Saturday was pretty hot here in the Buckeye State, but we had plans to venture out to the Columbus Park of Roses and didn’t want to let a little heat stand in our way. We had heard a lot about the park and made a preliminary visit in early May. The park was impressive, but with nothing yet in bloom, we vowed to return.
Park of Roses
The park is located in Clintonville, a bedroom community of Columbus, and is a park within a park. It exists as a 13 acre plot within the larger Whetstone Park. According to the official site, there are over 11,000 roses on the property representing 350 different types. The park is in bloom from mid-June through mid-September, so plan your visit accordingly.
The park is divided into six distinct garden: the Formal Rose Garden, Heritage Rose Garden, Perennial Garden, Herb Garden, Backyard Garden, and the Arboretum. We spent most of our time Saturday in the Formal Rose Garden, which was in full bloom.
The Formal Rose Garden
This part of the park dates from 1953 and was an original part of the park. It’s based on a formal Italianate garden design and is symmetrical along a central axis. This section of the park covers seven acres and includes a large fountain, complete with stone benches. At the far end of the garden is an ornate observation tower accessed by a spiral staircase for a unique view of the garden.
Heritage Rose Garden
The Heritage Rose Garden, dedicated in 1986, includes roses cultivated before 1867. I learned that this is the date generally accepted as the beginning of the age of modern roses. According to the Park of Roses website, heritage roses are more fragrant than modern roses and flower only once a year.
Herb Garden
We took a quick turn through the Herb Garden, but did stop to take a look at a section designated as a Bird, Bee and Butterfly Bed. It featured flowers designed to attract butterflies and pollinators and had a large stone bird bath. Other themed beds include: culinary, tea, medicinal, dye, edible flowers, fragrance, rose, and Native American.
Perennial Garden
As it was getting a little warm, we skipped the Perennial Garden and Arboretum. On our previous visit we had visited both, and did get some nice photos of the gazebo in the Perennial Garden. The Park is a premiere wedding venue and it seems the gazebo is a popular spot.
Backyard Garden
We made a quit stop in the Backyard Garden. This area of the park includes a variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and plantings designed to provide visitors with creative and manageable ideas for their own gardens.
Park Information
Parking and admission are free at the park and hours are from 7 am until dusk year round. The address is 3901 North High Street, Columbus. The paths are paved and level, making them convenient for wheelchair or stroller access. The property is dog friendly, so long as you keep your pup on a leash and clean up after.
Whetstone Park
The larger park, Whetstone Park, includes forested walking trails, tennis courts, ball diamonds, playgrounds, shelter houses, and the usual park amenities. For more information, you can check out the official site.
Plan a Visit
If you will be visiting Columbus this summer, add the Park of Roses to your itinerary. It’s truly a beautiful park. Have a dog? No problem, We took our Pumpkin and there were several other dogs out as well. Kids? There were lots of kids out at the park. If yours are hesitant promise them a visit to the large playground afterward. Senior citizens? The paths are level and paved which make it very walkable.
Have you visited the Park of Roses? Let us know what you thought in the comments. Looking for more Ohio adventures? Check out our tab for Ohio daytrips. And remember, as always, we appreciate you sharing our content on social media.
