Our Gardens
Welcome to the MSU Horticulture Gardens
Our 14 acres of diverse gardens are a superb retreat and resource for gardeners, plant lovers and children of all ages! You can easily get a bit of exercise while walking the displays. You may get garden design ideas, or learn new annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees - or perhaps even a fruit or vegetable new to you. On the other hand, you may just want to relax in a beautiful and refreshing garden setting.
Mission Statement
The mission of The Horticulture Gardens is to promote an understanding of plants and the role they play in our environment and daily lives and provide a place for education, enrichment and delight of all ages.
Watch: The MSU Horticulture Gardens 25th Anniversary Video
Our gardens are still largely self-funded. Consider supporting us! For more information, see our Garden Giving Page.
Left: The MSU Judith A. DeLapa Perennial Garden. Right: The Amien Carter Annual Gardens.
Our Gardens
The Michigan 4H Children’s Garden
With over 60 theme displays, an absolute must see in our gardens. There are mazes, pots of gold, an alphabet garden, Peter Rabbit, and so much more. Located adjacent to the Garden Parking lot, this is a convenient stop for parents with small children!
The Amien Carter Annual Gardens
A colorful display where we trial hundreds of the newest annuals for color and texture. Learn the rare and the unusual, the bright and the cheery. This is truly a learning laboratory since all of the new plants are labeled. The Carter Annual Gardens house the MSU Annual Trials - a research effort led by Dr Kristin Getter and Daedre McGrath to evaluate new plant introductions.
The Judith A. DeLapa Perennial Garden
The collections and displays are always evolving in the Judith DeLapa Perennial Gardens. With ten island beds and five border beds, the garden showcases a wide variety of native and hybrid perennials that perform well in our climate and soils. Displays feature both shade and sun gardens, demonstrate combinations for both the homeowner and landscape professional and offer a chance to see over 500 perennials in a garden situation. There is always something blooming in the DeLapa Perennial Garden!
The Clarence E. Lewis Landscape Arboretum
Explore the 7-acre Landscape Arboretum and see Japanese Gardens, English Gardens, Fruits Displays, a small native plant prairie, and more! It is a peaceful delight to wander these wonderful gardens.
The VIP Garden (Vegetables and Insect Pollinators)
Our native bee hotel is located in the VIP Garden. This year, the VIP Garden will be dedicated to the "Weird and Wonderful" - a garden devoted to botanical oddities from around the world, including culinary curiosities for your kitchen garden, painful and poisonous plants for your wicked garden, and even X-rated varieties for your adults-only garden. These are plants that will truly make you say “Wow!”! Come check it out!
The Frank’s Nursery and Crafts Rose Garden
Take a fragrant walk through the roses. They are generally at their peak in June and July. We sometimes post rose update reports on our web site.