Wegerzyn Gardens Metropark, Garden and park in Dayton, Ohio, US
Wegerzyn Gardens Metropark is a garden and park in Dayton, Ohio, made up of several themed garden sections and a nature trail that winds through woodland near a river. Paved and unpaved paths connect areas such as the English Garden, the Victorian Garden, and open lawns with places to sit and picnic.
The park was established in the early 1970s with support from a local family who wanted to create a place for the community to enjoy plants and nature. It became part of the regional Metropark system and has grown steadily since then.
The Children's Discovery Garden inside the park lets kids explore a pond, a cave, a plant maze, and a small wading creek. Local schools bring students here regularly to learn about plants and composting in a hands-on way.
Most of the main paths are wide and flat, making the park easy to get around for people with limited mobility, and restrooms are accessible. Dogs on leashes are welcome throughout, though they are not allowed inside the children's garden area.
The park contains a rare swamp forest community where fairy shrimp live in temporary pools, an animal that can only survive in this type of short-lived water. Along the nature trail stands an old oak tree with a trunk so wide at the base that it appears to sit on a pedestal, which is why it is called the Pedestal Oak.
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