Schoepfle Gardens

Today is a wandering day.  We are out to see sights in several different locations although they are all close to home.  Our first stop was the Schoeplfe Gardens which are in Birmingham, Ohio - about three miles from the campground.

The gardens are a gift from Otto Schoepfle, a banker in the 1930's.  He purchased his grandparents' home and land when they died in 1924.  It had been sold and used as rental property and had become quite run down.  With the help of the local community, the gardens started to take shape.  Mr. Schoepfle didn't start out to create a botanical garden but as he traveled through Europe, he learned about different botanical plants and would bring some home after each trip.  He donated the gardens in 1969 to the Lorain County Metro Parks. 

Entrance to the Gardens

Visitor Center and Gift Shop

Gorgeous Bush Next To The Visitor Center

 

As you enter the gardens you pass by the home of his grandparents and several out buildings.  Then as you continue down the path, you come to the formal garden.  This area is lined with hedges and topiaries.  There were several plots for flowers that will probably bloom later on in the season.  The trees in this area are just beautiful.

There are places just to rest and relax or meditate along the way.

We could not give justice to the piano maze part of the gardens.  It is just too cool because it looks just like a grand piano!

The Children's Garden was added in 2007 and is the newest addition to Schoepfle Gardens.  It is musically themed and children can crawal through the Flute-A-Pillar, ride the restored carousel or climb the Rocky "G" Clef.

Loved this big Rooster!

My favorite part of the gardens is the shade gardens.  I love all the shade plants and I love to sit in the shade and enjoy them so, of course, it would be my favorite place.  This area reminded me of my shade gardens on Whitters Way as it included ferns, hosta and astilbes, some of my favorite shade plants!
 

As we walked back to the parking lot, we noticed this planting that we had missed on the way in.  What a lovely place to visit.  We may just come back here to take walks and get some exercise.  We routinely walk around the campground at night, but the road are so dusty and rocky so this will be much more comfortable walking!