Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve

08/29/2026

FALL FLORA BOTANY WALK

SEPTEMBER 12, 10 AM-12 PM

Experience Fernwood’s nature preserve through the eyes of a botanist! During this immersive hike, Scott Wagner, of Michigan Natural Features Inventory, will provide an in-depth look at the flora of our diverse forest communities, discussing ferns, woody plants, and wildflowers of late summer/early fall.

Learn more and register today: https://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/list-of-events-programs/fall-flora-botany-walk

08/29/2026

THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for last night’s concert featuring Emmie Taylor & The Great Host! It was pretty hard to beat the combination of great music, a beautiful evening, and good company on the Green. 💚

We’ve got one more concert left in the season, and you won’t want to miss it!

Join us on Sept 26 as The Happy Campers take over Fernwood with tunes by The Grateful Dead and beyond.

It has been a wonderful season of music in the garden, we appreciate you spending your summer with us!

For more info, visit: https://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/summer-concert-series

08/29/2026

08/28/2026

We hope your Friday is going as well as it is for our froggy friend here!

Chilling in the sunshine
Staying hydrated
Completely unbothered by the world around them.

Honestly? Sounds like a pretty great way to spend a Friday!

Here’s to hopping into the weekend, Fernwood style!

Don't forget about the concert tonight featuring Emmie Taylor & The Great Host starting at 6pm.

For more info on events this weekend, visit:
https://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/list-of-events-programs

08/27/2026

🌿 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝟭𝟬𝟱-𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁. 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿… 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

One minute you're wandering through a carefully tended garden.

The next you're surrounded by towering trees, wildflowers and ferns.

Then suddenly you're standing beside a quiet pond or looking out over the St. Joseph River. ❤️

Welcome to 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 & 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 near Niles.

And this place packs a surprising amount into 105 acres.

Fernwood protects 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, meaning a single visit can take you through remarkably different landscapes.

🌾 A reconstructed prairie filled with native plants.

🌳 Woodlands carpeted with seasonal wildflowers.

🌿 An arboretum.

💧 Springs and ponds.

🌊 And trails leading toward beautiful views of the St. Joseph River.

But Fernwood isn't only about wild spaces.

There are cultivated gardens tucked throughout the property, including a 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻, herb garden, rain garden, perennial displays and collections of hardy ferns.

And then there's one you might not expect…

🚂 𝗔 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗡.

Yep. Tiny trains and gardening apparently belong together, and we're here for it. 😂

Families have another reason to put this place on the list.

The 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 is designed specifically to let kids experience nature in a more hands-on way, while the preserve offers opportunities to spot birds, frogs and other wildlife.

Fernwood is also home to something a little more serious.

Its natural areas support 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀, making this more than a pretty place for an afternoon stroll.

And maybe that's what makes Fernwood special.

You don't really come here to rush from attraction to attraction.

You wander.

You take the trail you weren't planning to take.

You stop by the water.

You watch the birds.

You sit somewhere for five minutes longer than you intended.

𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝟭𝟬𝟱 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 “𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁.” 🌿❤️

📍 Fernwood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve — Niles, Michigan

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Tallgrass Prairie tour last weekend!

It was a picture perfect day, and we loved everyones enthusiasm and questions.

Have you had a chance to check out the Tallgrass Prairie at Fernwood? Trust us, it's worth the hike!

For a full list of more upcoming events and classes, head to: https://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/list-of-events-programs

08/23/2026

🍄 A little mushroom magic at Fernwood! 🍄

While Director of Horticulture Jonathon, and a group of amazing volunteers, were clearing invasive plants along one of the trails, they spotted something hiding in the undergrowth: an entire colony of Orange Pinwheels (Marasmius siccus)!

These tiny mushrooms look like miniature orange umbrellas, complete with pleated caps and wiry stems. They often pop up in groups on fallen leaves and woody debris—proof that there’s always something new to discover when you get down in the dirt.

Next time you're on the trails, keep your eyes peeled. You never know what little wonders might be growing beneath your feet.