Flowers, trees, insects, birds, woodlands, prairies and vast panoramas welcome visitors to explore and enjoy Nichols Arboretum and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Lectures, exhibits, workshops, and field classes cover a range of topics, from birding to beekeeping.

The plethora of elaborate, decorative, and functional garden spaces within Nichols Arboretum and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens offer welcome respite from the distractions of our frenetic world.

You never know what fascinating wildlife you may encounter while exploring the Nichols Arboretum or the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

As much laboratory as classroom, U-M’s Campus Farm connects students with nature in ways they might never have experienced before.

Hands-on experience at the Campus Farm provides invaluable lessons in small-scale food production for students who — even if they don’t go on to be farmers — will play a role in food production and delivery systems in many of their future careers. The Campus Farm plot includes permaculture installations as well as plans for a food forest — a plant-based food-production system that incorporates fruit and nut trees, shrubs, and vines.

Plump, short, spiny, and weird all describe plants in Matthaei’s arid house. Plants come from hot, frost-free deserts in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. All are specialists at surviving droughts.

Staff at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum work with faculty and students from the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Stamps School of Art and Design, and the Landscape Architecture Program from the
School of Natural Resources and Environment to share some of their work with the public.

Even the indoor spaces are beautiful at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

Periodically, the Matthaei Botanical Gardens staff invites nature lovers to peruse and purchase cactus, succulents, and bromeliads, including air plants, in sizes ranging from seedlings to mature plants.

There are those who say we build too many walls and not enough bridges . . .

This sign bearing an inspiring message from Charles Lamb reminds visitors how fortunate we are to have this rich and wonderful resource on our campus.