Our journey today took us to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. The park covers over 118 acres. It consists of an outdoor Sculpture Park, a Children’s Garden, an Arid Garden, a Carnivorous Plant House, the largest tropical conservatory in Michigan, a Michigan Farm Garden (complete with a farm house, barn, and other out buildings), several lakes and wet lands, indoor galleries, and the Taste of the Gardens Café. Whew!
A minimum of four hours are needed to cover the gardens and galleries. Most of our time was split between the conservatory, arid garden,and carnivorous house,along with walking trails which wind through the sculpture and farm gardens.
The Arid Garden was one of our favorites. We saw a lot of plants that we have at home, and many, many more we wish we had! The Barrel Cactus collection was a favorite.
The work of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly has been featured at the Gardens for the last five months. He is famous for his glass work which is included in over two hundred museums worldwide. You will see his work in several of the photos. The Gardens own the ceiling glass art (see photo) displayed in the café.
One of Cheryl’s favorites was the waterfall speckled with several Chihuly pieces.
The landscape includes hills, meadows, wetlands, and lakes. Wildlife roams freely.
Another favorite was The American Horse. It is in the center of the sculpture gardens, and is by artist Nina Akamu. The horse, twenty four feet tall (withers), is a recreation of a sculpture by Leonardo da Vinci. The da Vinci sculpture was destroyed before it could be cast.
Breakfast will be at Avery’s in Marblehead on Tuesday. We will then be traveling to Mineral Wells, WV to spend our last night on the road. No doubt there will be lots of laundry in the very near future!
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