Designing botanical gardens that appeal to kids is an art that has recently, well, blossomed. Whether set on single-acre plots, expansive formal estates, free-flowing meadows or in glass conservatories, many gardens now invite you to smell flowers, touch fuzzy leaves, feed fish and splash in fountains.

Spring is a great time to get reacquainted with the green outdoors, as tulips and azaleas provide the color you've craved all winter. Throughout the spring and summer, you and your kids will enjoy exploring a tropical rain forest as well as a variety of other activities and exhibits at the Fairchild Garden in Florida.

MIAMI, FLORIDA

FAIRCHILD GARDEN:
With its museum of plant exploration, 16,000-square-foot conservatory, and 83 parklike acres, Fairchild Garden is brimming with adventure. In the Bamboo Garden, listen as these exotic plants sing in the breeze. Bring your binoculars to spot migratory birds in trees and find alligators among the 11 lakes. Check out the rain forest house built by the Chachi people from Ecuador. Your whole family can join hands-on Learning Garden programs and find out how tropical plants are used in clothes, food and medicine. Admission is $15 for visitors ages 13 and up and free for kids ages 12 and under. Call 305-667-1651.



Joan Huyser-Honig is a freelance writer in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change.