Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
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| Photo courtesy of www.meijergardens.org |
Frederik Meijer Gardens
& Sculpture Park
1000 E. Beltline Dr. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(888) 957-1580
(616) 957-1580
1000 E. Beltline Dr. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(888) 957-1580
(616) 957-1580
AT A GLANCE: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture
Park
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Parking
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Onsite parking. Remember that the busier the Meijer Gardens
are, the further you will have to park.
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Amount of time needed
to peruse exhibits:
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2 – 4 hours
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Amount of time needed
for gift shop
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45 - 90 minutes
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Dress code
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Dress respectfully.
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Be sure to…..
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Walk through the Japanese Gardens, and
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Re-visit Meijer Gardens around the holidays for breathtaking displays.
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Nearby/other
establishments to visit
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The Meijer Gardens are
somewhat isolated from the downtown area.
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Walkability, general
downtown area / amount of traffic
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You will need a car,
or other transportation.
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Safety, in terms of
type and number of crimes committed in general area
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Generally safe. Please keep valuables out of site and lock
your car, to keep the honest people honest.
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“Meijer
Gardens promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and appreciation of
gardens, sculpture, the natural environment and the arts.”
gardens, sculpture, the natural environment and the arts.”
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| Frederik and Lena Meijer |
The Meijer Gardens are
a unique destination. Per their website
(www.meijergardens.org):
- · They are ranked in the top 100 most-visited art museums (ranked by Art Newspaper),
- · The tropical conservatory is the largest of its kind in Michigan, and
- · They have one of the nation’s largest areas of carnivorous plants.
The main building
houses the gift shop, cafeteria, restrooms, and five conservatories featuring
different environments:
- · Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory
- · Kenneth E. Nelson Carnivorous Plant House
- · Earl & Donnalee Holton Arid Garden
- · Grace Jarecki Display Greenhouse
- · Earl & Donnalee Holton Victorian Garden Parlor
The Arid Gardens are
nice to visit when it’s cold and crappy outside. You’ll want to stay there for a while to absorb
that wonderful dry heat.
Everything Meijer
Gardens does reflect its focus, and strengthens its brand (its personality). The corridors are a 1,200 square foot bronze
and terrazzo work of art entitled Beneath
the Leafy Crown by Michelle Oka Doner.
The depiction of leaves, twigs, flowers and other organic forms are the
bronze part of the feature. Oka Doner is
a renowned artist with works at the Miami International Airport and New York’s
Herald Square Subway. The columns
supporting the ceiling mimic trees.
Other renowned artists have their works of art here. Dale Chihuly, a blown glass extraordinaire, has
a sculpture on display to the left of the main entrance, outside of the
cafeteria.
I visited during Meijer
Garden’s “Chrysanthemums and More,” outdoor display on a perfectly sunny autumn
day and learned that they currently have 8,000 chrysanthemums exhibited
throughout their 158-acre site. The
Gardens run through 12,000 mums annually, the extras being swapped for
declining plants.
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| Modern Sculpture |
I hope you are here to
see the sculptures, too. Meijer Gardens’
website states that it takes anywhere from 2 – 8 hours to see everything. It sure could, because some of the areas are
quite stunning. I stopped and watched a
waterfall for almost 5 minutes. There is
a Rodin sculpture (he created The Thinker)
outside in the sculpture park. Marshall
Fredericks has his work displayed here, too.
While you can observe his Leaping Gazelle,
at Meijer Gardens, you can see a sister statue of it at Belle Isle State Park,
Michigan. It’s outside the Conservatory
in the formal gardens. |
| The American Horse |
We walked for 90 minutes
and did not see everything, although we skipped the Children’s’ Sensory Garden
where all are encouraged to touch, sniff, and observe various plants. There’s a giant tree house for children to
play on, hopefully burning off some of their inexhaustible energy. We took the tour tram, a 30-minute ride, to
see the sculptures, and still did not see everything. The moral here is that the amount of time you
spend in the Gardens is determined by your state of mind. Plan on spending most of your day here so you
don’t feel rushed. Slow it down, take
deep breaths, and immerse yourself in the beauty and bounty of your
surroundings. It is time well spent.
Speaking of time well
spent, are you up for a bit of shopping?
The Meijer Gardens’ gift shop is another one that ranks up there as one
of my favorites. It is located near the
entrance of the facility, and is visible by glancing to your left upon entering
the ticket-taker area. You can shop when
you first arrive, but do yourself a favor and tour the grounds first. This makes your shopping experience
meaningful. The three words that I would
use to describe the “vibe” of the gift shop are serene, supportive, and
surprising. The feeling of “one-ness”
that you discovered outside continues with you while you shop. Many times, gift shops are crowded, noisy and
confusing. Not so, here. I encountered a few dozen visitors and it
never seemed mobbed or congested. What I
found remarkable is how well the gift shop supported the Gardens’ mission
statement. All items will promote your
enjoyment, understanding, and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the natural
environment and the arts.
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| Sculpture outside in Gardens |
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| Replica sculpture in gift shop |
“For the enjoyment of
gardens, sculpture, the natural environments and the arts”
Delicate-looking
nightlights that are shaped like an oak or beech leaf are displayed peacefully
next to Motawi art tiles. You will
connect with your inner peace by standing still and admiring the beautiful
displays around use. 
The gift shop has
souvenirs for children to buy for themselves or for adults to buy as a present
to a child. Browse through stuffed
animals, books, finger puppets and toy snakes that will make you smile. In my opinion, the gift shop allots the right
percentage of its square footage for children’s’ items.
“For the understanding of
gardens, sculpture, the natural environments and the arts…”
Books and calendars are
in plentiful supply in the gift shop.
They carry titles concerning the life of
“For the appreciation of the
natural environment and the arts…”
Walk into this gift
shop and enter a picture-perfect complement to the outdoor gardens and
sculptures. Make an immediate left turn
for items appropriate for your home.
Meijer Gardens’ gift shop offers high-end items of blown glass bowls and
ornaments. They also offer smaller items
that are appropriate for gift giving.
What sets this gift
shop apart is its greenhouse-type construction, located behind the children’s’
section. It allows light and sunshine
in, and gives you a little lift if you are visiting on a gloomy day. Wind chimes sparkle in the light, inviting
you to pause and linger for a few minutes.
This is also the gardening section of the gift shop and you’ll find
outdoor garden ornaments, potted plants, gardening gloves and bird houses.
Sale items are
displayed outside of the shop close to the entrance. T-shirts and coffee mugs were there on my
recent visit. If you see something you
like buy it. While they have an online
presence, the gift shop link does not allow actual shopping.
From website
meijergardens.org:
The DeVos
Keeler Gift Shop offers original and locally made gift selections. For younger
guests, discover an ample selection of fun, educational books and toys. A wide
variety of house plants, high quality tools, garden supplies, handmade pots,
garden art, as well as a line of gardening books are also available for
purchase. No admission is required to shop at the Gift Shop.
Get a jump on holiday
shopping here. Keep the rule of gift
shopping in mind: one item as a gift,
then one item for you. I know you’ll
find something for yourself in this incredible gift shop. If I absolutely had to something negative, it
would be that I would like to see more wearables sporting the Gardens’
logo. Depending on your state of mind, plan
to spend a good 45-90 minutes browsing in the Meijer Gardens gift shop. 
You’ve done quite a bit
of walking if you toured the outdoor gardens and sculpture park. Ready for lunch? Head north (turn right) on East Beltline, the
major road that runs past the Meijer Gardens, and drive 5 ½ miles to the Blue
Water Grill. Their address is 5180
Northland Dr NE, in Grand Rapids. Their
website is www.thegilmorecollection.com/bluewater.php
and their phone number is 616-363-5900. It’s
in a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired facility, and has a 2-story patio fronting a
lake which was once a gravel pit. The
various varieties of egg rolls make a good starter for their hearty
sandwiches. Instead of just potato chips
to accompany your sandwich, you’ll also receive beet chips and sweet potato
chips.
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| Photo courtesy of Blue Water Grill |
At the end of the day
you will smile knowing that your day of shopping and lunch is a satisfying and
well-earned memory.
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