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 a teaching experience. In that regard, it does not connect with those (myself included) who want to learn about the many species that adorn its confines.
