MSU Gardens

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Please download our Visitor Guide brochure made available as a PDF file for additional information highlighting the various sites within the Gardens as well as maps of the grounds.

HOURS- The MSU Horticulture Gardens are open all year from sunrise to sundown; however, access to the gardens may be limited due to scheduled private events and between the months of November and March.

Wilbir the Peacock

Sponsored by Pauline Glassbrook. Visitors to the Gardens are greeted by an impressive floral structure– a fourteen-foot peacock in full bloom! Thanks to a private donor, Wilbir became a permanent fixture in the garden in 1993. Wilbir is short for “Will’s Bird”, named after Dr. William Carson, the gardens former Director and chief promoter of the peacock.

More than 3,000 bedding plants are used to create Wilbir, mostly fibrous-rooted Begonias, which create patterns in pink, white and red arranged differently each year. Doug Badgero, greenhouse and garden manager, along with student assistance, designed and constructed the peacock’s metal frame in two parts– the body and the head. A soilless planting mix is held inside the frame by paper netting and lightweight Styrofoam packing material stuffs the center which holds the plants in place.The body and head are planted in early May. Wilbir is watered by hand with a hose and receives a dose of liquid fertilizer every week.

RESTROOMS & DRINKING FOUNTAINS– A blue line taped on the floor of the head house (work area of the greenhouse located in the Plant and Soil Sciences building) will lead visitors to the inside bathroom during university Business hours. An indoor drinking fountain is located at the south entrance to the Plant and Soil Sciences building during the garden season. During weekends and evenings indoor facilities are available at the east side of the Food Safety and Toxicology building. The only 24-hour access will be two portable toilets just west of the 4-H Children’s Garden during the months of June-September.

LABELING- Plants in the gardens are labeled with ivory plastic tags. In mass plantings, hedges, or groupings, only one individual plant is tagged.The Information on eachtag includes the scientific name, common name, and Accession number.

For Garden highlights, detailed garden maps and program information please download our Visitor’s Guide available as a PDF file. For further information please e-mail us at gardens@msu.edu

Dogs in the Gardens- Our official policy is that no dogs or other animals are allowed in the gardens. This rule had to be made because dogs like to run and/or eliminate in the gardens...with unpleasant results for other visitors and the garden staff.