The 2020 Dispatch Home and Garden Show will celebrate wildlife in collaboration with The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium with 10 Gardens On The Wild Side! Each garden will represent a different biome. Here’s a sneak peak at the 10 garden themes!
All New Region!
Opens Spring 2020.
ADVENTURE COVE
Shearer Patio & Landscape Services
Shearer Patio & Landscape Services based its garden display on the Columbus Zoo’s newest attraction, opening this spring. Adventure Cove will harbor seals — a newcomer to the zoo — and California sea lions, which have not inhabited the zoo for almost 40 years. Shearer prominently positioned a pair of 3-foot-tall topiary sea lions in its own garden to represent the new attraction. The entrance of this garden will catch visitors’ eyes as they pass under a large rock archway. On entering the garden, guests will see a variety of trees and plants. The large blue hydrangea flowers are sure to attract attention, and explorers will recognize the wonderful fragrance of hyacinths and lilacs in full bloom. Bright yellow forsythia stand out as well. As adventurers make their way through the garden, they should be sure to look skyward for the seagulls flying above. The garden also includes a waterfall flowing into a pool surrounded by rock, which signifies the coast. This is where folks can find a sea-lion topiary. A lighthouse with a working light above the water will be a sure sign that visitors are in Adventure Cove. The garden also features an outdoor living space with a cozy fireplace inside a spacious cedar structure. An outdoor kitchen with a grill and refrigerator awaits guests as well. The space is secluded with large evergreen trees. Whether visitors are looking for ideas for their own homes or just want to get out of the winter funk and get the feel of spring, the Adventure Cove garden is a must-see.
ASIA QUEST
Landscape Design Solutions
Landscape Design Solutions designed and built its garden to honor the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium’s Asia Quest. The space can be seen as a kickoff to spring, with tropical plants such as palms lending the garden a Southeast Asian feel. The garden features thousands of flowers for visitors to enjoy. A large water feature mimicking a jungle stream meanders through the garden. A large Asian elephant topiary covered in moss is part of the landscape; the pachyderm can be found near the stream, perhaps ready for a drink. At 5 feet tall, he serves as the central fixture of the garden. Different types of tropical plants add a jungle-like feel to the garden; they are planted alongside azaleas and rhododendrons. Dawn redwoods flush with new foliage. Ferns and spring bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths provide additional color and textures. Known for their fragrance, the hyacinths will cater to visitors’ sense of smell. The garden will have various spots for sightseers to stop and take it all in. At the heart of the garden sits a roofed cedar patio accessed by two diverging pathways. Those resting there can see the water feature to the right, as well as panoramic views of the entire garden. Adjacent to the covered patio is an outdoor kitchen where visitors can sit and enjoy the garden’s sights, sounds and smells. As they leave the garden, visitors pass under one of two cedar arbors covered in vines and ferns.
AUSTRALIA & ISLANDS
Five Seasons Landscape Management Inc.
Five Seasons Landscape management has created its very own version of Australia and the Islands. Though the animals of Australia and the United States are different, their plant life is similar — except the seasons are opposite. Entering the garden, visitors first will see a life-size topiary of a kangaroo, constructed of moss and plants. At almost 6 feet tall, it will serve as a silent host to usher in guests. The rustic wood structure is reminiscent of Bob and Evelyn’s Roadhouse building, where the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium houses its nocturnal animals. The structure features walls on two sides and is open on the other two sides. The interior boasts 1950’s lawn furniture. A working wood-burning fireplace with a pizza oven anchors the garden. In addition to providing warmth, it’s also a great way to cook meals outdoors. A paver path and patio complement the natural-rock water feature that is surrounded by evergreen trees such as fir, pine and hemlock. The water feature adds soothing sounds to the experience. Large shade trees such as birch, ginkgo, sycamore and cherry add height and give the garden a beautiful green ceiling. Flowering shrubs from azalea and aronia to roses and rhododendron provide the scent of spring in the air. Annuals and perennials fill the garden with colors of silver, white, red and yellow to complete the spring color palette.
A CONGO RETREAT
Oakland Nurseries
Visitors will feel welcomed to the jungle as they approach the rustic wooden arbors that draw them into Oakland Nurseries’ Congo Retreat, inspired by the Columbus Zoo’s Congo Expedition and African Forest. Two willow trees will serve as stewards to usher visitors into the garden, providing a rich canopy overhead. Those strolling into Oakland’s garden will find large hemlocks and azaleas that add color and texture to the garden. Greenery isn’t limited to trees. Lush, tropical plans such as ferns, figs and palms accent the center of the garden, reminiscent of an African landscape. Visitors also will notice the rush and tumble of a stone waterfall. Pots and baskets will make for interesting elements to enhance guests’ exploration of this African paradise. Travelers can find some respite from the wild, though. Visitors are invited to rest their feet inside the garden’s grass-thatched cabana while listening to the rush of the waterfall. Interesting rock outcroppings show throughout the garden, adding color and texture. Tourists should look out, though, for the gorilla hiding underneath the willows. (Wise ones will remember to bring some bananas.) The gorilla topiary is about 4 feet high, covered in moss and ferns with some small splashes of color from flowers.
THE HEART OF AFRICA
Seely’s Landscape
Seely’s Landscape has created a garden representing several regions from the Columbus Zoo’s Heart of Africa. Landscapers worked from pictures of the nation of Malawi to help inform the landscape, color choices and plant choices. The garden features plantscapes reminiscent of dry, desert-like conditions with grasses, pines, lavender and succulents. Other plantscapes will showcase more tropical regions of Africa, with hostas, azaleas, hydrangeas, bulbs, cherry trees and many other plants. Those plants require more water and would be found in rainforest-like conditions. The garden includes a cobblestone pathway lined with weathered limestone boulders. The cobblestones are gray, mahogany and charcoal waves of pavers that resemble a river flowing to a watering hole. They were chosen to resemble colors representative of Africa. The pathway takes visitors up to the large African gazebo. They can sit under a thatched roof held up by four large wooden posts and enjoy all the views of Africa. The inside of the gazebo is decorated with twinkling bulbs that might remind guests of the zoo’s annual Wildlights display. Visitors can gaze on a large, flat rock that emerges from the grasses; on top, a large topiary of a lion surveys his surroundings. He is covered with moss, some of which is dyed dark reddish brown for his mane, and some of which is tan. The most amazing view, however, is a small version of Victoria Falls in central Africa. The 12-foot-tall mountainous waterfall cascades over a rocky tropical plateau into the waterhole where all the animals come to drink.
NORTH AMERICAN WOODLAND GARDEN
Riepenhoff Landscape Ltd.
“Oh!”
“Look, how cute!”
“Aren’t they beautiful?”
These phrases often are heard when people see North American white-tailed deer in the animals’ native woodland habitat. When the gentle creatures are spotted in backyards, however, the phrases might change a bit:
“Let the dog out!”
Those darn deer are eating the hostas again!”
Deer are beautiful, but they can be destructive to homeowners’ landscapes. The key to living together peacefully is to make landscapes less desirable to deer. The first part of Riepenhoff’s garden can be considered a “deer cafe.” The landscape used to be beautiful, but it has since been eaten by our cute friends. Hostas, taxus and other tasty deer favorites have been eaten to the nubs. They’ll return next year — just in time to be nibbled to the nub again. Further in, visitors will find a garden that is equally beautiful, but full of plants that Bambi finds far less palatable. Ferns, Siberian bugloss and sweet woodruff are among perennials that deer simply don’t like. Boxwoods have replaced the taxus as the go-to evergreen, and other gorgeous — but yucky — flowering shrubs complete the garden selections. Even the water feature is less deer-friendly. It’s a pondless system that flows into an underground reservoir instead of an above-ground drinking bowl, providing all the pleasant sounds of a traditional water feature without being an attractive venue for deer.
WOOD LANDSCAPE SERVICES
Polar Frontier
Take a journey to the Columbus Zoo’s Polar Frontier and find an inuksuk — a cairn used by the Inuit people — standing sentry over Wood Landscape Services’ garden. Traditional inhabitants include the polar bear, whose white coat stands out in a field of bright-pink ice plants. The inuksuk, likely used for navigation or as a landmark, was constructed by stacking 4 tons of stone in a field of vibrant dianthus. The bear and inuksuk will welcome visitors into the garden to stroll along a pathway constructed of natural cleft bluestone flagging. Black sandblasting coal is used as a jointing sand and provides a beautiful contrast to the colorful bluestone. When it’s not blanketed with snow and ice, visitors can see that the polar frontier is beautiful in its own right, punctuated with stunted evergreens, snowy white rhododendron and hellebores. Meadows of moss and sandstone create a soft and open feel to the garden. As the Northern Lights flicker in the distance, what could be cooler than a stop at the Aurora Ice Bar? Pull up a stool at the all-glass bar and spend some time enjoying the pure white carrera marble sculpture fountain, symbolic of a glacier. This one-of-a-kind sculpture was created by “blowing up” a chunk of marble and pinning it back together. Visitors can rest for a moment with their favorite frosty beverage or a hot mug of cocoa and enjoy the view.
“THE SANCTUARY” SAFARI GOLF CLUB
Hedge Landscape LLC
Hedge Landscape LLC challenges the traditional garden aesthetic by approaching the garden as art while promoting sustainability in order to create unique, timeless landscapes. The Columbus Zoo’s Safari Golf Club was the inspiration for this garden. Using a modern garden aesthetic, landscapers created an inviting space for both wildlife and people. The curvilinear retaining walls represent the forms and shapes seen on the fairways. Landforms create the impression of walking among the hills and valleys of the course. The garden emphasizes the transition from manicured lawn to natural landscape. Hedge believes each landscape can make a positive impact on the environment. Using native plants and incorporating a water feature provides food, shelter and water for wildlife. Since 2013, nearly six acres of the zoo’s golf course have been made “native areas” by removing invasive, nonnative vegetation and planting native species. The Safari Golf Club holds the title of a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Hundreds of Eastern bluebirds and purple martins have fledged from the course since 2008. Hedge celebrates this by displaying nest boxes for these birds in its own garden. Visitors can stop by Hedge’s garden sanctuary to prepare themselves for spring. Folks can stop by the outdoor bar with its concrete countertop to enjoy a cocktail or two and the sounds of water while breathing in the fragrant scent of crabapple blossoms — or guests can just sit down and enjoy the display of color provided by azaleas, rhododendrons and tulips.
THE SHORES OF A GARDEN
Ryan’s Landscaping
The Shores of a Garden combines the dock-like feel of the Columbus Zoo’s manatee exhibit with the coral reefs of its aquarium. The team of Ryan’s Landscaping has brought these exhibits to life with one unique design. The challenge was an uncommon one. Landscapers were tasked with making a garden out of an environment in which one might find snorkelers or boaters. But a coral reef is just an underwater garden of sorts, with many of the basic elements of landscape design already present. Visitors will find the structures of this garden closely represent the dock side of the manatee exhibit, while the natural stone chosen is a great complement to the coral reef. As visitors enter the Shores of a Garden, they will find plant material native to Zone 6, of which central Ohio is a part. But landscapers also have incorporated palms and other tropical flora that will transport visitors, at least in their minds, right to southern Florida. That’s the home of the aquarium’s most notable residents: the manatees. The natural stone walls and paving material closely reflect the colors and finishes of the shores and aquarium exhibits. The structures in the garden use reclaimed wood and metals. The use of texture, color, repetition and rhythm are incorporated in the garden to help visitors experience the same kind of energy they find at the manatee exhibit and the coral reefs.
THE WILDS
Warwick’s Landscaping
In this garden modeled after The Wilds, visitors can walk through greenery past a rock water fountain with water flowing over the sides, accented by pink flowering crab trees. A path features blooming snow fountain cherries. Monkeys can be seen playing in the trees, and a deep-pink rhododendron blooms in the background. As visitors continue walking through the brightly colored tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, they should beware of the large rhinoceros in the shrubs. Similarly, those sitting under the colorful decorated pavilion should be cautious of the large lion watching their every move. Those continuing their adventure can take in all the bright and beautiful colored vegetation in the garden. The Wilds is a forest, with luscious trees, plants and shrubs in a dense tangle of vegetation. Those thirsting for adventure can create their own Wilds garden at home, accented with a variety of plants, small and large assorted ferns, perennials, annuals and trailing vines. A flowing water feature is a must. Brightly colored furniture and decorative pottery with a variety of planted animal topiaries completes the theme.