Hidden Lake Gardens Michigan

Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton, Michigan is a beautiful arboretum that’s open to visitors almost daily all year round.

Only three times a year do the gardens close: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years’ Day. Every other day, visitors may take self-guided tours, traveling by foot or by car, for a modest $3 entry fee. With two weeks’ notice, they can even enjoy a staff/volunteer-guided tour at no additional cost.

In winter, Hidden Lake Gardens sparkles with lights. In fall, it’s a riot of rich, autumn color. In summer, rainbows of flowerbeds shimmer in the sun.

And in spring….

In spring, Hidden Lake Gardens is at its loveliest.

That’s when vast, colorful displays of daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and other spring bulbs within the garden’s conservatory shout a cheery hello to spring.

Outside, naturalized daffodils put on their own show, and flowering pink, red and white crabapple trees in all sizes and shapes—dwarf, upright, weeping and standard—dot the landscape.

To celebrate these spring bloomers, the Hidden Lake Gardens’ Spring Bulb Show occurs each March.

There's lots to do at Hidden Lake!

Over six miles of paved roadways suitable for touring the garden by car traverse the 775-acre arboretum, which also has five miles of hiking trails.

One of those trails, Hikers Trail, skims the southwestern shore of Hidden Lake, the gardens’ namesake.

There's also a picnic area and a visitor's center.

For gardeners, however, the greenhouse complex that includes demonstration gardens and a conservatory, is Hidden Lake Gardens' real draw. For special events and classes, check the gardens' website.

Hidden Lake Gardens offers educational programs throughout the year, including classes for students of all ages, preschool to adult, and a junior master gardening program.

The grounds feature native plants that are also of interest, and the conservatory nurtures numerous exotic plants, including tropical fruit trees and cocoa, coffee, tapioca and vanilla plants.

Hidden Lake Gardens hosts numerous special events every season of the year.

Spring and summer are particularly active times at the gardens. In May, there's the annual plant sale; in July, a garden day for children.

Fall and winter are also active seasons at Hidden Lake. Highlights include a Fall Foliage Festival in October. In December, two holiday events attract innumerable visitors: Evenings in Lights and the Holiday Festival.

And, of course, the Annual Spring Bulb Flower Show attracts huge crowds to Hidden Lake Gardens in March.

Hidden Lake Gardens has three special collections that are particularly noteworthy: Hosta Hillside, the bonsai exhibit and the Harper Collection of rare and dwarf conifers, which is renowned worldwide.

Located on Monroe Road (a.k.a. Highway 50) in the city of Tipton, Hidden Lake Gardens is approximately 70 miles from the Michigan State University (MSU) campus.

Under the auspices of the Division of Land Management, the botanical garden is owned and operated by the school and supported by monies from MSU as well as private donations.