The listed coordinates will take you inside the Conservatory at Hidden Lake Gardens where you will find the cache. The conservatory is open during whenever the Gardens are open and during all seasons and weather. Please enjoy the Arid Dome, Tropical Dome and Temperate House. Just incase your GPS does not work well inside the building, the cache is located by the Calamondin. The container can be retrieved from the walking path, please do not step into the beds or disturb the plantings in any way. Inside there is a notebook, not only log your name and date but also, please take time to write a bit about your favorite experience Geocaching, your favorite places in Lenawee, in Michigan, in the world or maybe you can share your favorite quote with the Geocaching community. My hope is that this will become a Geocaching journal for us all to enjoy. Please feel free to resign the ‘log’ as often as you come to the gardens to enjoy the other cacher's entries (but you can only claim the find once of course). There is plenty of comfortable seating in the building so you can write to your hearts content, but please return the container as you found it.
There are a few trinkets for the littlest cachers, and there is plenty of room for trade goods and Travel Bugs.
Please do not ask the staff about the location of the cache, although they will be happy to answer any questions of a botanical nature. There are times when there are many muggles in the building, please use stealth mode.
HIDDEN LAKE GARDENS - A Brief History
Hidden Lake Gardens was donated to Michigan State University (then Michigan State College) in 1945 by Harry A. Fee, an Adrian businessman. He had always dreamed of owning a lake, and, upon his retirement in 1926, he purchased Hidden Lake along with 200 acres of land surrounding it. He repaired and refurbished the old farmhouse, built a greenhouse, and began farming. He soon realized that the land was not suitable to conventional farming or raising livestock and so he began to grow nursery stock. Not wanting to compete with local nurseries during the depression he planted the stock on his own land in an effort to create a “series of pictures,” a philosophy that we continue to strive for today. Mr. Fee described Hidden Lake Gardens as a “dream as you go development”. He built a road in from Hwy. 50 and landscaped it with a shrub and perennial border. The lake was cleaned out and the small pond and rock garden were constructed.
“...I determined to build a road which would make the several beautiful views to be had from various places on the property accessible…” This road was built around the lake and later extended to the top of what Mr. Fee called Juniper Hill, which is what we call it today. Much later, small parking areas were added at these vistas to allow the public to pause and enjoy the views.
“When the idea that I was making a series of beautiful scenic pictures available to the Public and just when I decided to dedicate the Gardens to public service I do not remember…all subsequent work has been and should be continued with the prime object of its being for the Benefit of the Public…” Mr. Fee donated Hidden Lake Gardens to Michigan State University (then Michigan State College) in 1945 and his wish that the Gardens be for the benefit and education of the public has continued through the years. He was actively involved in decision making at the Gardens until his death in 1955. With his generous endowment under the direction of MSU‘s Horticulture Department, the Division of Campus Parks and Planning and presently Land Management, the Gardens has continued to develop with land acquisitions, construction of buildings, and the establishment of educational programs. The original 200 acres have grown to 755 acres! This includes a 120 acre arboretum that was begun in 1962 and consists of plant groups such as crabapples, lilacs, maples, evergreens, and shrubs.