Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, located on Michigan's west coast in the city of Grand Rapids, is a 125-acre delight for visitors of any age. The goal of the gardens, which were opened to the public in 1995, is to unite the art of humankind with the art of nature. The result: stunning sculpture by revered artists such as Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, and Nina Akamu, set in perfect harmony within acres of gardens and nature trails.
Themed Gardens
Meijer Gardens features a number of themed gardens, including an Arid Garden, Tropical Garden, Carnivorous Plant Garden, and English Perennial Garden, among others. The Holtar Arid Garden contains plants from arid regions wordwide. Hightlights of the collection include large agaves, Golden Barrel cactus, and Cow-Horn Euphorbia. Stonework and arches provide a beautiful backdrop for the plant collection. The Nelson Carnivorous Plant Collection is the only one of its kind in the nation, due to the fact that the garden only contains carnivorous plants. It is a delight for children who visit the gardens. The Leslie Tassell English Perennial Garden was origially designed by renowned landscape designer Penelope Hobhouse, and combines the English perennial border aesthetic with North American native plants. The Lena Meijer Conservatory is five stories high and boasts a collection of over 3500 orchids. The conservatory also features waterfalls and streams. A visit to the conservatory in March or April will result in an even more amazing experience; for those two months, the gardens import thousands of butterflies from South America and Asia and they flutter throughout the conservatory, making it the nation's largest temporary butterfly exhibit.
One of the highlights of Meijer Gardens is the Children's Garden, which covers five acres and contains several themed areas, including a "Great Lakes Garden," "Storytelling Garden," and butterfly maze. For a "wilder" nature experience, there are nature trails throughout the 125 acres with spots for bird watching and nature photography. For music lovers, the Gardens host frequent concerts during the warmer months. There are also workshops and classes for all ages.
Sculpture at Meijer Gardens
Besides all of the gorgeous plants, Meijer Gardens is famous for its sculpture collection. Many of the works of art are outdoors in the gardens, but some are located in indoor galleries as well. A visit to the Gardens would not be complete without experiencing Nina Akamu's enormous The American Horse, which is the largest horse sculpture in the Western Hemisphere, and is an homage to Leonardo DaVinci, who was commissioned by the Duke of Milan to make a similar sculpture, but was never able to complete it. In fact, "The American Horse" is generally just referred to as "DaVinci's Horse." The bronze sculpture stands 24 feet tall, towering over those who are admiring it.
The Meijer Gardens are open year-round, and, indeed there is something new to experience in each season. For art lovers, garden lovers, nature lovers, adults and children alike, Frederick Meijer Gardens will have something to enchant everyone.
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