Dow Gardens

Escape to Midland's Floral Fantasy World

     Dow Gardens has been providing immense pleasure to those who stroll among the well-tended flowers, trees, and shrubs for almost a century-- first to the Dow family, and now to thousands who visit the Gardens year after year.  To me, a new visitor to Dow Gardens, it was a breath-taking arrangement of color, texture, sights, and sounds.  As I strolled along the walkways and over stone bridges in the pleasant company of my daughter, I was enthralled and delighted at every turn in the path.  Shady nooks, majestic stone outcroppings, babbling brooks, white crystal waterfalls, and bed upon bed of exquisite flowers greeted my eye.
      Just outside the visitor's center I felt as if I had entered an enchanted forest where gnomes and fairies might dance about in the dense undergrowth or nod drowsily on the lily pads that float on the pond.  Lush purple, pink, and white rhododendrons and azaleas thrived in the shade of stately trees.  The sounds of rippling water, birds, and rustling leaves played in the background like a gentle symphony.
      Most charming of all the gardens we enjoyed was the Kitchen Garden in the courtyard of Dow Homestead.  Enclosed by a finely detailed wrought iron fence, the garden contained many herbs and cottage garden flowers.  Purple/white and wine/blush iris were in full bloom.  Dramatic spikes of deep blue delphinium towered over huge leaves of hollyhock and nodding raspberry-red peonies.  A lovely Japanese red maple grew near the house, reaching to the roof.  In its shade a large planting of bleeding heart was just finishing its spring display.  I was most captivated by two large-flowered clematis that wound around the posts of the iron fence.  Opulent lavender blossoms covered the vines.  Used to my two clematis that bloom only in summer, I didn't realize such beauty could be had in springtime too!
      Strolling hopefully towards the Estate Rose Gardens, we did catch three roses in early bloom.  "Stanwell Perpetual," a lovely old rose, was spreading its beauty over a white fence.  The rose fragrance pulsating from the frilly, blush-pink blossoms was intense and reminded me of an old rose that grew at a childhood friend's home.
      We managed to get turned around toward the end of our tour.  In our meanderings we had wandered over to a fairly new part of the garden and had to ask a Dow employee how to get back to where we had started.  With her helpful directions, we did make our way back to the Visitor Center and home with many lovely memories in tow.
      Promise yourself that you'll visit Dow Gardens this summer.  It's an adventure, a joy, and a memory to be treasured.

Graphic by Broderbund Clickart

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