WesterFlora
For more than three decades, the WesterFlora garden tour has invited residents to step inside some of Westerville’s most stunning gardens, celebrating the beauty of community-grown creativity. Beginning as a small event, the tour has since blossomed into a beloved city tradition, shaped by dedicated volunteers, passionate gardeners and years of memorable moments. As this year’s tour returns July 19 with a new theme and fresh inspiration, organizers reflect on its history while continuing to cultivate a unique experience that’s equal parts garden showcase, neighborhood gathering and summertime ritual.
Planting the seed
Ken Haas
WesterFlora took root back in 1992, the same year Columbus hosted AmeriFlora, an international flower show that briefly transformed central Ohio into a hub of horticultural pride.
Neighborhoods across the region, including Westerville, spruced up their gardens, organized tours and launched friendly competitions in celebration of the moment. Most of those efforts faded after a few seasons, but one tradition endured.
Today, WesterFlora stands as the only garden tour from that AmeriFlora era still flourishing each summer.
Its longevity owes much to Dr. Ronald Clowson, the father of WesterFlora and a longtime member of the Westerville Garden Club who became captivated by the idea of a community garden showcase.
Inspired by the excitement surrounding AmeriFlora, he helped establish WesterFlora and remained one of its most dedicated champions before his passing in 2023.
In its earliest years, WesterFlora began as a judged contest – initiated by current Chairwoman of WesterFlora Susan Haas – complete with prizes for the most beautiful gardens. But organizers soon realized the competition was discouraging residents who felt their yards weren’t worthy of entering.
“That’s not what WesterFlora is about. We want to showcase all kinds of neighborhood gardens,” Haas says.
From shade gardens and vegetable plots, to tiny front yards – the tour celebrates them all.
Shear spectacles
WesterFlora
WesterFlora has never been just a garden tour – it’s a stage for stories, tributes and the occasional surprise. Over the years, several moments have stood out as defining chapters in the event’s history.
In 2018, the tour turned blue in honor of two Westerville police officers, Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering, killed in the line of duty. Residents planted blue blooms across their gardens and the event highlighted the First Responders Park, where police representatives spoke with visitors about their work.
That same year brought WesterFlora’s first “Legacy Garden.” An elderly couple signed up at the last minute, hoping to show their garden one final time before moving. Organizers soon learned they had participated for 20 years, from the very first tour and honored them as the final destination on the tour and with a written tribute.
Ken Haas
In 2025, the spotlight shifted to the LeVeque Mansion on Africa Road. A young couple had renovated the historic home with a contemporary addition, drawing visitors eager to see the transformation.
This year’s theme – All American Gardens – celebrates the nation’s 250th birthday with a red, white and blue grand spectacle. Organizers plan to feature Westerville’s Veterans Memorial and honor the community’s Revolutionary War history.
As every year prior, WesterFlora will also roll out a patriotic float in the Fourth of July parade, with plants supplied by Hoover Gardens.
Ken Haas
Perennial preparation
For WesterFlora’s 10-member committee, preparations begin in early April.
WesterFlora
Working with Hoover Gardens and Westerville Parks and Recreation, the team orders the signature yard signs and secures the gift cards Hoover donates each year.
Planning starts April 30 and by May 1, applications are available at the Community Center, Hoover Garden Center, the Westerville Public Library and online.
Haas has also built a roster of artists and musicians from across Ohio who paint or perform among the gardens, a feature that keeps visitors returning.
Applications typically close June 13, with accepted gardeners notified by June 19.
Ken Haas
By then, committee members have already driven past each home to get a sense of how each garden might fit into the tour.
Recruiting participants remains a challenge – many residents doubt their gardens are ready – but Haas encourages them, reminding neighbors that WesterFlora welcomes all styles and skill levels.
Weather adds its own unpredictability.
“It always rains on WesterFlora, even if it’s just a drizzle,” Haas says.
But visitors rarely mind – it’s an opportunity to pull out rain boots, coats and umbrellas and enjoy the tour in its natural glory.
All the buzz
WesterFlora’s impact reaches far beyond the gardens themselves – it involves entire neighborhoods.
“It gets the neighborhood buzzing,” Haas says.
As soon as the tour approaches, residents start sprucing up their yards and sharing maintenance and presentation tips.
Haas experienced that spirit firsthand last year when neighbors pitched in to help tidy her garden, even picking up stray leaves for show day.
The tour naturally pulls people together. At times, next-door neighbors also team up and apply as a pair, a collaboration the Westerville Garden Club actively encourages.
The goal isn’t perfection – it’s participation. Organizers want more people to discover the joy of gardening, no matter the size of their space.
Rose Whaley is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
