Indiana Garden Tour Itinerary
June 4 – 7, 2008

Download Indiana Garden Tour Itinerary and Reservation Form

• Wednesday, June 4
  
  Depart Detroit area via Bianco motorcoach from East side location, Grosse Pte. Woods Municipal Bldg. parking area, 20025 Mack Ave., Grosse Pte. Woods at 7:15 a.m. Depart Schoolcraft College parking lot , Haggerty Rd. & 6 Mile (details provided) at 8:15 a.m. Enjoy snacks and box lunch onboard on way to Indianapolis. Arrive Indianapolis midafternoon (approximately 2:15 p.m.).
  
  Tours this afternoon: Indianapolis Art Center. The city’s leading community art education center. Gallery. Gift shop. The focus of this stop, the 'Artspark', 12 acres of gardens and sculpture in a wooded setting along the river.
  
  The park connects directly to the White River and part of the city greenway system, and a district with some of the best dining and galleries in the city.
  
  Holiday Park. One of the best cared for city parks. A very active friends group (and the generosity of the original donors of the property) created a delightful space of monumental sculpture, manicured gardens, native plant restoration, and more.
  
  Dinner on your own. Many good restaurants within short walking distance of the hotel.

• Thursday, June 5
  
  In the morning, visits to three private gardens:
  
  Behind an unpretentious suburban ranch house is a stunning perennial garden developed by quilter Kay Kingsley.
  
  In the secluded Crow’s Nest neighborhood, Dr. Gilbert and Emily Daniels’ home sited on a bluff overlooking the wooded White River valley. Their garden includes a pond, stream, diverse collection of woody plants, and remnants of an earlier Jens Jensen landscape.
  
  The Meridian-Kessler neighborhood has a grand collection of mansions (including the Governor’s residence) similar to Grosse Pointe with deep set-backs, mature trees, and hidden gems. Daniel and Melissa Daum will be our hosts.
  
  Lunch at the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s Café by Wolfgang Puck
  
  The afternoon will be given to exploring the gardens and grounds (152 acres) of the IMA as well as the Art Museum (the nation’s tenth largest) and the Lilly House mansion—the center of the 26 acre Olmsted-designed National Historic Landmark, 'Oldfields.' Tours guided by horticulture staff in the gardens and docents inside the museum. Motorized transportation through gardens available.
  
  Dinner on your own. Opportunities for after dinner:
  
  Two of several suggestions:
  
  Eiteljorg Museum’s beautiful native plant gardens. If you thought natives meant bland and weedy, see this wonderful new space. http://www.eiteljorg.org . From there is access to:
  
  White River State Park sculpture collection http://www.in.gov.whiteriver/about/sculpture.html

• Friday, June 6
  
  White River Gardens and Conservatory at the Indianapolis Zoo. Delightful garden rooms and plant combinations in a compact space. www.whiterivergardens.com
  
  Private Garden: A gem in the midst of downtown -- 1890s house/modern garden.
  
  Cit-E-Scape Garden Center: The city’s finest and most unique. A shopping opportunity.
  
  Lunch to be determined
  
  Garfield Park and Conservatory: 1880’s conservatory and sunken gardens marvelously restored.
  
  Private Garden: Visit the Miller’s garden on the city’s Northwest edge.
  
  Trader’s Point Creamery: An organic farmers’ market: Soaps, organic produce, wine, farm-made cheese and much more.
  
  After dinner possibility:
  
  'First Friday Art Tour': Visit a variety of Downtown galleries and studios from 5 – 9 p.m. This Massachusetts Ave. corridor includes some of the city’s best, most diverse, reasonable dining. Visit www.idada.org for more information.
  
  Free city bus circulates to the galleries from hotel area. More possibilities will be presented.

• Saturday, June 7
  
  Depart hotel in the morning for Muncie and the Ball estate, Minetrista. We will tour the grounds and take part in the yearly Garden Day. Garden items for sale, cooking demonstrations and much more.
  
  Pick up a box lunch in Muncie on our way to Carolee’s Herb Farm just north of Muncie. Carolee’s herb collection is renowned (60 varieties of basil, for instance), and her lavender field, herb gardens, and garden rooms with miniature plant collections are all the more reason to make this an important stop. Since we will be returning to Detroit shortly, any plant purchases can be stored in luggage storage area.
  
  On our journey home, we may make a quick dinner stop. Arrival home in Detroit approximately 7 p.m.
  
  Final details will be provided at the trip meeting on May 6, noon, in the DGC offices. Lunch will be provided.
  
  Included in the tour: Bus transportation by Bianco Tours; three nights lodging at the downtown Hampton Inn in Indianapolis, all breakfasts and lunches, daily bottled water on the bus, all entrance and guide fees, tips to bus driver and guide.
  
  Trip insurance highly recommended. In the past, AAA has provided a reasonable insurance policy. You do not have to be an AAA member to purchase coverage. If there are health concerns, please be advised that payment of insurance coverage is typically required within seven to fourteen days of trip deposit to protect your coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.
  
  Membership in the Detroit Garden Center is a travel requirement. Membership includes receipt of the DGC Bulletin, membership rates for classes, and use of the library. Yearly memberships are $25 active; $20 senior; $40 family; and $50 contributing. A membership envelope is enclosed for your convenience. If you are not a member or need to renew, please add your membership fee to your deposit check.
  
  Trip cost: $700 double occupancy; $870 single occupancy. Deposit of $200 due April 1 to reserve a space.
  
  Our guides are a horticulturist from the Indianapolis Museum of Art gardening staff, Geoff VonBurg and an herbalist and guide from the Herb Society of America, Sue Arnold.
  
  Reservation and Deposit: A per person deposit of $200 is due at the time of reservation. The final payment is due May 1, 2008. Checks should be made payable to the Detroit Garden Center.
  
  Cancellation: Deposits and payments are refundable if cancellation notice is received by April 15, 2008, less a $100 administrative fee. There will be no refunds for cancellation received after May 1, 2007. Unused services are not refundable and refunds cannot be made to persons not completing the tour for any reason. If the tour must be withdrawn, the liability to the Detroit Garden Center is limited to a refund only of monies received.
  
  Responsibility: The Detroit Garden Center, Inc. acts only in the capacity of agent for the suppliers of travel services in all matters relating to the making of arrangements for hotel accommodations, sightseeing, tours, and all services provided incident thereto, entertainment and transportation by motor coach. Because of its status as agent and because it maintains no control over the personnel, equipment, or operation of travel service suppliers, The Detroit Garden Center, Inc. shall not be liable for any injury, damage, or loss, occasioned by neglect or default of any company or other person supplying services or materials in connection with the tour. The Detroit Garden Center, Inc. bears no responsibility for any injury or health problem occurring on the tour. The Detroit Garden Center, Inc. accepts no responsibility for loss or additional expenses due to delay or change in carrier equipment or other services, sickness, weather, strikes, war, quarantine, or any other causes. The Detroit Garden Center, Inc. reserves the right to withdraw the tour, to refuse to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time, and to make changes in the published itinerary whenever in their sole judgment conditions warrant, or they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience and safety of the passengers.