ArcaMax

Millions of Americans have been spending the last few months tilling soil and planting seeds in their gardens. The National Gardening Association estimates that members of more than one-third of households in this country are flower gardeners, and millions more will visit parks and gardens close to where they live or as they travel to enjoy some of Mother Nature's magnificent floral displays. Then there are those who will check out an underground grotto where fruit trees bloom, a centuries-old tree trunk that supports a thriving plantscape and a botanical garden filled with mementoes of popular children's books.

If you think a garden must be an area where only colorful blossoms bloom, think again. A surprisingly diverse collection of unique gardens throughout the country awaits discovery and exploration by those who appreciate natural beauty, intriguing stories, unusual attractions and touches of humor.

One example is a network of tunnels and rooms that were carved out of the soil in Fresno, California. An Italian immigrant named Baldassare Forestiere came to the Unites States in 1901, planning to become a citrus farmer. Instead, he ended up spending 40 years toiling with a shovel and mining pick to create a large underground garden filled with orange, grapefruit, lemon and other fruit trees. Skylights cut into the ceiling provide sunlight, and basins catch and store rainwater. Some of the trees growing in this grotto are more than 100 years old.

Those century-old trees are dwarfed in age by the trunk of the Host Analog Douglas fir tree that fell about 600 years ago and now lies outside the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The eight segments of the installation sprout seedlings from the state's old-growth forests, providing a wild, maintenance-free environment. It is watered every 15 minutes by mist sprayed from an irrigation system.

A magic school bus, fun house and other whimsical features grace the fanciful Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Popular children's stories come to life in more than 80 locations, each inspired by classics such as "Hansel and Gretel" and Where the Wild Things Are. The vibrant, playful settings, variety of special events and ever-evolving botanicals are as inviting for adults as they are remarkable for children.

The monkey, cat and dogs that inhabit Topiary Park in Columbus, Ohio, also entertain youngsters, while their parents are equally impressed by a garden that was inspired by a famous painting. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte was created by Georges Seurat, a founder of the neo-impressionist movement in the late 19th century. It depicts Parisians at a park on the banks of the Seine River. Those animals share the 7-acre plot with 80 larger-than-life topiaries and dozens of kinds of trees. The park also hosts jazz concerts.

France also influenced the White Head Institute Splice Garden in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This imaginative arrangement combines features of French Renaissance and Japanese Zen gardens and is perched on the roof of the White Head Institute for Biomedical Research building. Despite its realistic appearance, the plants are all made of plastic. The hedges are pieces of steel covered in Astroturf. Adding to the lifelike look is green-painted gravel.

Real plants adorn the top of the California Academy of Sciences Headquarters in San Francisco. A multilayered soil-drainage system and natural irrigation minimize upkeep for the native plants species. Adding to the appeal are contours that when viewed from afar, echo nearby hills. An open-air observation deck provides an ideal location to watch birds and bees attracted by the lush plantings.

An unusual botanical enclave with a dark story to tell is the small, private Poison Garden in Eureka, California. Amy Stewart, who wrote a book about lethal plants, tends hemlock, nightshade and several dozen other killer varieties. Gates prevent curious children and animals from accessing the unusual garden, and a tombstone lists names of famous people -- including Socrates and Abraham Lincoln's mother -- who lost their lives after ingesting poisonous plants.

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WHEN YOU GO

undergroundgardens.com

bustersimpson.net/hostanalog

bookwormgardens.org

columbusrecparks.com

wi.mit.edu

calacademy.org

visiteureka.com

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Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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