Gardener? Are you? I am and will be finding a new group when we move to SC.
Michigan State sure has a glorious garden.
Wow, Kylee, what a trip you must have had! I have enjoyed visiting the various gardens at the University of Illinois, which is very near where I live. As an Illinois alum, I hate to say it, but MSU has us beat by a mile! What beautiful gardens, and the Children's Garden is amazing. I will have to remember to put this on my itinerary the next time we visit Michigan.
That Children's Garden is just delightful!
Kylee,
My husband and I probably walked right past you on our trip to MSU gardens and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. We were there last week too. Michigan has some awesome gardens, and that is coming from a true Buckeye. We make sure we visit the Frederik Meijer Gardens every year. Did not know about Hidden Lake Gardens. Thanks for the info and wonderful pictures!
Delgreenacre
I did my graduate work at MSU on the garden side of the campus, and spent some lovely walks going through the gardens. The children's garden is fun for all, and that peacock is impressive when it fills out. Thanks for reminding me how lovely it all was!
Lisa ~ Actually, I never really do that while I'm there, but sometimes it will be weeks later and I'm out in the garden doing something and an idea will pop into my head from something I saw at one of the gardens I've visited.
Fun? Nah...we never have any fun on these garden trips. LOLOL
Janet ~ Yes, my mom is a Master Gardener, but I am not. Hopefully, that will change in the near future. There are reportedly classes to be held this fall or winter and I want to take them.
Rose ~ Yes, you really should make an effort to stop and see their gardens. They are into plants and flowers BIG TIME! :-)
Cindy ~ It really is. As you can imagine, the adults love it as much as the kids!
Green Acre ~ Oh wow...we could have! We were there on Tuesday - were you? I wonder if things do well in Michigan, though they are in a different zone than we are here, because they're just cooler enough not to bake things in the dead of summer. I mean, I know they get some really hot weather, too, but it seems the nights are cooler.
I'd wanted to go to Frederik Meijer last year and just never made it there. I wanted to be sure and not miss it this year, too. It is really a wonderful and magical place.
Natalie ~ Lucky you! I would love attending a college that has such a beautiful campus.
Post a Comment