As the snow starts to melt and white turns to green, there’s no better time to take in the beauty of springtime blooms. Whether you’re looking to get away but stay outdoors or you just want some of nature’s beauty, we’ve got you covered with conservatories and botanical gardens, both in and out of Ohio.
Near Home
Photo courtesy of the Franklin Park Conservatory
While Columbus is home to the renowned Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens – which features more than 125,000 tulips, narcissuses and other seasonal blooms – the capital city is also home to less renowned (but no less enjoyable!) gems including Inniswood Metro Gardens and the Columbus Park of Roses.
Across 123 acres, Inniswood features more than 2,000 different species of plants throughout its streams and woodlands. While it doesn’t contain a botanical garden, the paved paths and trails have beautifully gardened displays. Visitors can also walk, bike or hike along the garden’s trails and observe wildflowers and wildlife in more natural settings.
The Park of Roses is one of the largest public gardens in the U.S., with more than 12,000 rose specimens across hundreds of varieties. A 13-acre garden, the park features five horticultural themes as well as more than a mile of paved walkways. The park’s observation tower is a popular location for photos.
Statewide
Courtesy of Holden Forests & Gardens
The Cleveland Botanical Garden features more than 10 acres of outdoor gardens. Among its themed sections, highlights include a Madagascar glasshouse with “upside-down” baobab trees, Japanese garden and a tranquil restorative garden.
The historic Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, located in Akron, makes for another easy trip up north. Though the estate’s 65-room Tudor revival manor house has plenty to see inside, you’ll also want to wander the 70 acres of landscaped grounds and formal gardens.
In Cincinnati, the Krohn Conservatory has a range of different plant houses, including fern, palm, desert and orchid houses. At Glenwood Garden, guests can explore an outdoor oasis with 335 acres of gardens, forest and wetlands. Glenwood features the Highfield Discovery Garden, where gardens center around wizards, trolleys and more.
Day Tripping
A number of botanical spots outside Ohio provide opportunities for a short adventure or an excuse to take a vacation. In Detroit, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory houses an extensive collection of exotic plants, a formal perennial garden, a lily pond garden and five sections of flora, each from a different climate, including temperate, desert and tropical.
Head west to Pittsburgh for the Phipps Conservatory’s diverse range of specimens across both formal and exotic gardens. The conservatory’s Spring Flower Show: Sunshine and Rainbows opens March 19 and showcases all the vibrant colors spring blooms have to offer.
In Louisville, the Waterfront Botanical Garden seeks to enhance appreciation of the relationship between plant life and a healthy environment with a vision of “planting seeds and growing minds.” Check out this conservatory to learn more about sustainability while taking in the beautiful foliage it has to offer.
For a little longer road trip, consider visiting Nashville or Chicago. Nashville’s Cheekwood Estate & Garden, built in 1929 and converted from a home into a museum in 1960, goes beyond a typical conservatory with historical exhibits and art in addition to botanical gardens. The spring exhibition, Cheekwood in Bloom, runs from March 12-April 10 and features magnolias, redbuds, dogwoods and other spring favorites.
After posing with The Bean in Chicago’s Grant Park, head north to Lincoln Park Conservatory, which features four display houses: the palm house, fern room, orchid house and show house.
Courtesy of Waterfront Botanical Gardens
72379 092520 Waterfront Botanical Gardens | Beargrass Creek Pathway
Megan Roth is a senior editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
