The Grounds
QUIET. BEAUTIFUL. UNFORGETTABLE.
The Grounds and Gardens
The gardens at Ford House reward a slow visit. There is no wrong time to walk them, but there are better times, and the estate is worth planning around.
Landscape architect Jens Jensen designed the grounds as part of the original estate, completed between 1926 and 1929. His approach was naturalistic: shaped by the existing terrain and the ecology of the lakefront rather than imposed upon it. The result is 87 acres that feel like a place that grew here rather than one that was built.
The Gardens
The Pathways
- Maple Lane: A gravel path that runs through the trees to the Main Residence.
- Playhouse Road: Paved path leading toward Josephine's Playhouse
- Flower Lane: A winding grass path where flowers bloom
- ADA Accessible Path: Coming soon as part of the Shoreline Restoration Project
- Cove Road: Shuttle route to the Main Residence
Explore the Estate
What may seem like a natural landscape is, in fact, a masterwork of design. From the Main Residence to the Gate Lodge, the Meadow is one of the most intentional elements of landscape architect Jens Jensen’s vision for the estate. Using signature techniques like “long views” and native plantings, Jensen created the illusion of endless space — a design that draws the eye outward and makes the land feel expansive and timeless.
Whether you’re walking the shoreline, photographing seasonal blooms, or simply relaxing in the shade, the grounds at Ford House invite visitors of all ages to slow down, explore, and connect with nature.
The Meadow runs east to west and beautifully captures the setting sun in its grassy slope, punctuated by the shadows of bordering trees, bright daffodils and wildflowers.
Parallel to the north shoreline lies Bird Island, a manmade peninsula Jensen formed from a sandbar in Lake St. Clair. Once a protective cove for Edsel’s boats, it now shelters migrating birds. Jensen planted seed-bearing shrubs to attract the songbirds Edsel and Eleanor loved. Today, it’s a great spot for wildflowers and birdwatching.
The Lagoon was originally open to Lake St. Clair and was used by the Ford family for boat landing. For privacy and security, it was closed and now serves as a stormwater catch basin.
The shape of the swimming pool, located in the middle of two birch groves, was meant to resemble a natural, free-form, spring-fed pool you might see in Michigan’s northern woods.
The Fords loved the water, including boating and birdwatching. They located their home here, on Gaukler Point, to take full advantage of the view of Lake St. Clair.
Flower Lane was designed by Jensen to display cultivated perennial flowers in a natural setting bordered by overhanging, flowering trees. The flowers, shrubs, and trees are shaped in irregular clusters along the lane.
When you walk along Flower Lane, you will see the way the sunlight casts shadows along the flowers and ground cover. Eleanor and Edsel chose specific varieties of flowers and shrubs in soft colors, most commonly found in a natural setting.
The Formal Garden was redesigned in 1939, after Jensen retired, by his son-in-law and assistant, Marshall Johnson. You may notice that it is quite different than the naturalistic landscape work created by Jensen. This garden has straight lines and sheared yew hedges. Stroll around the reflection pool in the center and observe how it mirrors the surrounding trees.
At Eleanor Ford’s request, Jensen designed the Rose Garden—an unusual choice for him. While Rose Gardens were popular during the Golden Age of American gardening (1880–1940), their formal layout and high maintenance needs didn’t align with Jensen’s typical naturalistic style. This garden features hundreds of pastel-hued roses, with blue lilacs—one of Jensen’s signature plants—planted in the corners.
Landscape Design
The Fords’ vision for the land around their estate included wide-open and intimate outdoor spaces, special places for sports, relaxation, nature, and gatherings. They enlisted Jens Jensen, one of America’s foremost landscape designers and conservationists, to design the grounds here at Gaukler Pointe between 1926 and 1932.
Known as the master of the naturalistic approach to landscaping, Jensen’s design style combines woodlands, meadows, and wetlands in a natural design, giving no hint that it was designed intentionally. If you look closely you can see how Jensen used native plants, the sense of vast open space, the play of light and shadow, and the element of time and season’s change here.
Take a walk along the grounds and observe how Jensen’s approach to landscape architecture engages all five human senses- the sight of many colors and shapes, the sound of water running, the smell of flowers in bloom, the taste of berries, and the feeling of being surrounded by nature.
In 2016, Ford House was honored as a National Historic Landmark, in recognition of the design work of Jensen, in collaboration with the vision of Edsel and Eleanor Ford and architect Albert Kahn.
Explore the Grounds
A Ford House grounds pass lets you wander, wonder, and explore to your heart’s content. Join us for a day and get away.
Friends of Ford House
Joining Has Its Perks!
An annual Friends of Ford House membership is a great way to enjoy all that Ford House has to offer! Enjoy discounted tickets, pre-sale access, exclusive events, discounts on dining and shopping, and more.
