This narrow corridor lined with boulders and accented with dwarf conifers is known as Boulder Pass, but Herbert Dow knew this area as “the stump cut.” As pine tree stumps were cleared from the property they were embedded into the hillside to create a path through this natural ridge. The resin from the trees preserved the stumps for over 50 years! As part of the 1970s revitalization project, the stump cut was replaced by these large boulders, which were sourced from a quarry in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
As you emerge from Boulder Pass you will notice a waterfall. This waterfall, framed by Junipers and Kousa Dogwoods, pumps up to 750 gallons-per-minute and circulates water throughout the gardens, feeding first into the nearby stream.