There are certain places when we visit, where we just have to stop for a moment to take it all in and absorb the beauty that surrounds us. Inniswood Metro Gardens is one such place. The botanical garden and nature reserve boasts 123 acres of stunning scenery, complete with streams, woodlands, and an abundance of wildflowers, as well as over 2000 species of plants and many themed gardens.

The sister’s garden is a 2.8-acre plot of fun and delight for people of all ages. As you make your way around this enchanting garden, a story begins to unfold. As we turn the first page, we are greeted by tall, brightly colored sunflowers at the garden’s entrance. Page after page of fun and mystery unfold as we make our way through mazes and caves and venture into the secret garden, where a loyal owl stands guard on his perch.

Can you find the hidden treasures buried in the walls? Will you make it through the maze to rest under the shade of the grandfather tree.? Pay a visit to the country garden, where the prairie lies beyond the windmill and orchard, and where you can check out Grannie’s house and Bessie’s barn. Make new discoveries in the circle maze, where each path leads to a new adventure. Go critter spotting in the wetlands garden. Maybe you’ll find some turtles or frogs, or even Nessie and Quincy sitting on the banks.

Get lost in the beauty of the Rose Garden with its selection of hybrid tea and floribunda. The cutting garden gives us the chance to see both annual and perennial plants suitable for cutting. A collection of evergreen and deciduous plants are to be found in the conifer garden, including dwarf varieties. Pay a visit to the birthplace of the Innis Hosta, the memorial garden, which features island beds of mixed perennials.

Sit in the peaceful surroundings of conifers and woodland, listening to the tranquil sound of cascading water in the woodland rock garden. Or treat your sense of smell to the delights of the herb garden, where the wide variety on show is grouped by their uses. A collection of rare and unusual hardy ferns can be found in the fern garden, and a pathway of discovery greets you in the circle garden with its compass of seasonal color.

With its flat, easy to walk trails that wind through spectacular arrays of smells and color, Inniswood Metro Gardens is suitable for anyone who wishes to experience the beauty of nature In all its glory. You’ll never be at a loss putting a name to the large array plants and flowers you discover along the 3 miles of trails, with signs describing each one for you.

There’s plenty of seating throughout the gardens where you can rest and fully appreciate your spectacular surroundings. Children, adults, young and old alike, Inniswood Metro Gardens should be an inspiration to us all. A place where no two visits are ever the same as nature’s ever-changing face never fails to surprise and delight us.

Be sure to visit North Market to check up on locally sourced foods.

Find out more here.