Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (Akron, OH)

A travel writer wrote, “I’ll be passing through Cleveland this summer on a family trip. My interest is on gardens right now. Is there something I should make a point of seeing?” 

 

Sure thing . . . flora and fauna abounds here in Cleveland Plus–my allergies prove it. Here are just a few suggestions to get garden lovers started:

 

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (Akron, south of Cleveland)
330.836.5533
www.stanhywet.org
65-room manor on 70 acres with acres of gardens including allees, a walled English garden, a conservatory and museum store. Former home of rubber baron F.A. Seiberling and his family, this historic estate shows how the other half once lived.

Cleveland Botanical Garden (Cleveland’s University Circle)
888.853.7091
www.cbgarden.org
An exotic Glasshouse featuring two ecosystems and 10 acres of beautiful gardens, including an award-winning children’s garde, right in the heart of University Circle, the most densely concentrated square mile of arts and culture in the nation.

The Holden Arboretum (Kirtland, just east of Cleveland)
440.946.4400
www.holdenarb.org
Enjoy year-round beauty and activities with about 20 miles of trails; butterfly, wildflower and rhododendron gardens; and natural areas.

Lake Metroparks Farmpark (Kirtland)
800.366.farm
www.lakemetroparks.com
If you are coming with family and you are already about 30 minutes east of Cleveland, be sure to stop in at Lake Metroparks Farmpark.  Once there, you can milk a cow, take a wagon ride and meet more than 50 breeds of farm animals. The attractions also makes efforts to explore sustainability with solar and wind power displays, The Great Tomato Works, hydroponic exhibits and more.  

Lake View Cemetery (Cleveland)
216.421.2665
www.lakeviewcemetery.com
We know, we’ve heard it before. You are sending me to an active CEMETERY for a vacation trip? Yeah, we are. Disbelief will be resplaced by apprecation when you visit this historic garden cemetery founded in 1869. Not only can you admire the landscape, but there are beautiful markers and famous names there. Make a point to check out the Garfield Monument, the Tiffany-designed Wade Chapel, the marker for Eliot Ness and Rockefeller’s Obelisk.  (Leave a dime at John D. Rockefeller’s grave and “they” say you may encounter good fortune and riches in the future.)

Big Creek Park (Chardon)
440.285.2222
Enjoy hiking, camping, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and fishing among the trails and ponds of this 642-acre park. Set in a Beech-Maple forest, you will find woodland animals, songbirds, and a spread of wild flowers.

Cleveland Metroparks (Regional)
216.351.6300
www.clemetparks.com
Catch a breath of fresh air as you explore the 20,000 acres of land the Cleveland Metroparks conserve and preserve. These 14 major parks encircle Cleveland in an “emerald necklace” of forests and woodlands. Activities available include horseback riding, biking, hiking, play fields, swimming, fishing, tobogganing, rollerblading, golfing, nature centers and free events for children and adults. Parks are open daily 6am – 11pm. Nature Centers are open 9:30am to 5pm daily. Log onto www.clemetparks.com for a complete listing of events and park directions.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Brecksville and south)
216.524.1497 
www.nps.gov/cuva/
Enjoy the great outdoors with over 30,000 acres of trails, forests and the Cuyahoga River. This recreational park offers ranger guided programs, concerts, special guest speakers, scenic train rides, nature walks, golfing, fishing and more. This park follows a natural path running 20 miles north and south along the Cuyahoga River. (Tip: You can board the vintage rails of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Independence and ride it through the park down to picturesque Peninsula or on to Akron and Canton. If you get off in Peninsula, there are shops, a couple of restaurants and a Century Cycles stop where you can rent a bike.)  

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens (Cleveland, near University Circle) 
A series of landscaped nationality gardens commemorating Cleveland’s diverse ethnic and cultural heritage. Take notice of the beautiful plant designs and blooming flowers. Location: From I-90 to University Circle along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
216.321.5935
www.shakerlakes.org
Have fun and learn about the environment in an outdoor adventure class.  Hike through foliage and forest or identify wild flowers, bird species and your favorite plants.  Center hours are Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm and Sunday, 1pm – 5 pm. Trails open dawn-dusk. 

Rockefeller Park Greenhouse and Botanical Gardens (Cleveland)  
216.664.3103 
www.rockefellergreenhouse.org
This greenhouse is home to beautiful and interesting exotic plants and flowers, and is of the last remnants of the Rockefeller Estate. Open daily, 10am – 4pm.

Schoepfle Garden (Birmingham, west of Cleveland)
440.965.7237
www.loraincountymetroparks.com/sgarden.htm
You might never know this treasure was here if someone didn’t tell you. It’s 70 acres of botanical gardens and natural woodland bordered on one side by the Vermilion River. The garden features collections of rhododendrons, roses, cannas, hostas, various shade plants, along with many varieties of shrubs, topiaries and trees.  Open daily, summer hours (first weekend in April to the end of Oct.) 8am – 8pm and winter hours 8am – 4:30pm.  Guided tours are available.  (TIP: There is a small pizza place in town called Boccardi’s, as well as a few antiques and vintage shops. Down the street on Rte. 60, as a novelty and some comfort fare you can try the Woolly Bear Drive-In, a tiny place. My dad always says, “It seats 300″ to which an incredulous passenger asks, “Really?” Dad’s response, “Yeah! Just not all at the same time.”) )

Nelson-Kennedy Ledges Park
440.564.2279
http://ohiodnr.com/parks
This small state park provides a thrilling experience to visitors with its rugged cliffs and diverse plant life typical of a more northern climate.  Location: State Route 282, Nelson Township. 

I know I’ve missed a few, but that’s more than enough to keep any green thumb busy in Cleveland Plus, I think.  –Samantha Fryberger