Kingwood Christmas

Christmas is a spectacular time to visit Kingwood Center. The snow has adorned the mansion with the  Christmas spirit on the outside, but the holiday decorations on the inside are really festive!  It is a big deal around here.

If you can't come to Mansfield to visit in person, you'll want to go to their website and browse the lovely photos of Kingwood in all its glory.  Kingwood is an educational and horticultural resource unparalleled in mid-Ohio.

American Holly, Ilex opaca

Each week they pick a plant of the week.  This week they went with my suggestion of American Holly, Ilex opaca.  This is a native Ohio plant that looks wonderful in the landscape and feeds wildlife.  It is great for those Christmas table decorations, too!  This is the perfect plant to feature this week.

Chuck Gleaves from Kingwood Center  with guest, Cheryl Harner

Last night I was the guest on Kingwood Plant Talk program with their Executive Director Chuck Gleaves. You can bet I took the opportunity to talk about native plants, insects and some of the birds that utilize them.  Kingwood's and  WMFD's websites have links to the video-  or try this link:

http://www.wmfd.com/newsboard/player/videoroomplayer.asp?story=27114

It takes you right to the program.  Hope you enjoy the show, and now I must get back to making some table arrangements. You can bet they will have fresh holly in them!

Master Gardeners partner with Kingwood Center

People interested in botany and horticulture are fortunate to have several excellent resources in mid-Ohio, including Richland County Master Gardeners and Kingwood Center.




Kingwood Center is a horticultural jewel, open to the public since 1953. I often have the pleasure of conducting tours for them, especially for Master Gardener or Garden Club tours. Kingwood is now closed for the winter, until March 1st. However, we had a special event on Saturday.

The local Master Gardeners are teaming up with Kingwood to pool our resources. Our Saturday training session for trainees took place at Kingwood, with one of Ohio's best Horticultural speakers, Dr. Laura Deeter. Dr. Deeter teaches horticultural classes at OSU's Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Wooster.

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She is a real dynamo! Six hours of class room time goes by in a flash when Dr. Deeter is on stage, as she has earned several Distinguished Teacher Awards, one from ATI and one from OSU Alumni Association. If you ever have an opportunity to hear her speak, go for it! Not only is she well versed on landscaping and ornamentals, she is well-acquainted with the native species too.

And yes, her license plate reads, "Garden Hoe." That should give you some idea of the energy and enthusiasm that awaits her lucky students!

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Thanks for speaking to our group, Laura! Kingwood can't wait to have you back again.

Kingwood Tours

Fall has arrived at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio, but there is still a spectacular display of flora. Although summer has come and gone, there is much to see on the former estate of Charles Kelly King, and the green house is a cozy spot on any day.

The most photographed location in Mansfield, the formal allee leading to the fountains. This is standard fare for every prom and wedding picture in Richland county.

Here is our welcoming committee. The peacocks greet visitors and are the delight of young and old alike! Kingwood has long been noted for the beautiful birds that grace the grounds.

Kingwood's horticultural staff masterfully mixes native Ohio plants with unusual annuals. A great place to garner landscape ideas, featuring native grasses and Joe-Pye-weed. The cool fall nights have really added intensity to the colors of the flowering plants, and the pink impatiens look absolutely radio-active!

I had the good fortune of leading a group of Inniswood volunteers through our grounds. After we admired the many formal gardens and did some green-house plant shopping, we had a grand time at the duck pond.

Kingwood's new Indian Runner Ducks are real show stealers! This guy was making us all "quack" up! Featured in the movie "Babe," these comical ducks look like bowling pins on legs.

And here is my now nearly-famous "Shovler" mobile with a new retro-look. It is right at home at the mansion with those wide white-walls!

If you enjoyed the highlights of my afternoon adventure, you'll want to make plans to visit Kingwood or take a tour with your garden club or group, too.