Meijer Gardens
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Meijers run a very successful chain of grocery stores in the midwest of the United States. This property was to have been used for a new supermarket but the local town fathers denied the building permit for this location. So the land was donated to a trust and these gardens were built.
I can usually take or leave (mostly leave) this sort of thing but my wife puts up with endless machine shows so it only seems fair to visit places that she likes along the way.
These beautiful supports that evoke the image of trees were cast in forms on the
ground (on site) and lifted into position by crane.
Butterflies are imported fro many sources. They are received in their chrysalis
form and allowed to hatch. A butterfly wrangler captures them for release
into the main area. T. Groff photos
This magnificent sculpture was patterned on a project that Leonardo DaVinci drew
up but never built. The sculptor made two horses, one for the Meijer
Gardens and one for Florence Italy where Leonardo was to have built his.
The dome on the right covers the stage of the outdoor amphitheater