Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek , Michigan

On a recent road trip to Michigan, we happened upon the Leila Arboretum–and what a find!

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On a recent route trip to Michigan , we encounter upon the Leila Arboretum – and what a breakthrough ! If you are in the neighborhood – go watch it out ! grand garden and a enceinte shoes for kids ; this is one not to miss .

After a jolly - good IHA conference at the Kellogg Center in Michigan , I compact up with my traveling associate , Pat Kenny and Tina Marie Wilcox , and we adjust out for the 9 - to 10 - time of day journey back to Maryland . The day was gorgeous and we were cruising through the scenic countryside – probably had been on the road about 15 to 20 minutes – and out of the recess of my heart I saw a planetary house that said “ Leila Arboretum ” ( and I mean nah , I ’m not mentioning this to them ) and then we passed what looked like a garden of totem poles . All three of us craning our neck to see them as we whizzed by and then a brilliantly painted botanical fence and that read “ Kaleidoscope Children ’s Garden ” . I was like “ should we stop over ? ” And they were like “ yeah ! ” and I replied “ well we have a 10 - hour movement , we in all likelihood shouldn’t – we should just keep on going ” and everyone got real quiet and about a mile down the road , I pulled a uracil - ey ( as in uracil - round ) and everyone woohooed !

So after turn into the entrance to the botanical garden , and find a parking office under a nuance tree , as we ’re scrambling out of the car we make a treaty that we ca n’t stay retentive than an hour … well maybe an hour and a half … And then we head for the Fantasy Forest , a field full of phantasmagorical sculpture like we ’ve never seen . Here is a brief story taken from their facebook page – you’re able to go there and see before and after shots of artists create their sculptures .

“ The 2015 Fantasy Forest Art Competition was an astonishing display of artistic talent and creativity , which resulted in metamorphose a grove of 100 - year - old Ash tree ( which had been stamp out by the Emerald Ash Borer ) into stunning works of prowess . The Fantasy Forest at Leila Arboretum , in Battle Creek , MI , is now fill with wizards , castle , dragons , and other mythical creatures . ” https://www.facebook.com/all.creatures.wood.and.tall/We found this information out from a radical of volunteers , who conserve the Fantasy Forest , who arrived while we were there with their pickup motortruck , ladders , buckets of shellac and brushes .

After wandering around the originative and awful sculptures for nearly half of our allotted time , we dragged ourselves away and went to look at the Horticultural Training Center , which was close up , however we could view the vegetable garden through the fence . It was arranged in sizeable row and the peppers and tomatoes were oppressed with fruit .

Right across from this edifice was another garden with a self-aggrandising yellow sign stating Urbandale Community Vegetable Garden . There were folks water their garden plots and a mark on the gate that say we could enter … and so of course we did . The garden was full of raised plots with all sorting of crops set . We noticed a pile of cultural intellectual nourishment likeHibiscus sabdariffa , culantro , a huge salmagundi of greens from tat soi and Chinese boodle to kale and lettuces , plenty of herbs , bitter melon vine , beans and much more . Very impressive community labor , however … meter was ticking and we head for the Kaleidoscope Children ’s Garden … where we became kids again .

What an perfectly wonderful Kid ’ garden . The brightly colored fence painted with giant efflorescence and insect that borders the garden is an indication that something fun is inner . Even though this is a childrens ’ garden , the plantings were done with mentation and forethought , so very aesthetically pleasing with many benches and sitting stead for grownup , or weary children , that were in full view of the action . This is a place where kids are free to runabout and discover without a lot of prescript . Everywhere we sprain there was something special to look at , and we were constantly exclaiming “ oh come seem at this ! ” and “ come over here ! ” and “ wow ! ” From the painted concrete display contribution of plant and how they grow to the regalia of sculptures of kid to the grass maze and plant tunnel and the worm bin and the construction draw a blank from tree slash to the jumping podium – all were alluring and fun .

The photo ops were amazing and we had the entire lieu to ourselves so it was very grueling to tear ourselves away … however we had been there at the Leila Arboretum for well over two hour and needed to get on the route . As we head back to the van , we could see gardens in the distance that lured us , however we resisted and dilute up , whooping with garden joyousness and delight and so happy that we stopped !

( piffling did we know that there was a Peace Labyrinth , Native Flower Garden , Hemlock Forest , walking trails and an overlook and more – so we ’ll just have to go back someday – another one to put on the inclination of gardens to chaffer . ) Plan to spend a whole daytime and pack a piece of cake luncheon ! https://leilaarboretumsociety.org/

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Castle sculpture complete with turrets, drawbridge and walled entrance is part of a sculpture garden at Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek, Michigan. Click on other pix to enlarge and read captions.Photo/Illustration: susan belsinger

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