© SNEHIT PHOTO/stock.adobe.com
Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park has five different themed indoor gardens: Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, Kenneth E. Nelson Carnivorous Plant House, Earl and Donnalee Holton Victorian Garden, Earl and Donnalee Holton Arid Garden, and the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse.
The planting of the outdoor gardens vary by season so that they can be visited and enjoyed year-round. There are outdoor nature-walks throughout the year in order to foster education about nature and various ecosystems. There is the Gwen Frostic Woodland Shade Garden, which features plants that have been commonly portrayed in the work of nature artists. There are also two gardens that highlight not only the importance but the joys of horticulture: The Leslie E. Tassell English Perennial and Bulb Garden and the New American Garden.
Some more notable permanent outdoor attractions include: The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, and Michigan’s Farm Garden.
The Japanese Garden features 8 acres of astonishing tranquility and beauty. It features an authentic Japanese Teahouse, a Zen Garden, and many classic Japanese flowers and plants. From the second visitors walk through the beautifully crafted entry gate, it will feel as though they were instantly transported to Japan.
The Children’s Garden is known as one of the most interactive children’s gardens in the nation. Its goal is to spark imagination, creativity, and education through fun-filled, hands-on activities. Kids can dig for fossils, solve mazes, sit in a giant bird’s nest, and even examine sculptures through fun “kid-friendly” viewpoints.
Michigan’s Farm Garden focuses on local horticulture during the Depression Era of the 1930s. The garden has heirloom vegetables and flowers to give it an authentic and truly self-sufficient feel. There are animal pens, a barn, and even a farmhouse which is representative of Lena Meijer’s childhood home. The goal of this garden is to showcase an era of the past when families had to work for their own food and each member contributed equally to the farms success. Multiple weekly and annual events are held in this garden which transport visitors back to a simpler time such as Old-Fashioned Farm Days, Fridays on the Farm, Amazing Honeybees, Meet me at the Fair, and Heirloom Tomatoes.