🌸 7 Beautiful Public Gardens You Need To Visit This Spring

Plus: 🍴 Take A Peek At The Oldest Restaurant In Ohio

Author

Chelsea Wiley
February 16, 2026

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Sponsored by North Market 🍴
North Market is calling your name! Whether you're exploring the original downtown location for its classic market charm or the Bridge Park spot in Dublin for a modern twist, there's no better place to eat, shop, and discover the best of Columbus. For more info, head over to northmarket.org.

Hello, Monday! Chelsea, here.

Is it just me, or does 45 degrees suddenly feel like a tropical vacation? The sun is teasing us, the birds are starting to get brave again, and spring is officially on deck. If you’re craving fresh air and a little color after Ohio’s deep-freeze routine, this one’s for you. We rounded up some of the most beautiful public gardens around Columbus, from lush greenhouses to acres of roses in bloom. Consider this your official excuse to start planning those “I need to touch grass” afternoons.

🍴 The Oldest Restaurant In Ohio Has Served 12 Presidents Over The Course Of Two Centuries
What started with $4 and a dream in 1803 became Ohio’s oldest continually operating business. The Golden Lamb in Lebanon has welcomed everyone from Charles Dickens to U.S. presidents, blending more than 200 years of history, hospitality, and even a ghost story or two under one storied roof.

Headlines 📰 

🏥 Did you know one of the first Black female pharmacists in the country opened her shop right here in Ohio? In 1922, Ella P. Stewart launched Toledo’s first Black-owned pharmacy and turned it into far more than a place to fill prescriptions, creating a community hub and safe haven while building a legacy of leadership and civil rights advocacy. (Ohio History)

🎥 Bhutan is often called the “happiest country on Earth,” but a new film set and produced in Akron tells a far more complicated story. The World’s Happiest Man shines a light on Ohio’s Bhutanese refugee community, exploring displacement, mental health, and the deep longing for a homeland many can’t return to. (WOSU)

🌱 What started as one woman’s pandemic garden project has blossomed into a full-blown neighborhood transformation in Bexley. Through Green Bexley’s “Habitat Triangle,” Rebecca Ness and her team are replacing invasive plants with thousands of native species, turning alleys and yards into thriving spaces for birds, bees, butterflies, and even stronger community connections. (Columbus Monthly)

🌥️ Weather: 51 and mostly cloudy

Sponsored by PromoWest 🎸
No one does live music in Columbus quite like PromoWest. They’ve got some fantastic shows coming up, including The Runarounds, YUNGBLUD, The Mountain Goats, and more. To see what’s on the calendar, or to grab tickets to a show, head over to promowestlive.com.

Coming Up This Week 📆

Coming Up This Month 📆

🏒 The Best Things To Do This February In Columbus
Columbus is buzzing this February. Whether you’re into live music, sports, theater, winter hikes, or family-friendly fun, the city has plenty of ways to get out and make the most of the month.

Today's Photo 🤳

Where is the first place you like to visit once we start thawing out from winter? I love popping down to Hocking Hills on those late winter/early spring days. It’s wonderful to watch the forest come back to life.

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- Chelsea