dow gardens

Dow Gardens is a great place to spend a tranquil few hours in the late spring, summer or fall, but not much in the way of blooms in the winter! Wait a minute, the Butterflies are in bloom, yep they have a butterfly house at the Dow Gardens and if you are tired of winter around Michigan and looking for some color this could be a great way to spend an hour or more, in a heated greenhouse with birds and butterflies as well as plants! You'll need to go on the web for dates and cost because the dates and times vary from year to year!

I love visiting gardens. We are frequent visitors to local gardens wherever we live, and have visited many on our travels. This is the most boring garden I have ever visited, and the most expensive for the views. The greenhouse display of plants is a joke. All of the plants are in pots, and placed randomly on the ground or on tables with no thought to aesthetic design. Within 10 minutes, I was bored. If I was going to the garden for a nice stroll these grounds would be very nice. But when I pay to get into a garden, I want to see a garden. I've been to free gardens that were more impressive than this.

It is pretty and very well kept. My favorite areas are the small waterfall and the pond. It's very peaceful and a great place for a stroll or a picnic.

It is a very busy place, but not over run. It is quite unlike anything around. Most schools use this place as a gathering spot for pictures around prom time. The care for this place is superb. Going here is never a waste of time.

If you are local check their website for once a month outside movies and yoga in the gardens. It's a great place to go for a walk and enjoy the day. I go about one time a week

It's a lovely place to take a stroll and just soak up the beauty. There is so much to see & do for young children.

A "Mystery Knitter" has provided scarves or headbands for some of the sculpures this winter. A link to a newspaper article with photos is here:http://www.ourmidland.com/news/mystery-knitter-makes-scarves-for-dow-gardens-sculptures/article_531ab328-0c5b-5348-a470-e45b507ef581.html

The gardens are beautiful! This is a great place to take kids and a great place to take pictures. My kids love the butterfly garden.

I have their annual card. It is an awesome big park with numerous plants. I love their rose garden. I hope I can visit the park often.

The gardens expand over an area of 110 acres. Gardens are well displayed and maintained. 100 ft. White pines throughout - breathtaking! Beautiful red bridges in park, all thanks to the imagination of Alden Dow. Original home remains on property as well as 25,000 sq. Ft. Home of son/arcitect Alden Dow. Both homes are open for tours. A stop well worth the history and scenery. Gift shop on site as well as clean washrooms. Free parking.

I've been to Dow Gardens in the middle of winter, in the spring when it thaws, in the summer and during the falling of the leaves and this place never disappoints. It is so marvelously laid out and landscaped, and full of countless variety of flora and fauna, that I rarely miss a chance to walk through the carefully maintained paths whenever I'm in town. I have particularly liked the sculpture in the garden, and the holiday lights.

I loved the vegetable Garden!! The scarecrows were so creative. The vegetables looked so hearty and lush. The big scarecrow in the herb garden looked like a real farmer. What's not to love about this Garden. The children will spend hours here with the bubbles and plays apes. If your in the area do not miss this gem in Miidland.

We took our friends from England to tour. Great place for photos. The gardens are beautiful year round.

It is never the same , changes with the seasons. I took my daughter and granddaughter in the fall of 2013 . A good time was had by all.

Ever since we moved here the first time, some 36 years ago, Dow Gardens has been a special place. It is quiet and relaxing, yet children can certainly find the hills and wide open running spot here and there to vent some of their energy. Beautiful plants, flowers and even animals (butterflies come to mind). It is great!!