Having heard that Grand Rapids has a nice botanical gardens, we headed inland this morning. That decision was well rewarded.
The Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park covers 158 acres in the northeast quadrant of Metro Grand Rapids. Offering a pleasant mix of gardens, water features and natural habitat, it is accessed by a network of paved trails and boardwalks. A wide variety of sculptures are spaced throughout the property and greenhouses protect tropical, desert and carnivorous plants. A fine outdoor amphitheater also graces the Park.
While it is a beautiful and well landscaped display of flora and sculptures, this botanical gardens, like some others I have encountered, makes little effort to label the plants, thereby reducing its value as an educational experience. In that regard, it does not connect with those (myself included) who want to learn about the many species that adorn its confines.