On most visits to Wegerzyn, I’ll find photographers capturing memorable life cycle events: a baby’s first birthday, teens dressed up for their prom, homecoming or graduation, joyous wedding gatherings. One afternoon in June, I came across a special celebration: members of Wegerzyn Garden Foundation honoring the past presidents of their organization, including Louise Mente Bennett, their first president.
I learned that on Oct. 31 my favorite garden would be celebrating its 50th anniversary. In honor of the occasion, last weekend the Foundation hosted Fall Family Adventure, a mix of traditional festival fun and hands-on educational opportunities that highlighted how plants and animals change in the fall season. Kids enjoyed live music and storytelling, had a good time leaf jumping and pumpkin stacking, and loved making leaf rubbings and pinecone animals.
“Families with young children really enjoy this event because it’s less focused on Halloween – which may be a bit too scary for some – and is more so a celebration of autumn and all the ways to enjoy the season outdoors,” said MetroParks education coordinator Betty Hoevel. “As we move into cooler weather, we really want to encourage families to enjoy the outdoors year-round because of nature’s wonderful benefits for everyone’s physical and mental health.”
Looking back
Although I’d been to Wegerzyn countless times over the years, I learned much more about it recently when Hoevel led a tour of the gardens for those enrolled in The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Dayton. She was joined by Wegerzyn park director David Gibbs and horticulturist Allison Bush.
We learned that it all began in the early 1960s when the Garden Club Federation of Dayton and Dayton Council of Garden Clubs, with a combined membership of nearly 2000, saw a community need and formalized their vision “to create a place that would bring people and plants together.”
“The beauty of gardens is that they are constantly evolving – whether due to plant growth, environmental conditions or community needs,” says Bush. “As you walk through Wegerzyn Gardens, make note that the gardens have transitioned over the last 50 years. These gardens are considered pleasure gardens with distinctive ornamental plants, neat paths for walking, and areas for recreation.”
Don’t miss these highlights:
- Formal gardens with garden rooms including a Garden Green and the Federal, English and Victorian Gardens.
- A swamp woods which includes the Marie Aull Trail and woodland boardwalk.
- The prairie and the “living room” nature art installation, a magical circle of trees.
- At the Children’s Discovery Garden, kids will learn about the many different habitats required to keep the environment healthy. In the summer they can play in the sandboxes and get a close up look at a summer vegetable garden. In 2023, the Children’s Discovery Garden Water Play area was redesigned for accessibility and sustainability purposes.
- The Community Gardens were so popular when they were introduced that the site at one time held 950 individual vegetable gardens, 20x40 feet, on 30 acres. “At the time, this impressive community garden was three times bigger than any in the country and was included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Largest Continuous Community Garden,” says Bush. “Today, Wegerzyn Gardens offers 400 community garden plots on a total of 6 acres. These gardens are still an important food resource for the Greater Dayton area.”
- The Woodland Garden is a shade garden of spring bulbs, ferns, hostas, shade-loving perennials, and a Witch Hazel collection of over 130 different varieties. “This show-stopping collection is best viewed in October for the amazing fall foliage color and December through March for the distinctive fragrant blooms,” says Bush.
- The land along the Stillwater River includes the bike path and giant old trees.
“Throughout the gardens you’ll find native and traditional garden plants artfully mixed together and offering great ideas for the home landscape in the Dayton area,” says Hoevel. “You’ll also discover beautiful open spaces filled with breezes and light filtered by surrounding trees. Birders are delighted with the range of species in the park, including hawks, and even an occasional visit by eagles.”
Credit: ASC
Credit: ASC
Volunteers make a difference
Jackie Simms McArdle, who was hired in 1986 as the garden’s director and remains a devoted member of the Wegerzyn Garden Foundation, lauds the continuous support of the local garden center families and garden clubs that began 10 years or more before the Center was opened and continues through today. She cites the Siebenthaler family, the Scarff family and the Kossoudjis of North Dayton Garden Center, the Scotts of Knollwood and the Grobys.
“In addition to generous yearly financial gifts that have kept Wegerzyn alive and growing to this day, we’ve also had the continuous support of board of trustees members, volunteers, fundraisers,” McCardle says. “That’s also true of the garden clubs and the organization People Bringing People and Plants Together.”
McCardle says the Farmers Market, which was also started in 1978, has been continuous since that year, though the location has changed to Webster Station and now the Second Street Market. “We can still buy produce and baked goods, and chat with Russell Garber at the market on Saturdays,” she says. “Garber Farms was the first vendor recruited for the Wegerzyn market in 1978.”
One of the Foundation’s upcoming projects is the garden’s first Rain Garden beds. “These beds are in areas where drainage is an issue and instead of fighting with the issue, we have decided to work with it and make it a beautiful landscape element and educational piece for the public,” explains Bush. “It will be a valuable tool for educating the public on how they can be sustainable on their own property.
The Wegerzyn Gardening Angels are an integral part of maintaining the gardens and the overall success of the operations. “Without our regular and episodic volunteers, we would not be able to perform the maintenance in the garden and park that provides the outdoor experience of inspiring our patrons to connect with nature,” says Bush.
Hoevel says the seasonal change is always a treat, whether it’s the first buds of spring, the full green and lush blossoms of summer, the first hint of fall, the diamond-like haze on the prairie the morning of the first heavy frost, and then the snow covering the park and bringing momentary silence and sleep.
“Wegerzyn is of course gardens and pathways, but also woods, prairies, light and shadow, seasonal beauty,” concludes Hoevel. “It is an amazing living work of art, growing and changing over the past 50 years. Come often and take in the beauty. You’ll be glad you did.”
Credit: ASC
Credit: ASC
Wegerzyn Gardens: A brief history
- In 1963, City of Dayton Commissioners approved the building of a horticultural complex beside the Stillwater River in DeWeese Park. The first master plan included greenhouses, an activity center building, flower conservatory and formal gardens. The greenhouses (taken down after the tornadoes in 2019) were built and funded by the city.
- At the same time the garden club members began fundraising events for the garden center activity building. Benjamin Wegerzyn, philanthropist and gardener, donated Xerox stock valued at $375,000 to the city for the structure. The garden clubs’ efforts after five years amounted to $125,000 which combined with Wegerzyn’s donation had the $500,000 needed to begin construction for the center.
- On October 31, 1973 Wegerzyn Gardens and the Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation were opened and in 1995 became part of the park district. At that time, the Foundation was relieved of financing and overseeing the staff and began concentrating on fundraising for future development. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting the educational and horticultural programs and continued development of Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks.
HOW TO GO
What: Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
Where: 1301 East Siebenthaler Avenue, across from DeWeese Parkway
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (April 1 through Oct. 31) and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Nov. 1 through March 31.) The Children’s Discovery Garden is closed from Jan. 1 through Feb. 29 and is open other months from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. From April 1 through Oct. 31, it’s open until 10 p.m.
Closed on Christmas and New Year’s days.
For information: Call (937) 275-PARK (7275) or www. metroparks.org/places-to-go/wegerzyn-gardens/
Upcoming programs:
- “Leaf Crunch Hike” at 11 a.m. until noon on Monday, November 20.
- “Witch Hazel Walk” from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, February 17.
Reservations are required for both of these programs. Call (937) 275-7275 or register online at www.metroparks.org
Want to volunteer?
Volunteers are always welcome at Wegerzyn and work alongside horticulture staff . You’ll learn gardening techniques and work on projects including bed maintenance, planting and removal of invasive species. Ask for volunteer services at (937) 275-7275.
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