A Garden Walk on the Wild Side (GardenDesignOnline)

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Matthaei Botanical Garden

Next time you're in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, Michigan, make sure to plan time for a visit to Matthaei. It's unlike any other botanical garden that I've ever seen. Matthaei itself is one of the largest botanical gardens in the country -- over 300 acres -- and together with the University of Michigan's other botanical site, The Nichols Arboretum, in all there are more than 700 acres of gardens, nature trails, greenhouses, research areas and other spaces.

I visited Matthaei in mid October, and caught the last gasp of its spectacular fall glory. Unfortunately, I missed the 10 thousand square foot conservatory housing desert, tropical, and warm temperature plants, which is closed on Mondays, but the extensive outside areas are open to visitors year-round.

There are four nature trails ranging in length from half a mile to nearly two miles. They take you over creeks and past ponds, through glacial terrain and old farmlands, mature woods and wetlands, all incredibly untouched, natural, and wild. On the Yellow Trail, you'll encounter a flood plain, a kame (a small glacial hill), and even a restored demonstration prairie.

The Sam Graham trail takes you through a floodplain forest and a Tamarack swamp and an oak savannah. Along the way, you'll notice some 22 separate native trees.

There's even one trail that's accessible to wheel chairs and strollers, so anyone -- from the disabled to very small children -- can enjoy the pure nature displays at this garden.

But aside from the natural wonders of this landscape, Matthaei also has numerous display gardens more formal in nature. The Gateway Garden is planted with wild species and modern selections of ornamentals that originated in the Americas. Many of them are old-fashioned annuals that are planted out each year in May -- cosmos, morning glories, four-o'clocks and many more.

There's a perennial garden filled with plants that do best in the midwest region, and a knot garden filled with herbs used in cooking and which are the basis of many pharmaceuticals.

There's also a wildflower garden, a display of ground covers, and even a "deconstructed" landscape by John Hollowell & Associates Landscape Architects. It features a wall set into the landscape at ground level, which is surrounded by deer- and drought-resistant plants.

While in Ann Arbor, you can also take a trip to the Nichols Arboretum. It's closer to the main university campus, on the banks of the Huron River. It also has nature trails and picnic areas, plus a magnificent magnolia collection and one of the world's largest peony gardens with more than 230 different cultivars. Back in my student days at U of M, we knew Nichols not so much for its plants. On many weekends with deep snowfalls, we borrowed huge metal serving trays from the cafeteria and hiked down to Nichols and its wondrous hills for long evenings of sledding and merriment.