Schedel Arboretum and Gardens

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The Schedel Arboretum and Gardens (17 acres) are nonprofit botanical gardens and an arboretum located at 19255 West Portage River South Road, Elmore, Ohio, USA. They are open daily, May through October, except for major holidays; an admission fee is charged.

The gardens were originally established by Joseph and Marie Schedel, and first opened to the public in 1991. The site is located at a bend in the Portage River; about half the site is upland, with the remainder lowland. There is a sharp drop between the two, and this split character allows for a varieties of plantings.

Arboretum trees include 25 varieties of Japanese maple, 16 species of pine, including bristlecone pine, Bald cypress, Ben Franklin tree, Golden chain tree, cucumber and umbrella magnolia, Japanese silver bell, various types of beech, bamboo, katsura, and nearly 50 lilac varieties.

The gardens include English-style landscapes, flowering displays, and a Japanese garden. Each year more than 15,000 annuals are transplanted from the greenhouse to the grounds, where they are planted in masses amidst perenials, trees, and shrubs. The Japanese Garden includes bridges, stone lanterns, and a stupa. Two waterfalls empty into pools which flow into two lakes.

In recent years the gardens have hosted outdoor sculpture installations amidst the plantings.