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Niagara Parks delights visitors from around the world with beautifully maintained parkland, spectacular gardens and rare floral displays. The practice of horticulture, or the art of garden cultivation, has played a prominent role in the development and maintenance of the Niagara Parks system. Trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals have been arranged to beautify the landscape with a variety of form, texture and colour designed to accentuate each season.
From natural areas with native flora to picnic areas and highly sculpted horticulture masterpieces, Niagara Parks offers it all. The diverse plant collections number in the thousands and the Park provides a fitting backdrop for the beauty of the Falls.
The Daffodil Capital of North America
Did you know that the parklands along the Niagara River contain more daffodils than any other park in North America? Crocus, magnolia, redbud and cherry trees are just some of the spectacular blooms that greet Spring each year at Niagara Parks, but daffodils are a special highlight.
Each year Niagara Parks plants over 30,000 daffodils. Over the decades these sunny blooms have naturalized and it is estimated that there are now millions throughout the Park. To honor the overwhelming number of daffodils in the Park and throughout the City of Niagara Falls, the City declared the daffodil its official flower on June 5, 1967. Niagara Parks truly is the Daffodil Capitol of North America.
Among the Parks' permanent collections of perennials, flowering trees and shrubs, themed seasonal display bedding are changed three to four times each year, starting with violas and spring bulbs, a wide variety of annuals in the summer and chrysanthemums, flowering cabbage and kale accenting the brilliant autumn colours. Niagara Parks staff have planted thousands of wildflowers, trees, shrubs and grasses, including meadowsweet, dogwood, Canada mayflowers and running strawberry vines, in locations such as Memorial Grove near Old Fort Erie, Moore Island and Paradise Grove.
Many other gardens and floral features make up what is called the Niagara Garden Trail. Travel along the entire Niagara River Parkway between Lake Erie in the south and Lake Ontario in the north and experience all Niagara Parks has to offer:
- Old Fort Erie presents a heritage flower and herb garden as part of its recreation of life during the War of 1812
- the Floral Showhouse just south of the Falls celebrated 60 years of horticultural excellence in 2006, with exotic tropicals and eight special floral exhibits presented throughout the year
- immaculately groomed gardens in Queen Victoria Park and Oakes Garden Theatre, including rose and perennial gardens, a tree collection, and carpet and annual beds, provide a beautiful backdrop for the millions of visitors who come to enjoy the views of the Falls each year
- for over 70 years the Botanical Gardens, with nearly 100 acres of gardens including the world-famous Rose Garden and arboretum, have been lovingly maintained by students at our School of Horticulture – this is also home to the lush tropical plants displayed in the Butterfly Conservatory
- the Floral Clock in Queenston continues to be one of the most photographed sites in Niagara
- the Centennial Lilac Garden features dozens of varieties in bloom from mid-May to mid-June
- Queenston Heights Park includes gardens and carpet bedding nestled among the trees of this Niagara Escarpment setting
- A heritage flower and herb garden is a unique feature of McFarland House near Niagara-on-the-Lake
All of these garden attractions are planted and maintained at no charge to the public and should not be missed in any visit to Niagara.
See the calendar below for "What's in Bloom" and plan to visit in every season to enjoy and appreciate all that Niagara Parks' Gardens have to offer.
What's in Bloom
Legend:
FS Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse
QVP Queen Victoria Park
OGT Oakes Garden Theatre
FC Floral Clock
BG Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens
QHP Queenston Heights Park
MFH McFarland House
MAP Mather Arch Park
KBP Kingsbridge Park
| Approximate Dates | Botanical Features | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 15-March 31 | Spring Floral Show | FS |
| March 21-May 15 | Spring Flowering Bulbs | QVP, OGT, FC, BG, QHP, MFH |
| April 2 | Easter Lily Floral Show | FS |
| April 10-May 2 | Japanese Flowering Cherries | BG, QHP, KBP |
| April 10-June 20 | Rhododendrons | BG |
| April 15-October 15 | Carpet Bedding Displays | QVP, OGT, FC, BG, QHP |
| April 15-October 30 | Perennials | QVP, OGT, FC, BG, QHP, MAP |
| April 15-October 30 | Nature Garden, Herb Garden | BG |
| April 15-October 30 | Rock Garden | QVP,. OGT, FC, BG |
| April 24-May 9 | Lilacs | Adjacent to FC |
| May 24-October 30 | Period Herb Garden | MFH |
| May | Hydrangea Show | FS |
| May 15-June 30 | Irises | BG |
| May 30-September 30 | Annual Displays | All Gardens |
| June | Regal Geranium Show | FS |
| June 15-September 30 | Roses | FS, QVP, BG |
| September 15-October 30 | Fall Displays | QVP, OGT, FC, BG |
| September 15-October 30 | Hiemalis Begonia Show | FS |
| November | Chrysanthemum Show | FS |
| December | Christmas Floral Show | FS |
| December 1-January 5 | Christmas Displays | QVP, OGT, BG, QHP |
| Year Round | Tropical Plants | FS, Butterfly Conservatory |