Kingwood Center Gardens

Help Kingwood Restore Mr. King’s Formal Gardens

Kingwood is celebrating its 70th anniversary as a public garden with a commemorative project – the repair and restoration of Mr. King’s Formal Gardens.

Mr. King’s Formal Gardens were constructed in 1926 at the same time as Kingwood Hall. This garden area includes: the Sunken Garden and Circle Pool, the Trellis Garden and former swimming pool area, and Stepped Garden with Primrose Path.

In looking forward to the future – to the next 70 years as a public garden – the restoration of Mr. King’s Formal Gardens has become an essential project to pay tribute to Mr. King and preserve his legacy. 

Your gift will help restore one of the last remaining Arts and Crafts style gardens.

Arts and Crafts Movement 

Mr. King’s Formal Gardens were constructed by noted landscape architects, Pitkin and Mott, renowned for Arts and Crafts style design. 

The Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century was a reaction to industrialization and mass production and sought to return to more simple and honest production: authentic craftmanship, natural materials, and artistic design elements that elevate nature.

Mr. King’s Formal Gardens are not only the crown jewel of Kingwood’s historic garden space but are regionally and nationally significant. Kingwood is one of only two remaining Arts and Crafts garden estates open to the public in the region. 

Why is the repair of Mr. King’s Formal Gardens important?

Nearly 100 years have taken a toll on some aspects of the Formal Gardens. There is a need for:

• Repairing, restoring, or replacing walls, masonry, statuary, and water features to echo initial design aesthetic  
• Creating a water feature, possibly a reflective pool, where original swimming pool was located 
• Recreating the Primrose Path Infrastructure and utility upgrades including irrigation, water lines, and enhanced electrical systems  
• Repaired and improved-accessibility pathways Telling the Formal Gardens story through interpretation 

By restoring the gardens now, we honor our past while we grow for the future.  

Kicking Off Phase 1 of the Repair and Restoration Project 

We need your support for the first step of the project – a comprehensive analysis of the Formal Gardens and creation of a master plan with construction designs.  

We know this project will be involved and complicated due to the design of the garden spaces. It will be a labor of love, that spans several phases and multiple years. We believe this tribute project to be worth every effort and anticipate its completion by Kingwood’s 75th anniversary. 

Join us in jumpstarting Phase 1 of the restoration of Mr. King’s Formal Gardens! 

Your gift guarantees the Kingwood story will continue to be told for the next 70 years and for generations to come. 

About Us

Kingwood Center Gardens is an exquisite garden estate on 47 acres in Mansfield, OH that once was the home of the innovative industrialist, Charles Kelley King. Kingwood is renowned for its distinctive floral displays, unique plant specimens, woodland trails, historic mansion and gardens, display greenhouse, duck pond, and peacocks. Signature events like Wine Walk, the Great Pumpkin Glow and Christmas at Kingwood delight tens of thousands of guests annually and provide vital support for this non-profit organization.

In mid-October 2020, Kingwood celebrated the opening of the Garden Gateway, a new visitor center with a café, garden and gift shop, ballroom, exhibit gallery, and guest amenities. The Garden Gateway Project also includes the Grand Perennial Garden with Perennial Pavilion, the new Draffan Fountain Terrace, and a Nature Pond. 

Annual visitation averages nearly 100,000 guests, which includes general admissions, special events, rentals and weddings.