Special Events

The Columbus Rose Club hosts its annual rose show in the Shelter House on the second Saturday of June. The Show is open to the public from 1:30 - 4:30. For more information contact Elton Smith at aecsmith@columbus.rr.com.

The Civitan Club of North Columbus begins its 53rd consecutive year of free musical evenings on June 13. Concerts are staged in the historic Fort Hayes Gazebo in the Main Garden, start at 7 pm and move into the Shelter House in case of inclement weather. For more information, contact Glenn Williams at 614.268.3567.

Seasonal Interest

Spring

The Park is home to many interesting flowering trees and shrubs. White-flowering crab apples make the road into the Park
a lovely sight in April. Surrounding the roses are redbuds, magnolias, dogwoods, rhododendrons, quince and a medlar. Lilacs add perfume to the air and oak leaf hydrangeas sport white fragrant flower heads.The Herb and Perennial Gardens start to wake up in late March. Many of the “old roses” in the Heritage Garden begin blooming in May, earlier than the
“modern roses” in the Main Garden.

Summer

The Main and Earth-Kind Gardens put on their first show in early June. There are different varieties of roses in bloom from then through September, which is the second peak season in the Park. Tthe Annual bed around the flag pole is filled with color and texture from July till frost. This is the time to visit Whetstone Prairie, where colorful native flowers and grasses are shoulder tall.

Fall and Winter

Copper beeches and witch hazel trees add fall color to the Park, along with the now scarlet hydrangea leaves. By late September, the staff and Volunteers stop dead-heading the roses so they quit producing new blooms. Gardening
ends in mid-November with the cutback and mulching of roses. The Park is a great place for winter walks and feeders
are kept stocked to attract a variety of birds.