The garden location at Orange Township Hall is open to the public at 1680 Orange Rd, Lewis Center, OH. The garden sits behind the buildings rear parking lot.
     A prairie garden is being planted at Orange Township Hall in Mid May, 03.  The Prairie committee of Delaware County Master Gardeners and the Orange Township Park board are partnering in an experiment ot determine the best methods for starting and maintaining prairie gardens.  the experiment will test instructions distributed to the public by respected sources, some of which are contradictory.
     Five plots are planned that compare methods of soil preparation and eliminating weeds.  The 3 year project will document the time it takes for prairie plants to become established using seed, 2-inch transplants called plugs, and mature plants dug from another garden.
     The center bed will contain mature, labeled specimens of 25 Ohio prairie plants selected for their bloom time, hardiness and appropriateness for the sunny conditions.  Visitors will be able to appraise the plants for possible use in their landscapes.  Prairie plants tolerant of drought, having deep root systems, once established. many bloom in the fall when other perennials are dying back.

Article Information provided by: Beth V., Master Gardener and Project Chairman
 
 

LEAPING FROG

This is a new "leaping award" started in 2000.  The frog is given to Master Gardeners who are positive mentors for those they work with, conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner and accept the responsibility to promote and support the Master Gardener activities.  This award is "leaped" along every 2 months to a different deserving Master Gardener who fits the above criteria.  The Extension office will be keeping a record with photographs and correspondence.

The frog has leaped to many deserving Master Gardeners since the beginning.  Following is a list of the recipients.

Susan L  - Bob H - Peggy C - Barb K - Pat T - Carol Z -Mike S - Marty C.- Merry T- Roger H - Sandi R- Jerri M. - Chris D.
 
 

Delaware Grape
     This is a story of a king, a castle, a fire, a fever, Delaware County history and a $360.00 grape vine. And so I begin a tale of a grape, seemingly ordinary and unimportant, that made history around the world.
      Once upon a time, in a small middle America town named Delaware, there occurred an event in horticultural production which made history. It came to be known as “grape fever”. This was the opening sentence of an article in the July 13th 1992, Delaware Gazette.
     In 1837, a blacksmith and wheelwright by the name of Benjamin Heath, moved to Concord Township from Frenchtown,  New Jersey, bringing with him a grape vine that had been given to him by an elderly Swiss gentleman of Huguenot ancestry, named Paul Henry Mallet Prevost, who came to the US in 1794. One source says that this grapevine was from the Bonaparte Garden near Bordentown, New Jersey, where Joseph Bonaparte, the former King of Spain and brother of Napoleon built an estate in the early 1800's. What the connection was between the two men is unclear. 
     Mr. Heath grew and cultivated the grape for a number of years on his farm on Freshwater Road in Concord Township, Delaware County. He recognized the excellent qualities of the grape and the vine and shared cuttings with neighbors and friends. In 1853, Mr. Heath gave a basket of grapes to Abram Thomson, editor of the Delaware Gazette and himself an ardent horticulturist. Mr. Thomson was so impressed with the wonderful characteristics of the grape that, in 1855, he sent a specimen to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society for their study. According to reliable sources, although controverted, the Society named it the “Grape from Delaware, Ohio” and it became the “Delaware Grape”. The Society was so excited about this wonderful new grape that they awarded Mr. Thomson a silver goblet or vase and a medal. His wife was given a life sized oil painting of her husband that had been commissioned in his honor.
     Abram Thomson was one of the three world-famous Horticulturist in Delaware County to promote, cultivate and sell the Delaware Grape. Mr. Thomson had one of the most complete and extensive collections of fine pears, numbering more than 80 different species - grown on  mostly dwarf trees, which he made his specialty. He also grew a variety of flowers and fruits, all within the narrow limits of a town lot (on North Sandusky St. which also consisted of glass conservatories - greenhouses. Thomson must have had a huge quantity of vines on his property because he himself lost 20,000 young vines when a mysterious fire gutted his greenhouse.  The discovery and introduction of the Delaware Grape is one of the most notable and important events connected with the horticultural history of Delaware and the credit for this belongs to Abram Thomson.
     The discovery of this fine grape was also recognized by the American Horticultural Society and demand increased dramatically due to the world-wide publicizing of its qualities. Delaware Grapevines were sold in enormous quantities at prices ranging from $1 to $5 per plant - an exorbitant amount in the 1850's as the average unskilled laborer made only about $1 per 12 hour workday, making the cost of the grapevines by today’s money from $72.00 to $360.00 each! 
       The popularity of the grape was so intense that grape growers were stretched to their limit keeping up with the demand as the vine was exported all over the world an thus began what was known as “grape fever”. Thousands all over the world wanted to begin cultivating the grape with the expectation that they would reap “great Profits” with the mindset similar to the California Gold Rush, which had taken place just a few years before. The most extravagant anticipation's and expectations were entertained as to the profits of grape growing and thousands embarked in this pursuit without the skill or knowledge needed and as for their success, the result for most was failure, as expected.
      Two other prominent county residents also enter the picture in the mid 1850's. George Washington Campbell and Frederick P. Vergon.
     George Campbell, originally from Courtland County, New York, moved with his family to Sandusky, Ohio. While living in Sandusky, he became interested in the cultivation of grapes, which was becoming the predominate horticultural industry of that region. Some say that he was the first to bring into cultivation, some of the native grapes. He moved to Delaware and soon 
     Partnered with William Little to run the Blue Limestone Quarry which is now Blue Limestone Park. When Mr. Campbell wed William Little’s daughter, Elizabeth in 1846, Little presented 
as a wedding gift to the couple, a beautiful castle made out of the famed blue limestone. 
     Campbell also had a small vineyard to the east of the house where he developed and improved a variety of fruits, most notably the world famous Delaware Grape which he is also credited as being the introducer. Campbell was one of the earliest pioneers of the layering method of producing new grapevines. He also owned land in the county where he grew 500,000 vines and over 100 varieties bringing the much sought after grape vines to the world.
     This castle is now known as the Arts Castle on Winter and Elizabeth Streets in Delaware.  Today, several of the streets surrounding the castle bear the names of members of the Campbell family: Elizabeth Street, Catherine Street (named for George and Elizabeth’s daughter), and Campbell Street. 
     Enter the third horticulturist to grow and propagate the Delaware Grape in its earliest years. Frederick P. Vergon.  Born in eastern France, he came to America as a small child. In 1834, his parents came to Columbus by way of river and canal and settled in Delaware County. They began to clear the land and farm, calling their 115 acres,  Greenwood Farm located  on what is now, Lake street, near Horseshoe road. Starting in 1855 and continuing for 18 years, Vergon propagated thousands of vines for Campbell, who many times was “sore put” to supply the demand. He also specialized in the “layering” technique for propagation. He also had more than 50 acres of apple orchards, yielding 20,000 bushels per year and perfected the idea of a cold storage building where he could store fruit and ship them year around. He married Kate Jones, a second cousin to Stonewall Jackson. He was also the originator of the grass mulch system of orchard culture in the US, growing vast acres of grasses to be cut down and piled up to a depth of 8 inches under his apple trees . Vergon was also one on the few breeder of shorthorn cattle on Ohio. 
In 1873, Vergon got stopped growing the Delaware Grapevine commercially and got rid of his cattle to pursue bigger dreams. He build Greenwood Lake, a 25 acre lake surrounded by a grove of 18 acres known as a “pleasure ground”. Included in this amusement park were a dance pavilion, a bowling alley, picnic grounds and plenty of boats on the lake.  He also built an ice house - which was big business, where he supplied Delaware and vicinity with ice, made from the lake. Greenwood Lake became a world-famous resort, visited and promoted all around the globe. It is now a private area, owned by the Salvation Army located on Lake street on the east side of Delaware. Ironically, no alcohol was available at the resort. 
One well told tale relates Vergon’s son catching a 4 ½ lb. bass out of the well stocked lake and presented it to the visiting President Rutherford B. Hayes for his breakfast.
Vergon planted an elm tree in the front yard of his homestead, and became so fond of his “pet elm tree” that he had a copy made of it in stone.  This monument measures 10 feet long, 8 feet high and 2 feet thick at the base, and was to be placed on his family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery on South Sandusky street to serve as the family monument.. He had this completed long before his death in 1919 so he could see it himself. The unique memorial has perched among its leafy branches, an owl, several birds and nests full of eggs. Two tree toads scamper up the trunk and other animals hide in the leaves. By the way, the tree survived the Dutch Elm disease but not progress as it was cut down where it had stood for 125 years to create the Route 23 bypass in 1965.
     What was the origin of the Delaware Grape?  No one knows for sure. There was a story that it had been sent from France at the turn of the 19th century, along with a lot of other grapevines, perhaps to stock Bonaparte’s nursery. However it has been found to be devoid of the characteristics of all foreign grapes (both the seedlings and the fruit) and is said to be purely native American in habit of growth and adaptability to our soil and climate, that the idea it is foreign has been dismissed. It is commonly supposed that it is a chance seedling, perhaps a new variety of native grapes 
     The Delaware Grape, widely grown by vintners today, has stood the test of time. This smallish pale red grape, is grown throughout the Northeastern US, especially New York, and in Ohio, along Lake Erie. It is widely used in some premium champagne blends and in a few , used to produce a dessert wine and to make a light fruity semi-dry drinking wine. It is decidedly grapy-tasting. It is a favorite table grape in Japan and also very well known in places in Europe. Those who plant a Delaware Grapevine carry on the legacy of one of the most famous horticultural discoveries given to the world.
The vine can be found at Miller’s Mail order nursery - millernursery.com
Wine sold at Buehler’s, Shamrock Wineries in Waldo and Wyandotte Wineries in Columbus.
Article provdied by Donna M., Master Gardener
 Delaware Grape