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While visiting Warther Carving Museum in Dover, Ohio, you can still stroll through the beautiful Swiss flower gardens that were tended by Freida Warther. Freida designed the gardens in traditional Swiss raised beds and converted the subsoil into topsoil using her organic gardening techniques. The Swiss flower gardens are still maintained by the Warther Family.
The home of Ernest and Freida Warther is rich in Swiss gardening tradition just like those found in the old country. Newlyweds in 1910, and having virtually no money, they bought a section of an old mill stream on the edge of town for a home. With Swiss ingenuity and hard work, they built terraced walls to create a flat place for home, gardens and workshop. The mill stream was converted into a playground for the children and Ernest built a shop at the back of the lot to have a place to carve his model steam engines and make Kitchen knives. Though the most of the playground is gone, “the cave” Mooney built into the wall for the children to use as a playhouse, still exists below the flower gardens. The mill stream is lined with huge Sycamore trees that gracefully create a beautiful park setting.
89 Year old Grape Arbor:
Nestled in one corner of the flower garden is a Grape Arbor that Ernest built in 1916. The vine is an 89 year old Concord grapevine which creates a beautiful canopy over visitors who wish to sit and enjoy a view of the gardens or a pleasant refreshment.
Railroad Collectibles:
In addition to the Swiss Flower Gardens and the remarkable button collection, there are several railroad items for children and adults to enjoy. The B&O Caboose is restored to the roaring 20’s era. The Dover, Ohio telegraph office is restored to the late 1800’s with real working telegraphy equipment and filled with railroad paraphernalia. A narrow gage “yard” engine sits nearby waiting for small children to turn it into a playground. Kids can imagine driving the train or fueling the engine to make it go faster.
Picnic area:
 In the shade of numerous maple trees there are a few picnic tables for those who wish to bring their lunch or enjoy a snack.
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