Explore: Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor
(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 13, 2023)
Ann Arbor, MI – In the midst of bustling Ann Arbor is a space carved out for nature that includes the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. A wonder of beautiful spaces unfolds as a visitor goes from place to place, with an amazing amount of nature to bask in.
There are about three miles of nature trail, plus the Matthaei Botanical Gardens Trail is a paved hiking and biking path leading to other trails and destinations. As their website explains, “as you explore Nichols Arboretum you’ll find one of the richest landscapes in the region, including vast panoramas, broad valleys, and intimate dales and glens.”
The conservatory, built in 1964, is basically a giant greenhouse, filled with a well-curated collection of plants. One room has a desert environment where dozens of cacti (or cactuses whichever you prefer) and succulents thrive. There is a “tropical” room and a “temperate” room, with the three each representing the “biomes,” or climate zones of our planet. There is no charge to visit this amazing place (unless you use paid parking), and visitors can include a mix of students doing research, families enjoying a day out, couples loosing themselves in the romance of a magical space, nature photographers, as well as photographers doing wedding or graduation pics.
There’s also a gift shop for nature-lovers, with books, jewelry, clothing, toys, snacks and beverages, which helps support the gardens.
Outside there are various areas to explore like the perennial garden, the bonsai garden, the orchid garden and more. There is also a working farm, a labyrinth, and various nature trails to enjoy. The children’s garden seemed wildly popular as well.
Even on a busy weekend though, the trails had space for peaceful moments of sunshine and shade trees, the bubbling of flowing water, the chirping of birds, and a gentle breeze scented by springtime pollination. “Flowers, plants, and gardens are not only inviting in themselves, they’re also great natural ambassadors to understand that how we use our land has significant impact on local ecosystems,” explains their website.
I actually learned about Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum place from a story about “a snake breeding mishap.” And while I didn’t see any snakes on my hike, I did get to see beautiful birds, deer, and insects. As the warmer weather progresses, this place will only continue to blossom.
U-M Matthaei Botanical Gardens is located at 1800 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105. Learn more at https://mbgna.umich.edu/
Check out places to Explore in Oakland County and beyond in the Oakland County Times Explore Index. We are currently looking for a sponsor for our Explore! series. If you’d like to help us do more stories like this, please contact editor@oc115.com for more info. Or you can make a donation to our website through PayPal.