Of Seasonal Interest

Spring

In addition to flowers, the Park is also home to many interesting and unusual trees and shrubs. A line of white-flowering crab apples makes the winding road into the Park a lovely sight in early spring. Flowering trees surrounding the roses include redbuds, magnolias, dogwoods, rhododendrons, quince and a medlar. Several varieties of lilacs add perfume to the air. Later on, oak leaf hydrangeas sport canopies of large white flower heads.

Many of the “old roses” in the Heritage Garden bloom earlier than the “modern roses” in
the Main Garden. Inevitably, Father Hugonis is the first to flower, this year in early May, followed closely by Harison’s Yellow. The Herb and Perennial Gardens wake up about this same time.

Summer

The Main and Earth-Kind Gardens put on their first show around early June. Every year is different in the Park. Some years, the flush of color in these gardens ebbs and flows throughout the summer and other years it seems to be a continuous affair right up through the usual September spectacular. By mid-summer, the Annual bed around the flag pole is in full glory. This is also the time to visit Whetstone Prairie, where native flowers and grasses are shoulder tall and full of color.

Fall and Winter

In the fall, copper beeches and witch hazel trees add 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. However, the Park is still a great place for winter walks
and feeders are kept stocked to attract a variety of birds.

Events

Many public events take place throughoutspring and summer in the Park of Roses.
The Rose Festival is no longer held in the Park, but some of this summer's offerings are listed below.

The Civitan Club of North Columbus presents its 52nd consecutive year of free musical evenings. 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.

Each June, the Central Ohio Rose Club hosts its annual 2-day rose show in the Shelter House. The Show is open to the public on Sunday. For more information contact Elton Smith at aecsmith@columbus.rr.com.