The Southern Michigan Unit maintains two gardens at historic Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills Michigan which is in Oakland county in Southeastern Michigan . The unit has been part of Cranbrook since 1969.  The gardens are open to the public from May through September.

There are two herb gardens the upper and lower garden.  The lower garden is a formal garden watched over by the sculpture of Ecolo, Goddess of the Earth. Clipped boxwood hedges surround herb and perennial beds that showcase a wide variety of herbs including a small showy rose garden. Exceptional brick paths add to the beauty of the garden.

The upper garden is “The Studio Garden” because it backs into a small building once used as a studio. The Studio Garden  is a collection of traditional herb gardens:  Culinary, Butterfly and Bee, Medicinal and Dye, Memory, Wall, and Fairy Woodland Gardens with plants carefully chosen for use and delight.  We have three large containers near the door of the studio that are replanted every year to highlight some of our projects and interest e.g.  Tea, Fragrance etc. This garden also has brick pathways throughout.

In addition to our annual planting and garden clean up, the unit puts in 4 to 6 hours a week working in teams to maintain the gardens throughout the season.  Each team chooses which of the specialty gardens they will maintain for the year.

Every year the Cranbrook House and Gardens auxiliary hosts a two day plant sale in May.  The Southern Michigan Unit mans the herb booth which gives us some exposure and an opportunity to talk about herbs for two days straight.  We love talking about herbs.

We raise funds for our gardens by offering lectures and workshops.

The gardens are in Zone 6a.