In June, I had the opportunity to visit the Matthaei Botanical Garden in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was a beautiful day for a walk with family. In the conservatory, the garden’s 80 year old American Agave bloomed for the first and last time. It stretched over 28 feet tall growing out through the ceiling where a glass pane was removed. It is unusual for the agave plant to wait so long to bloom. Maybe it knew it would only flower once in its lifetime then die. Because there aren’t any natural pollinators in the area, the conservatory horticulturists pollinated the flowers by hand with a paint brush hoping for seeds for future plantings.
The garden has quite a bit of variety throughout the year including nice walking paths and special events. If you are in the area and enjoy plants, it is worth planning a visit.