Leila Arboretum is located in Battlecreek, Michigan. It's a place with a lot of history! Battlecreek is known as "cereal city" because cereal was first invented there by Dr. Kellogg in 1894. The Leila Arboretum dates back to 1922, when Leila Post Montgomery, wife of the big cereal businessman, C. W. Post (of Post cereal), donated 72 acres of land to the city. In 1924, landscape architect, T. Clifton Shepherd, designed the gardens.
There is a wonderful one-acre children's garden that you'll want to visit, if you have kids. It features five different sections. The first is the Healthy Me garden. It has a big red bowl filled with various salad vegetables. A huge spoon and fork stick up out of the bowl. There are also four mini gardens surrounding the bowl: a pizza garden, a spa garden (growing in a bathtub), a top 10 veggies garden, and an healing herb garden.
There's a Cereal Bowl garden that tells all about the history of the city, and how cereal is made. The Four Winds garden was designed by local Potawatomi Indians, and it gives the Indians' plant and color representations of the four directions, North, South, East, and West. One of the most popular features is the Rain and Shine Friends/ABC garden. It features a giant balloon (pictured above) where kids can step inside and pretend that they're soaring over the gardens. There's also a feature where kids can be a human sundial. I really like the ABC garden. There are plants for every letter of the alphabet. Finally, there's a Cupola Science Plaza where kids can learn about how plants contribute to science.
Leila Arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free.
There is a wonderful one-acre children's garden that you'll want to visit, if you have kids. It features five different sections. The first is the Healthy Me garden. It has a big red bowl filled with various salad vegetables. A huge spoon and fork stick up out of the bowl. There are also four mini gardens surrounding the bowl: a pizza garden, a spa garden (growing in a bathtub), a top 10 veggies garden, and an healing herb garden.
There's a Cereal Bowl garden that tells all about the history of the city, and how cereal is made. The Four Winds garden was designed by local Potawatomi Indians, and it gives the Indians' plant and color representations of the four directions, North, South, East, and West. One of the most popular features is the Rain and Shine Friends/ABC garden. It features a giant balloon (pictured above) where kids can step inside and pretend that they're soaring over the gardens. There's also a feature where kids can be a human sundial. I really like the ABC garden. There are plants for every letter of the alphabet. Finally, there's a Cupola Science Plaza where kids can learn about how plants contribute to science.
Leila Arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free.
Before I go, I'd like to let you know that my blog tour is continuing. I'm at Julie Flander's blog. Please stop by to read an excerpt from my book, Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China and enter to win a copy.
Quite the variety. Post and Kellogg in the same city. Never knew that.
ReplyDeleteI want a pizza garden. Just stroll out and pick your pizza!
I found it interesting that Post and Kellogg were in the same city, too.
DeleteHi Sherry - great bit of history here ... and it looks like the gardens would be wonderful for all of us. Yup I saw Julie's post - so will get there ... and very good luck with your excellent book - love the idea of Bubba and Squirt digging to China - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting to learn the history of some of the places you visit.
DeleteHow awesome. this garden sounds right up my alley - lots of history and fun stuff to see. And your book sales must be up - you are everywhere! Good luck
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm everywhere. ;) I'm hoping it results in some sales.
DeleteA cereal bowl in the middle of city, lol. That made me laugh. Used to do testing for Kellogg when I worked for a food test center for market research. I haven't toured any good gardens this year. Missed a couple of opporunties.
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That sounds like an interesting job. I hope you get to see more gardens next year.
DeleteWaving hello, as I'm out blog walking again. I go walking whenever I have a new post. Hope you have a good day.
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Hi, Sandy. I'm a little late this week. It's been a busy one!
DeleteThis seems a bit different from your usual garden features but very interesting. I don't think Post cereals are in the UK (unless they go by another name).
ReplyDeleteCLICK HERE for Bazza’s heuristic Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
I hadn't really thought about the fact that the brand names of the cereals in the UK and Europe are different. So Post and Kellogg probably don't mean a thing to you. :)
DeleteOh Kellog is big name world-wide!
DeleteI'm amused by Dr. Kellogg's connection to this garden. And I wonder what the standard easy breakfast would be if he hadn't invented cereal. Looks like a very fun place, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteProbably Pop Tarts. :) So it's good that cereal was invented!
DeleteStretching my legs again as I blog walk. Waving hello and hope you're having a good day.
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I used to blog every day. But I'm just too busy now. I try for once a week. Thanks for strolling by!
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