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Chrysanthemums & More
Chrysanthemums & More! Unexpected Color
September 16–October 30, 2022
It’s the quintessential fall flower like you’ve never seen it before! Prepare to be amazed by how the mighty mum takes shape at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park this autumn. Now in its 24th year, Chrysanthemums & More! remains a member and guest must-see and the largest exhibition of its kind in Michigan. While most plants are settling in for a long winter’s nap, the chrysanthemum comes alive in larger-thanlife blooms, wondrous spheres and walls of autumn abundance. As you explore our gardens and grounds— indoors and out—note the rich color palette, tempting textures, and striking details of this year’s exhibition theme: Unexpected Color.
Taking center stage is the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse. Lose yourself in an immersive chrysanthemum experience, enveloping you in floorto-ceiling flowering tapestries and whimsical spheres suspended within frames. Wander the BISSELL Corridor, blooming with monochromatic containers and the wildly colorful creations of local florists—each week showcasing a different hue.
Capture the wonder of our Gateway Garden beds and their fresh take on chrysanthemum color in analogous pairings like pink and purple, alongside bursts of dramatic orange. Notice the diversity in texture and tone of our fall foliage, as bright pink mums are set off by kale and cabbage in a blue-green to purple-red to deep purple spectrum. Other inviting points of interest are the Grand Entry Garden, Cook Entryway, and Earl & Donnalee Holton Victorian Garden Parlor, each abloom with spectacular specialty plantings. Outside, discover the Doehne Wildflower Meadow, home to Mark diSuvero's Scarlatti. This visual surprise of native plants is intentionally placed in unexpected waves of color, in a celebration of Michigan’s natural environment. As you contemplate the meadow, take in the rich chrome-yellow goldenrod growing alongside the striking royal-purple New England aster. On select Tuesdays—September 20 and 27 and October 4—get your glow on in the Gwen Frostic Woodland Shade Garden, where majestic trees illuminated with stunning shades and hand-etched pumpkins by local artist Alynn Guerra, of Red Hydrant Press, light your path. Bring the family for Tuesdays at the Farm in Michigan’s Farm Garden, where we celebrate the season with pumpkincarving demonstrations, live music, adult beverages and even a James & Shirley Balk Café pop-up. Marvel at the magnitude of our heirloom vegetables, herbs, gourds and impossibly oversized pumpkins. The family fun continues all season, through the perennially popular Fall Family Day on October 1, the Fall Bonsai Show on October 1 and 2, and Hallowee-Ones on October 21.
Come with great expectations. We promise to pique your curiosity!
PROGRAMMING
Events are included in the cost of admission and registration is not required unless otherwise noted. Full descriptions of events can be found on page 10.
Tuesdays at the Farm
Glow Garden
Unexpected Color in Nature
Sunday, September 25, 2–3 pm
Join us as we experience how Unexpected Color reveals itself in nature. Take a walk with Eve Choi, Curator of Horticultural & Environmental Education, to observe the natural colors reflected in the Doehne Wildflower Meadow plantings in autumn. See how the pairing of plants can have both ecological importance and aesthetic beauty rooted in color theory, and learn more about the science behind fall color change.
Unexpected Color in Design
Sunday, October 9, 2–3 pm
Join us as we take a closer look at the inspiration behind the Unexpected Color theme with Amber Oudsema, Curator of Arts Education. Learn the basics of color theory and see how it has been artfully applied in this year’s Chrysanthemums & More! exhibition theme and displays. Then try out what you’ve learned in a hands-on activity exploring the principles of color theory.
Unexpected Color in Floral Displays
Sunday, October 23, 2–3 pm
Join us as we explore Unexpected Color on a guided tour of the Welcome Center and BISSELL Corridor indoor plantings and floral displays. Elizabeth Wesley-Martin, Meijer Gardens Florist and Horticulturist, will explain her approach to floral design and highlight key plantings on display throughout the Main Building. Learn the basics of floral design and observe how Unexpected Color is beautifully realized in the Chrysanthemums & More! indoor displays.
