Landscape Architect Articles

LASN Stewardship February 200902-01-09 | News

Heritage Garden Showcases Ohio?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Water Garden offers native Ohio aquatic plants, including the vines climbing the restored pergola.
Photos: Ian Adams

In 1955, a modest residence in Columbus, Ohio was donated to the state to serve as the governor?EUR??,,????'?????<

Since then, the 3.5-acre site has evolved into a heritage garden, featuring a landscape that showcases Ohio?EUR??,,????'?????<

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To achieve this goal, Ms. Taft secured the donated services of landscape architect Gary Meisner of Meisner + Associates Land Vision, horticulturalist Dewey Hollister and ecologist Guy Denney. Meisner?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The home donated to the state, now the residence of Ohio Gov. C. William O?EUR??,,????'?????<

Regions of Ohio represented in the garden include the unglaciated Appalachian (Allegheny) plateaus, the oldest landscape in Ohio, located in the southeastern portion of the state; the central lowland till plains; the interior low plateau, the bluegrass section; the Huron-Erie Lake plains; and the glaciated Appalachian (Allegheny) plateau.

Docent-guided tours stress the importance of using native plants for economic, environmental, and aesthetic reasons. Visitors are introduced to early Ohio botanists and hybridizers and to plants that grow naturally in the state, which they may have never seen or considered using.

Meisner said kiosks and discreet information displays may be installed in the garden, but the idea is for visitors to interact with one another and the docents to learn about the native plants on display.

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Taft said the garden sees approximately 20,000 visitors per year, adding that the residence still serves as the home for the First Family.

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In conjunction with Friends of the Ohio Governor?EUR??,,????'?????<

Design Team
Hope Taft ?EUR??,,????'?????< Dewey Hollister ?EUR??,,????'?????< Guy Denny ?EUR??,,????'?????< Gary W. Meisner ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Key Participants
Frances Strickland ?EUR??,,????'?????< Pam Bennett ?EUR??,,????'?????< Alta Beasley ?EUR??,,????'?????< Debbie Addison ?EUR??,,????'?????< Jane Rogers ?EUR??,,????'?????< Prof. Debra Knapke ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Ohio State Agency Participants
Julie Stone ?EUR??,,????'?????< Mary Alice Mairose ?EUR??,,????'?????< Rick Stanforth ?EUR??,,????'?????< Chet Chaney ?EUR??,,????'?????< Laura Roth ?EUR??,,????'?????< Curtis Carter ?EUR??,,????'?????< Rick Gardner ?EUR??,,????'?????< James Beasley ?EUR??,,????'?????< Pete Gunnell ?EUR??,,????'?????< Jim Miller ?EUR??,,????'?????<
There are approximately 250 active volunteers working on many aspects of this project. There are also a large number of subcommittee volunteers, some with expertise in geology, agriculture, history, engineering and soils.