Kingwood Center Gardens: Preserving a Legacy

Historic Garden Merges Historical Significance with Contemporary Environmental Practices

 

May 14, 2025

By: The GCA Garden History and Design Committee

The Little Garden Club of Columbus recently researched and published an article on Kingwood Center Gardens in Mansfield, Ohio. This historic 47-acre estate in Mansfield, OH, has evolved over the past century.  Its landscape design reflects both contemporary preferences and environmental considerations. It is renowned for its natural beauty and historical significance.
 
In 1912, Charles Kelley King, an industrialist, purchased the property.  The French Provincial style mansion “Kingwood Hall”, designed by architect Clarence Mack, was built in 1926.  That same year, landscape architects Pitkin and Mott created formal gardens inspired by “The Country Place Era” and the Arts & Craft movement.  These featured terraced “garden rooms”, faux agricultural fields, and sculptures. Native plants were integrated into gardens.

Mr. King, who died in 1952, bequeathed the estate with an endowment for the enjoyment of Mansfield area residents. Kingwood Center opened as a public garden in October, 1953. Its first director, Dr. R.C. Allen, added trial gardens to experiment with plant species. Each subsequent director left his mark: Fred Roberts and Jerry S. Stites focused on designing spaces such as herb and rose gardens; Charles T. Gleaves implemented a preservation plan and established horticultural standards.
In 2015, Terra Design Studios developed a master plan to honor King’s legacy, enhance visitor experience, address sustainability, and create culinary gardens. Today, Executive Director Josh Steffan upholds Kingwood Center Gardens’ mission to remain a destination garden that blends history with modern environmental practices.

GCA’s Garden History & Design Committee fosters an appreciation for America’s gardens and documents today's gardens for tomorrow's gardeners in partnership with the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens. 

The Sunken Garden, c. 1930. Photo courtesy of Kingwood Center Gardens 

 


The Trial Gardens, c.1950. Photo courtesy of Kingwood Center Gardens.
 
The Herb and Rose Gardens, c. 1970.  Photo courtesy of Kingwood Center Gardens

 

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