Secrest Arboretum

A relatively small arboretum. Mostly trees as opposed to flowers, although some of the trees are flowering trees. There is a nice paved path that loops the entire place. You can walk it in 20 minutes or so.

The most beautiful place around. More than 100 years old, and counting.

This place is gorgeous! My sister and I have gone multiple times for photos, it is a beautiful place even when the flowers aren’t in full bloom :)

Beautiful, scenic and free arboretum in Wooster, Ohio. Fantastic assortment of flora and fauna expertly displayed and maintained. Great place for picture taking and bird watching. If you’re a fan of gardens or just need a great place for a peaceful stroll, then don’t miss Secrest.
Pack a picnic and/​or drinks as there are no concessions on site (though downtown Wooster is not too far away).

the secrest arboretum is awesome on many levels.
first, there are umpteen bijillion plants there, most of which are clearly labeled for plant lover /​science nerds like me.
second, there are many different paths where you can enjoy completely different bionerdery experiences. there’s a rose garden. there’s a shady trail with azaleas and rhododendrons, where the right soil was brought in from the west coast, if memory serves. there are nurseries for fruit, evergreen, and other trees. there are nature trails a plenty. there are streams. awesome.
third, the roads and parking lots are rarely busy, which is why my parents brought me and my siblings here when each of us learned to drive, my mother trying to slam on the brakes from the passenger side of the car every time we took a turn too quickly.
lastly, it’s right there with the other OSU ohio agricultural research and development stuffs, like cows, turkeys, entomology labs, and fisher auditorium, home of the ohio dragonfly conference (which sounds awesome), the wooster doll show, the buckeye book fair, and exciting events with names such like «Pesky, promiscuous pigweeds: Does interspecific hybridization contribute to weediness?» what could be better than that?
addendum: a friend and fellow woosterian said (and i quote), «…add ‘Great place for making out’ to the Arboretum. And don’t act like I was the only one.» sadly, i have to admit i have never taken part in this great wooster tradition.