Ohio
Gardens - An Historical Vignette
Ohio
is rich in gardening tradition, a history that reaches
to early colonial days when pioneers in their covered
wagons entered the Western Reserve, they were looking
for new homes to replace those burned during attacks in
Connecticut. The section of Ohio granted to them in which
they might build their new homes, was given the name of
Firelands.
Firelands at the time was a dense, uninhabitable forest
of gigantic oaks, chestnuts, walnuts, ashs, elms and other
trees but some it became home, dotted with small towns
with little white houses and churches in the style of
the early 1800's, many of which replicated those in New
England. With the new settlers came treasured keepsakes
from home: - seeds, herbs, plants, some medicinal ones
such as the red peony, Poeonia offficinalis.
The story of how ivy came to Ohio reaches back to
Sally de Forest Benedict, the first woman to establish
a house in Norwalk. According to reports at the time,
just after the journey started, Sally stopped the wagons,
jumped out and ran back to her home for a sprig of ivy.
That same ivy continues to grow and proudly adorn the
gardens in Norwalk, over 250 years later.
Ohio has many beautiful public
gardens as well. Inniswood Botanical Garden in Westerville
belonged to two sisters, Grace and Mary Innis, who wanted
to share their passion of nature and gardening with others.
During the latter years of her life, Grace began to work
with the Ohio Metro Park System, to build elaborate gardens
as a tribute to a beloved sister and a gift to the people
of Ohio. Although Grace didn't have formal training as
a horticulturist, she was an avid plant breeder with a
special enthusiasm for peonies, hostas, daylilies, and
daffodils. Many of the hybrids and cultivars she developed
were named for her, including a peony, `Her Grace'; the
hosta `Inniswood', and the narcissus `Inniswood' and `Innisberg'.
Her herb garden, with four vine-covered pergolas many
theme gardens such as the Thyme Garden, Knot Garden, and
Bee Garden add to the unique charm of her gardens. Grace
died in 1982, generously leaving beautiful gardens that
hundreds of thousands of people enjoy today.
Bibliography
and Acknowledgments
Shown: Scarlet Carnation (
Dianthus caryophyllus )
