Inniswood Metro Gardens
# Inniswood Metro Gardens

The Inniswood Metro Gardens (123 acres), is a botanical garden and nature preserve located at 940 South Hempstead Road in Westerville, Ohio. It is open daily from 7 am until dark without an admission fee. It is part of the Metro Parks system of Columbus, Ohio.

The garden site was first established as the 37-acre (150,000 $m^2)$ estate of sisters Grace and Mary Innis. They gave their home and land to Metro Parks in 1972.

The garden now contains more than 2,000 plant species, including collections of conifers, daffodils, daylilies, hostas, and theme gardens (Biblical, herbal, medicinal, rose, and woodland rock garden). Plantings include peony, bearded iris, daylilies, and naturalized daffodils. Woodland trails are lined with wildflowers.

## History

In 1960, sisters Grace and Mary Innis purchased a 38-acre slice of land that would become Inniswood Metro Gardens. In 1961, the moved onto the property bringing with them mementos from their childhood home on Cleveland Avenue in Linden Heights. Grace had a fondness for horticulture and studied art and horticulture at The Ohio State University. Mary enjoyed the deep woods and spoting wildlife. Together, they created extensive gardens, while preserving natural features of the land. In 1966, Grace died and Mary began the process of donating the site to the Metro Parks system as long as she could live there until her death. Most of the property was deaded in 1978, and adjacant land was purchased to buffer the site from development. Mary died in 1982.

In 1984, Inniswood Metro Gardens was open to the public as the eighth Columbus and Franklin County Metro Park.

