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. And for those seeking a fantastical experience, the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden boasts beautifully designed gardens that will indeed satisfy a child's curiosity and desire.

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN 4-H CHILDREN'S GARDEN:
Shoehorned into an acre, these 60 tiny theme gardens were designed with kids' input and are full of interactive elements. During a visit to the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden, my sons and I searched for rabbit footprints, chamomile and a little blue jacket in the Peter Rabbit Garden. We trod a mini Monet's bridge over water lilies. Josh swung on a gate that pumped water to make two bronze frog sculptures spit. Abe threaded the Alice in Wonderland maze to the Secret Garden and danced on musical foot chimes. During Dinosaur Days, kids make ivy dino topiaries and ginkgo leaf-print T-shirts. Admission is free. Call 517-353-6692.



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

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