Approaching Spring by mayerdavid1978

Our Michigan event calendar for the month of March features all kinds of signs that spring is just around the corner with some cautious reminders that objects around the corner may be further off than they appear.

Quotes

"March is a tomboy with tousled hair, a mischievous smile, mud on her shoes
and a laugh in her voice." - Hal Borland

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." - Charles Dickens

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn." - Lewis Grizzard

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson

"Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's party!" - Robin Williams

Fast Facts
March's birthstone is Aquamarine and Bloodstone. They symbolize courage.

Its birth flower is the Narcissus.

March in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of September in the Northern Hemisphere.

Daylight-Savings time occurs on March 14, 2010, at 2:00 a.m.. Time to spring ahead!

Think spring! The vernal equinox occurs on March 20, 2010 at 1:32 PM EDT.

Things to Do, Places to Go

March 1 - April 30
Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming - Grand Rapids
Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming is Meijer Gardens most popular annual exhibition and the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation. March 1–April 30, visitors can escape the Michigan winter and mingle with more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.

March 4 - 7
Metro Times Blowout - Hamtramck
Metro Times presents the 13th annual BLOWOUT music festival. BLOWOUT showcases over 200 of metro Detroit's most influential, unique and celebrated bands, djs and solo artists. These 200 acts perform at 15 venues over 4 nights creating the largest local music festival in the U.S. Past performers include: Eminem, The White Stripes, The Von Bondies, The Hard Lessons, The Sights, The Go, His Name is Alive, Obie Trice, The Dirtbombs, Detroit Grand Pubahs, Howling Diablos, Paradime, Motor City R&B Pioneers, Blanche, The Detroit Cobras and many more.

March 4 - 7
West Michigan Home & Garden Show - Grand Rapids
West Michigan's largest Home & Garden show is back and better than ever! Over a dozen gardens, three free seminar stages, floral arrangement classes and a standard flower show, plus tons of other attractions you can't miss! With over 350 exhibitors featuring every product and service you'll ever need for your home, garden or landscaping, all under one roof, this is the show to attend!

March 5 - 7
The Michigan Golf Show - Novi
This year marks the 19th anniversary of the largest consumer golf show in the nation.
Come experience the best golf deals in the Midwest. The Michigan Golf Show kicks off the golf season highlighting over 400 exhibitors with great deals on every aspect of the golf game! Retailers! Resorts! Travel Destinations! Over 100 Michigan Golf Courses! And a variety of "hands-on" activities will get you ready for this season.

March 6
Quiet Water Symposium - East Lansing
The Quiet Water Symposium celebrates non-motorized outdoor recreation and a shared concern for our Great Lakes Environment. At the Symposium visitors will find presentations by world famous authors, photographers, and expedition travelers. Other presentations may cover skills, safety, local and distant destinations. There may be presentations on bicycling, sailing, diving, and history.

March 6 & 7
Detroit Kennel Club Benched Dog Shows - Detroit
The DKC is one of just six American Kennel Club benched shows in the United States. The overwhelming majority of dog shows are unbenched, at which dogs are judged at an appointed time, then are free to leave the show grounds. At a benched show such as the DKC, dogs stay on the bench with their owners for the entire day when they are not in the ring. This means that the public has a rare opportunity to meet with just about every breed of dog, chat with the owners, and consult with breeders to discover which breed is right for them. Since almost everyone loves to talk about his or her dog, breeders are more than happy to share information with those interested in their particular breed. And almost all of the dogs enjoy the extra attention they receive from the spectators.

March 13
Annual Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon - Calumet
A laid-back, skier-oriented weekend in Calumet on the beautiful Keewanau Peninsula. You can choose between 26-km and 50km distances including a separate category for 26-km classic skiers. The Junior Bear Chase is a youth Nordic ski race for skiiers up to 16-years-old.

March 13
Brew-Ski Festival - Harbor Springs
Suds and snow. Is there a better combination? Our first annual Brew-Ski Festival features 100+ craft brews, entertainment and an evening of parties. We'll be pitching a big ole' tent at the base of the slopes where you and friends can purchase tickets and sample a variety of brews. The frothy samples are served up by brewery representatives while you enjoy music, brats and spring conditions.

March 12 - 14
Flushing Walleye Festival - Flushing
The event features:

• Outdoor Show Exhibits

• Fish Fry
• Trout Pond
• Outdoor Show
• Firefighter’s Pancake Breakfast
• Guest Speakers
• Texas Hold’em Tournament/Poker Night
• Youth Group
• Chili Cook-off

March 16
St. Patrick's Day Parade - Detroit
Sponsored by the United Irish Societies in metro Detroit, the parade runs along Michigan Avenue in the area known as "Corktown", so called because of the many immigrants that came and settled here from County Cork. The parade travels down a dozen or so blocks passing by historic Tiger Stadium and the Gaelic League/Irish American Club.

March 18 - 21
Lansing Home & Garden Show - East Lansing
The strongest Home & Garden show in the Mid-Michigan area fills the MSU Pavilion on the campus of Michigan State University. Incredible gardens, extensive landscaping projects, a Standard Flower Show and three free seminar stages surround hundreds of exhibits featuring construction, remodeling, kitchens & baths, retail garden centers, pools and spas and home services.

March 18 - 21
Ultimate Sport and RV Show - Grand Rapids
Michigan's finest tradition for the avid fisherman, hunter or outdoor loving family! Over 350 exhibitors will be at the show with the latest outdoor gear, travel information and fishing boats. The features are famous: World Class Taxidermy, Antique Lures, Trout Pond, Woodcarvers, Pellet Range, Fishing Simulator, Rock Wall and Fly Casting Instruction. Nearly 100 fishing and hunting semainrs will be held on 4 stages, including "Lake Ultimate," the 110,000 gallon indoor lake. Michigan sportsmen never miss it!

March 19 - 21
Carnival Weekend at Boyne - Boyne Falls
It's party time once again. Boyne Mountain pulls out all the stops as Mardi Gras moves north for the weekend. How can I get some of those beads you ask, come to Boyne Mountain and find out. Bands, costume competitions, the slush cup and parties all over the resort make this a weekend to remember. You might want to plan on using a sick day for Monday.

March 20
Krazy Daze at Boyne - Harbor Springs
Fun for the whole family awaits during this spring tradition. Kid's events include a Silly Slalom, costume judging, Nastar and more. Is it true they build a pond and let people ski and snowboard across? You bet it's true. So dress up or dress down, just make sure to be a part of the fun.

March 20 - 21
Kalamazoo Living History Show - Kalamazoo
The largest, nationally recognized, juried show in the Midwest devoted to pre-1890 original or reproduction living history supplies, accouterments and related crafts. More than 10,000 historical re-enactors from pre-Revolutionary through the Civil War, history buffs, collectors, and the general public from 18 states and Canada come together for a festive weekend to buy, sell and trade. The event attracts over 270 of the finest craftsman and dealers of living history supplies and related crafts from throughout the United States.

March 23 - 28
Ann Arbor Film Festival - Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is internationally recognized as a premiere showcase for creative, inspiring, and influential films of all types: avant-garde and experimental, story-based narratives, documentaries, and animation. As the longest-running film festival of its kind in North America, the AAFF is steeped in a rich tradition of ground-breaking cinema.

Did we get them all? Not likely!! Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

Salad by by jpwbee

Taste the Local Difference says that leafy greens are ready to pick! Greens are an excellent source of iron, calcium, Vitamins A and C, and folic acid and also very high in dietary fiber and low in calories and sodium. What's not to love?? Here's a few fun facts about greens:

• Swiss chard is also known as white beet, strawberry spinach, seakale beet, leaf beet, Sicilian beet, spinach beet, Chilean beet, Roman kale, perpetual spinach, silverbeet and mangold!
• Arugula is known as “rocket” in some parts of Europe.
• Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

Untitled by Ken Scott

Herbed Baked Greens

2 egg whites
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1//2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ tsp. crushed rosemary
salt to taste
3 cups cooked, chopped greens
2 Tbsp. minced onions
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 ½ cups grated low-fat cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-inch square glass baking pan. In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, rosemary, and salt. Gently stir greens, onions, rice, and cheese into egg white mixture, then turn into prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. 4-6 servings.

While we're on the topic, here's Seth Bernard & May Erlewine singing about greens!

cae3/ Anita says that she's a mom, wife, registered nurse and photographer.

Check this photo out larger in her Explored slideshow and see more of her lovely flower shots.

Here's her Flickriver.

cseeman (Corey) is the Library Director at the Kresge Business Administration Library at the University of Michigan (Corey's homepage)

You'll definitely want to check this photo out background bigalicious or in his cool Tulip slideshow. His sets include Birds of Saline, Fiddlers Restrung (not to be confused with the Saline Fiddlers) and Lighthouses of Michigan (slideshow) that is helpfully broken down into Lighthouse of Lake Michigan, Lighthouses of Lake Huron, Lighthouses of Lake Erie and Lighthouses of Lake St. Clair.

You can also check out his Flickriver.

Click this photo from Brooke Pennington for the Spring slideshow from our Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

Here's the link to Brooke's photo (which you can see bigger in his Spring photo gallery) and here is some Spring wallpaper from Michigan in Pictures.

Here's a video feature that we last showed so long ago, it should feel new to just about everyone! Thanks Jim for the reminder...

Wally Wallington of Flint has demonstrated that he can lift a Stonehenge-sized pillar weighing 22,000 lbs and moved a barn over 300 ft in this great video feature. What makes this so special is that he does it using only himself, gravity, and his incredible ingenuity. Check this out and then check out theforgottentechnology.com.

caterpillars (Laura) has a degree in anthropology and studio arts, many cameras (mostly film) and a yard full of lionhead rabbits. She will also totally shoot your wedding, event, or portrait, so contact her.

Check out her Michigan slideshow. Her photo sets include metro-detroit, MCS and SuperSampler you may just want to dive into her Flickriver.

On her Sunny Days set (slideshow), Jules says that if you keep your face to the sunshine, you cannot see the shadows.

Some of her other sets include Eastern Market, In Bloom, People, Places and Things.

Hope your face gets plenty of sunshine this weekend!

the gardener by jenny murray

The Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr chronicles the storms that rolled through southern Michigan once again last week, downing trees and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes. On a less destructive note, there are plenty of photos of fireworks and parades. Click over and add your best photo from the Fourth of July weekend.

Our Michigan July Event Calendar says that we can look forward to a slew of festivals and events including the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Lansing's Common Ground, Michigan Elvisfest in Ypsilanti, Blissfest in Cross Village and the Idlewild Music Fest.

Hope you have a great week - be sure to post any news stories or other items of weekly interest here!

< The Week for June 30 - July 6, 2008 | The Week for July 14-20, 2008 >

Locally grown salad! by jpwbee

Taste the Local Difference says that baby salad greens are ready to pick! Mixed greens are high in Vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and (hopefully) crunchiness. Fresh picked greens have the highest nutritional content, but you can keep them fresh by wrapping them gently in slightly damp paper towels and then placing in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Another name for mixed baby greens is mesclun. The name originated in Provencal, France and it describes a salad that includes a combination of textures, tastes and colors. Edible flowers like nasturtiums, marigolds, violas, and chive blossoms are often added to mesclun mixes.

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese Toasts

For the Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp.)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the Toasts
12 thin slices baguette, diagonally cut
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. fresh goat cheese without a rind, at room temperature
1 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme

Mix olive oil, goat cheese & thyme, spread on lightly toasted baguette and bake until cheese is just brown.

For the Greens
6 oz. mixed baby salad greens
About 1/2 cup loosely packed unsprayed edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, marigolds or chive blossoms (optional)

jpwbee says she got the greens in the photo above in February from the hoop house at Brines Farm. You can buy their products on Saturdays at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market!

Sharptail I believe by wxman1952

This year consider planting plants native to your area when landscaping or gardening. Native plants are defined as plants that existed in an area prior to European settlement. The use of native plants has numerous benefits due to having evolved over thousands of years and, as such, are adapted to local conditions. The benefits include:

• They flourish without fertilizers or synthetic pesticides and rarely need watering.

• They provide food and habitat for wildlife which continues to disappear due to development
• They contribute to biodiversity
• They keep our regions unique and help us to maintain plant species
• Their root systems rebuild the soil and work as filtering systems.
• Last but not least they are beautiful!

The Michigan Native Plant Producers Association can point you to nurseries, has a great plant source guide and also provides an invasive species list.

The Michigan Native Plant Producers Association comprises 10 independently owned nurseries located throughout southern Michigan. Together we grow and sell almost 400 species of Michigan native plants, including, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, and ferns.

As an organization, our mission is to benefit member businesses by creating an ethical, profitable, and ecologically sound business environment. As responsible propagators of Michigan native plants, we are committed to enhancing the diversity and health of Michigan's unique natural heritage.

More resources:
The Department of Natural Resources
Enhancing Beneficial Insects with Native Plants - Michigan State University
Gateway to Michigan's Native Plants
The Native Plant Nursery
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council - Northern Michigan's Native Plants

YUCK/YUM - Pick a Side by Rudy Malmquist

Taste the Local Difference says that asparagus is ready to pick!

It's a member of the lily family and can grow as quickly as 10 inches in one day! Michigan ranks third in the nation for asparagus production (behind California and Washington) and the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board says that well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted. Asparagus has no fat, cholesterol and is low in sodium. It's a nutrient-dense food which in high in folic acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.

It's probably little wonder that the vegetable is the subject of a documentary film, Asparagus! Stalking the American Life. The film is set in Michigan and Filmmaker Magazine writes:

Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly's feature-length film Asparagus! "takes viewers to the small town of Oceana, Michigan, the self-proclaimed asparagus capital of the world. After 30 years, Oceana is facing the destruction of its farming base because of a little known provision in a trade bill resulting from the 'war on drugs' [which has inadvertently created a a strong Peruvian asparagus competitor]. Faced with economic ruin and the loss of their beloved vegetable, the community decides to fight back."

Visit asparagusthemovie.com to learn more about the movie and view a trailer, and if you happen to be up in Empire this weekend, catch a screening at the Empire Asparagus Festival.

Beauty, courtesy Michigan Asparagus Board

Featured Recipe: Asparagus Frittata

1 small bunch asparagus, about 3/4 pound
1 large or 2 small leeks
2 Tbsp. butter
4-5 hen's eggs from family farm chickens
1/2 cup cream, half and half or whole milk, from a family dairy, if possible
Sea salt, to taste
Pepper, freshly ground
Nutmeg, a little grated fresh, or 1/8 tsp. ground
1/4 cup grated cheese, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, or crumbed feta

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Break off the tough ends of asparagus. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal.
3. Slice leeks into thick rounds. Put them into a bowl of cold water and mix to get the dirt out.
4. Melt the butter in an oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless steel). When it's hot, lift the leeks out of the water in handfuls, shaking off any excess water, and put into the pan. Saute over medium heat until just tender.
5. Add asparagus pieces to the pan along with about a Tbsp. of water. Cover the pan and allow the asparagus to steam for 1 to 3 minutes, until just tender.
6. Meanwhile, mix together the eggs with cream, milk or combination.
7. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
8. Add asparagus to the pan and pour the egg mixture over, then add the cheese, pressing it gently into the eggs. Let this cook on the stovetop over low heat for a minute or two, and then transfer to the oven and bake until the eggs are just set-this may be as little as 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, and slice. Serve with salad, good bread, and maybe a few steamed new potatoes.

Submitted by: Full Moon Feast, Jessica Prentice, March 2006

More asparagus recipes over at Taste the Local Difference.

Mayapple by curlyson

The mayapple is a perennial plant in the barberry family which can be found in the woodlands here in Michigan. The plants grow up to 18 inches in height and grow in patches. Each plant has a single stalk that is topped with one to two broad, deeply divided leaves that resemble umbrellas.

In May (hence the name) a single, small white flower blooms from the fork in the stem. The flower then develops into a pulpy, lemon-yellow berry which ripens in late summer and is the only part of the plant that is not poisonous, and it is recommended that if you should eat the berries that it be done only in extreme moderation.

You can get a ton more information and photos about Podophyllum peltatum L. (mayapple) from USDA Plants, which shows that it grows from Florida all the way up into Canada.

Brian Gudas took several photos at the Veldeer's Tulip Farm in Holland the other day.

He has some cool photos sets including this beautiful collection of spring flowers (slideshow), the Coast Guard Fest and the Grand Haven Coast Guard's 50th Anniversary fireworks show. In addition to the sets, he has photos of everything from this amazing shot of the car ferry in Manistee to extremely detailed photos of ketchup.

Larry (1ManWithACamera) doesn't have to leave his backyard to find plenty of cool photos.

When he does head out to the country, Mackinac Island or a Tigers game, you can count on him to bring back some great pics ... often with a humorous twist.

(and for the record, lilacs are most definitely NOT blooming here in Michigan's north!)

Orange Tulip by markmarko

This weekend is the kickoff of Holland's Tulip Time celebration. The annual festival starts this Saturday (May 3, 2008) and continues through May 10.

The Tulip Time Festival's history page says that Tulip Time was introduced in 1927 at a Woman’s Literary Club meeting by Holland biology teacher Miss Lida Rogers. It's grown to be one of the largest flower festivals in the country and features plenty of tulips, music, parades and celebrations and explorations of Holland's Dutch heritage including Klompen dancing (video of Klompen dancers).

In honor of this event (and to check out a bunch of tulip photos) we're featuring a Tulip & Tulip Time slideshow courtesy the Absolute Michigan group on Flickr. One of the members of the group (artist Yolanda Gonzales of Grand Rapids) designed the 2008 Tulip Time poster.

You can read more about the history & background of the event from the Archives of Michigan and Tulip Time 2007 and 2006 from Michigan in Pictures.

Dutchman's Britches by cyoas55

The Dutchman's Breeches has delicate, fernlike foilage with unique blooms that resemble white pantaloons hanging upside down upon their arched stems. This dainty plant is wonderful in woodland or shade gardens and can often be found in the wild growing tucked into root flares of large trees. The blooms first appear in mid to late April and last for about two weeks before going dormant.

Native Americans and early white practitioners considered this plant useful for syphilis, skin conditions and as a blood purifier. Dutchman's breeches contains several alkaloids that may have effects on the brain and heart.

Wildflowers by Leon Baker

In Michigan, the number of native plants being buried under bulldozers is decreasing, thanks to the efforts of the Cranbrook Wildflower Rescue Committee in southern Michigan and the Leland Wildflower Rescue in northern Michigan. The Cranbrook committee has been in operation for over 25 years, the Leland committee for over 15. Both of these groups are formed of dedicated volunteers who have saved thousands of Michigan woodland plants each year, digging up native species before their habitats are razed for development. These folks have learned a lot and offer these tips for people wishing to start similar rescue programs in their areas.

A couple things to do if you're interested in starting a program, remember that you have to get signed permission from the developers or the property owner to take plants from the property. You should also have a plan for where to plant the rescued plants. They could be transplanted to a community garden, and some end up in private gardens as well. For example, every Memorial Weekend the Leland Wildflower hosts a sale of all of their plants with the proceeds going to the Leelanau Conservancy.

Here's an interesting article about wildflower rescue in Michigan and elsewhere from USA Weekend.

Large-flowered Trillium by ER Post

The most common species of trillium in Michigan is Trillium Grandiflorum or the Large-flowered Trillium. This plant has a large, often white three-petaled flower above three broad bracts that look like leaves.

Picking the flowers of Trillium can seriously injure the plant. The three leaves below the flower are the plant's only food source and a picked trillium may die or take many years to recover. For this reason in many areas, e.g. British Columbia, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Washington, it is illegal to pick trilliums.

For more on this beautiful and protected Spring flower read Flower Power by Jim Rink from the archives of the Northern Michigan Journal.

This is one of her Favs.

Crocuses are one of mine.

Lady Slipper Flower by cyoas55

The Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) or Moccasin Flower is a large, showy wildflower belonging the the orchid family. The heavily veined, deeply cleft pouch of this wild orchid is a distinctive characteristic of this species. Because this plant has an extremely long life cycle, taking many years to go from seed to a mature seed-bearing plant, and because it will grow only in very specific circumstances, the harvest of wild lady's slipper is often not sustainable and in some states such as Michigan it is not only illegal to pick but also to move.

Pink Lady's Slipper grows in a variety of different habitats, including moist and dry soils. It is usually found in pine forests, where it can be seen in large colonies, but it grows in deciduous woods, as well. It is nearly always found in soil with high acid content. Because of a fungus association needed for growth, and the high acid this plant needs, C. acaule is very difficult to grow in the average garden and is unlikely to survive any attempts at transplantation.

Check out this slideshow of Wild Michigan Orchids on Flickr.

Orchid Societies in Michigan
Michigan Orchid Society
Northwestern Michigan Orchid Society
Greater Lansing Orchid Society

The Gardens Of Cranbrook by suesue2

Cranbrook House and Gardens stands as a centerpiece of Cranbrook’s 319-acre National Historic Landmark campus. From May through October, visitors can experience the grandeur of both the House and the Gardens with guided and self-guided tours.

The house was designed by the famous Detroit architect Albert Kahn for the founders of Cranbrook George Booth and his wife Ellen Scripps Booth and is now the oldest surviving manor home in the metro Detroit area. It is crafted in the English Arts and Crafts style and the Booths had the finest artists and craftsman of the time do the tiles, handcrafted furniture and other works of fine and decorative art.

Guided and self-guided tours are a wonderful way to get to know Cranbrook House and the 40 acres of breathtaking gardens that surround it. There is a Sunken Garden along with herabaceous gardens, perennial flower beds to the casual beauty of the bog garden. Tended by hundred by hundreds of volunteers through out the year, the gardens are filled with colorful blooms, spacious lawns side by side with exquisite fountains and sculpture.

Annual Spring Plant Sale
Tuesday, May 13th 10am-7pm
Wednesday, May 14th 10am-2pm

You won't want to miss this exciting event that draws avid gardeners from throughout the area. Volunteers have put together a wide variety of plants for your garden along with gardening items including pots and tools. Click here for more information.

View a slideshow of the Cranbrook House and Gardens over at Flickr.

If you want even more information check out the Wikipedia entry for the Cranbrook Educational Community which consists of the Cranbrook Kingswood School, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Cranbrook Art Museum, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Cranbrook House and Gardens, and Christ Church Cranbrook.

jack in the pulpit by bernardwilliamson

The Jack-in-the pulpit is a stemless plant that grows throughout Michigan in both open and dense woods, and occasionally in fields and pastures bordering woods (toxic to animals). Arisaema triphyllum (Wikipedia) is also known as Bog onion, Brown dragon, Indian turnip, Wake robin or Wild turnip.

The height ranges from 8 inches to 2 feet tall, and rather than stems, it has one or two stalks, with 3-parted leaves, at the tip of its flowerstalk. Its unique flowering structure is tinted different shades of green, greenish-white and purple. It flowers in the spring and the flower persists through summertime. In the fall, it is often covered in dense clusters of red berries.

From the Garden by paulhitz

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is a greenhouse and botanical garden covering 13 acres located on Belle Isle, just three miles east of downtown Detroit. Designed by noted Detroit architect Albert Kahn, it opened in 1904 and is the nation's oldest conservatory. It's available to the public free of charge from 10 AM - 5 PM, every day of the year with a "walk-through time" of 30 minutes.

The conservatory site contains formal perennial gardens, annual flower beds, a rose garden, and lily pond garden and permanent displays of rare flora, including one of the largest municipally owned collections of orchids in the nation (including 600 that were donated by Anna Scripps Whitcomb). The conservatory itself covers more than an acre and features an imposing 85' high central dome with a total volume of 100,600 cubic feet. The south wing contains tropical plants of economic importance such as bananas, oranges, coffee sugar cane and orchids. The north wing hosts the extensive collections of ferns, cacti and succulents. The show house, remodeled in 1980, features a continuous display of blooming plants.

Their website has a lot more information and photos including this shot of the original structure. You can see the location of the Conservatory on the Absolute Michigan map of Michigan, check out the Belle Isle entry on Wikipedia and view a slideshow of Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservancy photos in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr.

Plumeria by IShutterToThink

Named after former Michigan regent Frederick C. Matthaei, Sr. and his wife Mildred, who donated 200 acres of land, the Matthaei Botanical Gardens are operated by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Spring is a great time to visit and watch the Gardens come to life. Here is a downloadable Visitor Guide to help you enjoy your time there.

Exploration of the Gardens begins at the Visitor Center where you will find trails which all start and eventually loop back to the building. A visit to the unique Alden B. Dow commissioned Conservatory includes the Tropical House, Warm Temperate House, Bonsai & Penjing Collection and the Arid House.

Besides the beautiful plant life, onsite artwork, both visual and performance is important to the overall experience. The integration of the art with plant life is a interesting way to view the works and take in their messages.

The library and resource center, with over 3,200 cataloged books provides visitors a chance to learn all about plants and the issues surrounding them.

Here is a list of all of the trails, display gardens, natural areas and other exhibits throughout Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum.

You may be interested in their 28th Annual Spring Plant Sale being held May 2-4 or in checking out the calendar of events.

Enjoy an August, 2007 video sldeshow by videoexchange over at YouTube.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out a collection of 360° virtual tours of some of the gardens and natural areas.

The Huron Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has created podcasts to accompany a walking tour of Ann Arbor. Included is a Matthaei Botanical Gardens podcast. There is also a downloadable 'Ann Arbor Guide to Architecture' which includes a map and description of each entry.

Here are a ton of pics from Flickr to entice you to visit the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

lil white flower by artsy T

OK, it's spring now. Thanks for the great memories, Winter, see you in 8 months or so. As usual, The Week is the place to post comments on what's popping up in your garden or in the Michigan news. You can complain about the weather too if Winter decides not to take the hint!

The photo was taken April 1, 2007 at the Ford's Fairlane Estate and is a fitting way to head into Garden Month on Absolute Michigan. Tina writes that Clara Ford's:

...love of gardening and horticulture was said to be second only to her devotion to her husband and family. Her tastes in gardening were simple, at least as far as design and color were concerned ... She preferred old-fashioned plant varieties such as Bachelor Buttons, Petunias, Irises, Peonies, Tulips, Lillies, Heliotropes, Delphiniums, Forget-Me-Nots, English Primrose, Scilla and, of course, Roses planted in relatively informal patterns.

Click the photo to read more and be sure to check out her slideshow from the Henry Ford Estate.

Last week: March 24-30, 2008

A Light from Within by Daylily18

In just over a week, we'll turn our focus on Absolute Michigan to gardens and gardening.

Features will include some of Michigan's great botanical gardens, nurseries and greenhouses, garden-themed events and we'll also be featuring profiles of native Michigan plants.

If you'd like to get warmed up, have a look at the Garden slideshow in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr (join the group and add your own!)

As always, if you have ideas, we'd love to hear them in the comments!

Half Staff by Apocaplops

UPDATE Oct 25: Carol of ArborLaw.com writes:

I actually have the entire list of services descriptions covered by the law, on my blog at Arborlaw.com. When the law came out, I cross-referenced the NAICS codes (which are incorporated into the new law specifically by reference) with the section numbers from the bill and the expected new numbers for sections in Michigan Compiled Laws. If you want to see this to determine whether your business services are covered, go to http://arborlaw.com/blog/services-tax. (it's a big list!)

Political analyst George Weeks writes that in decades of following how Lansing deals with financial crisis, I have never seen enactment of such a bizarre, crazy quilt, irrational, inexplicable, unfair and — most of all, confusing to taxpayers — tax.

Crain's Detroit Business goes further, calling this The best tax plan lobbyists can buy. Law and accounting services are not taxed, but the broad category of management advice, strategic planning and financial planning and budgeting will be taxed. Hmmm. So a company buying consulting services to help it keep its doors open is making a “discretionary” purchase?

Like many in Michigan, we're wondering which of the services we provide like online publications (probably not), internet consulting (probably so) or graphic design & marketing (who knows??!!) would be subject to the service tax.

Assuming that movements to repeal or change the tax fail, mLive's blog gives some idea of what services might be subject to the tax come December 2007. The nebulous "consulting services" is made a whole lot clearer when you click over to see businesses classified under 5416 Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services. It's surprising to find that in addition the list includes items that are absolutely essential to the development of new businesses in Michigan like site selection, start-up consulting, marketing, and a host of science and technical services.

We invite you to add your thoughts, comments and suggestions for making some sense out of what looks like a fiscal nightmare for Michigan.

Monster Garden by Senor Velasco

Last week's HUB had a nice feature on getting your garden going. In addition to some tips for when to start vegetables (now) and garden size (any size will do) they also list some herbs and vegetables that do particularly well in Michigan.

One of their links is to the Greater Lansing Food Bank Garden Project that offers support to both home and community gardeners in the area to help them to grow and preserve their own fresh vegetables. The site has an excellent list of community gardens in the Lansing area and also a community garden map.

Read Can you dig it? in the Lansing HUB, check out Absolute Michigan keyword "garden" and let us know what you plan to grow in YOUR garden!

Last Barn at Mentha by John Clement Howe

John Clement Howe went to the ghost town of Mentha and also dug up the fascinating story of Michigan's now vanished mint industry. As the very detailed article about Mint in Michigan from Michigan History Magazine explains:

Peppermint (Mentha piperita, named for its pepper-like taste) and spearmint (Mentha spicata, named for its arrow-shaped flower spires) are related plants (Labiatae) that are rich in volatile oils called terpenes. These ethereal, complex organic compounds--mainly menthol and carvone--give mint the taste and aroma that make it a favorite for chewing gum, toothpaste, candy and medicine...

Following the Civil War, mint cultivation spread from St. Joseph, first west into Cass and Berrien, then north into Van Buren, Allegan and Kalamazoo Counties. By the turn of the century, 90 percent of the world's supply of mint oil came from an area within a ninety-mile radius of Kalamazoo. Despite the productivity of Michigan's mint fields, Michigan mint growers at first had difficulty selling their harvests because of unscrupulous farmers who adulterated the oil with turpentine, alcohol or fireweed.

A farmer by the name of Albert Todd developed scientific methods of testing and grading mint oil. He established two plantations, Mentha in northeastern Van Buren County and Campania in central Allegan County and by 1900 was the largest producer of peppermint oil in the world and owner of the world's most extensive mint acreage.

Michigan remained a strong producer of mint through World War II, but by the 1970s, verticillium wilt had pretty much ended the commercial growth of peppermint in the state. Today most peppermint is grown in the Pacific Northwest but since some spearmint is resistant to verticillium wilt, Michigan still grows that and is ranked fifth among spearmint-growing states. Be sure to head over to Michigan History, Arts & Libraries for more on Michigan's mint heritage and current efforts to develop resistant mint.

View the entire set of photos by John Clement Howe