Dow Gardens

Saturday July 25
This morning we went to the Dow Gardens. The Dow Gardens were started in 1899 by Herbert Dow, founder of The Dow Chemical Company, with his wife Grace, and gardener Elzie Côte, on eight acres of flat, sandy land. The Herbert H. Dow house is located at the southwest corner of the gardens. Known as The Pines, this was the first and only home the Dow’s owned. Alden Dow (the son, who was an architect) built his house and studio on the west side of the gardens, separated by a pond. Subsequent generations of the Dow family have continued to develop the gardens.
Upon Herbert's passing, Grace Dow established The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, which has charter goals to improve the educational, religious, economic, and cultural lives of Michigan’s people. Dow Gardens is a signature gift of The Foundation as the family shares the estate with the community and its visitors.
Dow Gardens has two main botanical attractions, the Gardens and the Whiting forest, featuring 54 acres of woodlands, ponds, apple orchard, meadows, and stream. Guests can admire the Forest on the canopy walk, 1,400 feet long, and up to 40 feet above the ground. We had a great morning exploring, then had a bit of lunch before taking Laura back o the hotel so she could get on with her reading and studying for her Masters course.
Meanwhile, Roger and I went to Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, just south of Saginaw, and had a great afternoon, driving the auto tour loop, seeing egrets, great blue herons, white pelicans, sand hill cranes, a juvenile golden eagle, and several bald eagles (see extra photograph)