Meijer Gardens

2011 05 24  After picking up one of four sisters from the airport we visited Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.  This is only my second time at Meijer Gardens so I am definitely not a spokesperson for this place.  I'm much more comfortable away in a grassy meadow or deep dark woods that is basically unkempt by man.  What a lot of time has gone into this place.  And it is beautiful.


Anyway Meijer Gardens is of course a popular place for many people, young and old.  It is enormous with a  Sculpture Park, Children’s Garden, Conservatory, Carnivorous Plant House, Amphitheater Garden, Gardens Cafe, Michigan's Farm Garden, Gift shop, many special programs and exhibits.  I could go on but here is their site.
http://www.meijergardens.org/index.php   What a fun place to visit with sisters.  We even rode the tram and had great weather!

     Thank you sisters

Lamberton Lake Nature Preserve and Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve

2011 May 23 East we go to a Fen. 
I'm not sure where "they" hide all of the rare plants at this nature preserve.  It is located in a very urban setting, right beside Highway 96 in Kent County.  There is a trail about 1/4 mile long, the water was high and the brush thick.  So we didn't explore much. 

                                     

We did meet this guy along the path.


Next on to Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve!  This is one of our favorites places (we have many favorites).  It is a bit hard to find if you don't have the address.

 Right off we spied Wild Lupine, of course we knew it was here, we have been here before.

The bog with clouds then out came the sun.

                               Saul Lake Bog
We did see Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) blooming which we have looked for but it was flowering farther out on the bog, we couldn't go there.

Swampy area along the trail, good thing we had our boots.

A good day for a walk at the bog then a pleasant drive home.

A day trip north

2011 05 21  Mike and I went north stopping at Gale's Pond County Park NE of Shelby Michigan.  That's Oceana County.  Gales Pond County Park is located on Filmore Road in Elbridge Township and is just under 19 acres in size. The park has a 2500 foot  boardwalk that extends across the pond and links up with nature trails along the back portion of the park.

We found Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) blooming.

                                       Purple Avens

Wild Lily of the Valley

Gale's pond is a cool place with lots of Cedar trees.

We walked around Doolittle Park right there near Gale's Pond, many American Beech trees have been removed.

On to La Fiesta in Hart for lunch.  Then a quick stop at 6 mile bridge, there is a trail here that I would like to explore, next time. 

At 6 mile bridge

We popped in Garletts Corner Store (M-37 and M-55)  Wexford County.  And just north up M-37, oh about 2 miles on the west side of the road are woods filled with trillium, violets, and various spring wildflowers.  We stopped in there too.

One of those great little places you pull of the road onto a two-track and enjoy.  I think it is part of the Manistee National Forest.  We went to what I call Cool Place, because it doesn't have a name, it is along Warfield road about four miles north of M-55, more Manistee National Forest land.  Here we saw Fringed Polygala (Polygala paucifolia).

The rain started to come down so off we went home.  What a wonderful day.