Stop and smell the roses in 10 immaculate public gardens in Michigan

Spring is in the air, and visiting Michigan’s public gardens can be a great way to appreciate it. Check out the Mitten State’s best public gardens to explore.

Spring in Michigan is finally in bloom—literally! All across the Wolverine State, flowers, trees, and other plants are showing off for all to see. If you’re a gardener yourself, you’ve probably noticed already. Still, whether you’ve been growing your own plants, or simply admiring foliage from afar, you can take nature’s beauty to the next level at Michigan’s public gardens.

From historic greenhouses to scientific gardens that house rare species, to collections that house dozens of varieties of a single plant, the public gardens in Michigan have it all. While there are plenty of public gardens of all shapes and sizes for Michiganders to explore this spring, here are ten of the Mitten’s finest public gardens to take in the beauty of nature around you.

The 4-H Children’s Garden at the MSU Horticulture Gardens (MSU Horticulture Gardens).

Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory

Location: 4 Inselruhe Avenue, Detroit

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is located on Belle Isle and is part of the island’s state park. The greenhouse is over a hundred years old, and its iconic Gilded Age dome overlooks 13 acres of landscaped gardens, including a formal perennial garden and a lily pond. Inside the greenhouse, you can see tropical plants, including orchids descended from Anna Scripps Whitcomb’s original collection, which was once the largest collection of orchids in North America.

Cranbrook House and Gardens

Location: 380 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills

From May through October, historic Cranbrook House and Gardens is open for visitors to enjoy. This historic property in Bloomfield Hills dates back to 1908, and today it’s home to beautiful gardens, tours of the historic home, and regular events. Stop by for a tour of the house and gardens, one of the monthly piano concerts, or, on special occasions, one of Cranbrook’s elegant tea parties!

Dahlia Hill

Location: 1300 West Main Street, Midland

Small but mighty, and with free admission, Dahlia Hill in Midland is one of the best places in the state to see—you guessed it—dahlias! While dahlias are typically in bloom only from July to September, the Dahlia Hill Society is on hand year-round to provide education on their beloved dahlias, including helping curious gardeners learn how to grow dahlias themselves.

Trumpet vines in bloom at the MSU Horticulture Gardens (MSU Horticulture Gardens).

Dow Gardens

Location: 1809 Eastman Avenue, Midland

Located on the estate of chemist and entrepreneur Herbert Dow, Midland’s Dow Gardens consist of over a hundred acres of landscaped gardens, forest, and the largest canopy walk in the United States. Visitors can explore the property at their leisure, learn about the gardens and the property’s history at the welcome center, and take in seasonal exhibitions, like the springtime “Butterflies in Bloom” event!

Fernwood Botanical Garden

Location: 13988 Range Line Road, Niles

A public garden and arboretum, Fernwood Botanical Garden spans a sprawling 105 acres. Located on the banks of the St. Joseph River, this is a highly diverse site, including landscaped gardens, an herb garden with over 200 types of herbs, and a conservatory with hundreds of species of tropical ferns. Fernwood is also home to a variety of live animals native to Michigan, so visitors have the chance to meet some scaly and slimy reptiles and amphibians.

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

Location: 1000 East Beltline Avenue NE, Grand Rapids

Located in Grand Rapids, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is more than just a beautiful garden (although it’s also that). It’s a wedding venue, an art exhibition site, the home of annual plant shows and festivals, and more. Visitors can choose their favorite activity to enjoy, or try a mix of them all. In addition to the year-round exhibitions, the garden also hosts a summer concert series, so you can enjoy music in nature!

Hidden Lake Gardens

Location: 6214 Monroe Road (Hwy M-50), Tipton

A garden owned and operated by Michigan State University, Hidden Lake Gardens is home to a Sky Walk, a botanical garden, and a woodland path perfect for hiking and exploration. The gardens, which span over 750 acres, also host an annual flower show, and a famous collection of rare and miniature coniferous trees, which are displayed and labeled for visitors to learn more about.

Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Location: 1800 North Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor

The botanical gardens at the University of Michigan, Matthaei Botanical Gardens house over three miles of trails for visitors to explore, as well as an indoor, multi-climate conservatory. Admission is always free, so you can stop by anytime to enjoy the scenery and landscaping. You can also learn more about conservation and botany, watch for birds and other wildlife, or just enjoy the beautiful sights!

Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens

Location: 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing

Another gem of the gardens at Michigan State University, MSU Horticulture Gardens was founded to educate people about plants and the natural world, as well as delight visitors with the beauty of nature. Visitors can explore the gardens for themselves, or take a guided tour. The gardens also rent out spaces for weddings and other private occasions and host regular events, like their family-friendly Teacup Fairy Garden Workshop, where you can make a miniature garden in a teacup perfect for a fairy to tend!

Veldheer Tulip Gardens

Location: 12755 Quincy Street, Holland

It should come as no surprise that Holland, a town best known for its Dutch heritage, is home to a famous tulip garden. With over six million individual tulips of over 850 varieties, Veldheer Tulip Gardens houses one of the most impressive tulip collections in the United States. Veldheer’s has been welcoming visitors for over 70 years, and today, you can come to see their impressive tulip displays, complete with a windmill, and even pick up some bulbs to plant yourself!

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.