Rooted is a celebration of the beauty and history of Niagara Parks. This annual event connects us to the natural, cultural and culinary stories surrounding the Niagara region. Throughout September, we invite you to explore our incredible gardens, learn from professional horticulturists, interact with local artisans, and savour delicious flavours from across Niagara.
With four specially themed weekends, Rooted has something for everyone and is designed to provide you with unique experiences while spending time together in nature, building new traditions and a lifetime of memories. Explore the stunning natural spaces throughout the Botanical Gardens through a variety of nature-themed programs.

Passes
Each Rooted weekend features a variety of specialty workshops and tours, included in your Rooted pass. Look for exciting, free family programming throughout the festival.
$40 Four Weekends
$15 One Weekend
$40 Four Weekends
$15 One Weekend
Paid parking is included with your Rooted pass.
Rooted Weekend Themes
September 7 & 8, 2019 Pollinators
Pollinators play a crucial role in our health, without them, our lives would be much different. Learn about these important creatures and how we can work together to protect them.
Have you ever wondered how the Butterfly Conservatory works? Join our team of experts this weekend for a fascinating tour. At the Botanical Gardens, our director of horticulture will teach you about this iconic space and its unique history. You’ll also have an opportunity to learn about the Niagara Parks environmental stewardship program, 13 pollinator gardens, bee hotel and what you can do at home to support these important insects and animals.

Pollinators Workshops | ||||
Sept 7 | 11AM - 12PM | Living a Zero Waste Lifestyle with Niagara Parks | Included with your Rooted Pass | |
Sept 7 & 8 | 2PM - 3PM | Garden Walking Tour with Niagara Parks | Included with your Rooted Pass | |
Sept 7 & 8 | 3PM - 4PM | Pollinate Your Garden with Niagara Parks | Included with your Rooted Pass | |
Sept 7 & 8 | 11AM - 12PM | Butterfly Conservatory Tour | Included with your Rooted Pass | |
Pollinators Family Activities | ||||
Sept 7 & 8 | 12PM - 1PM | Orbax & Pepper Do Science! | Free family activity | |
Sept 7 | 1PM - 2PM | Little Ray’s Reptile Show: Wild Frontier | Free family activity | |
Sept 8 | 1PM - 2PM | Little Ray’s Reptile Show: Ecosystems | Free family activity | |
Sept 7 & 8 | 10AM - 2PM | Monarch Release with Niagara Parks | Free family activity, drop-in | |
Sept 7 & 8 | 10AM - 5PM | Parkway Artist's Guild Art Show | Free family activity, drop-in |

September 14 & 15, 2019 Art in the Garden
Art is in the eye of the beholder and can be found in many forms throughout the Botanical Gardens. Whether it’s the natural sound of the fountains, the birds singing, bees buzzing or, the glorious colours that bring our flowers to life, art is everywhere!
Be inspired by sound, touch and movement as you explore the variety of art forms and how they connect through nature and gardens. Get crafty with paints, puppets and natural materials you can find in the garden. You’ll learn from professionals including artisans, musicians, engineers, photographers and visual artists.
Art in the Garden Workshops | |||
Sept 14 | 9AM - 10AM | Art for your Heart Art Therapy & Journaling with Rhiannon Barry | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 14 | 10AM - 11PM | Accessible Yoga with Shine On Yoga | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 14 & 15 | 11AM - 12PM | How Does Your Garden Show? | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 14 | 2PM - 4PM | Painting Pollinators in Garden with Rhiannon Barry | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 14 & 15 | 3PM - 4PM | Photography Walkabout with Meagan Ashley Photography | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 15 | 10AM - 12PM | Joy of the Gardens Painting Workshop | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 15 | 1PM - 2PM | Gordon Reeves Engineering of Niagara Strait | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Art in the Garden Family Activities | |||
Sept 14 & 15 | 10AM - 1PM | Mackenzie Printery Bookmark Workshop | Free family activity |
Sept 14 & 15 | 10AM - 1PM | Carousel Players Puppet Making | Free family activity, drop-in |
Sept 14 | 1PM - 4PM | Creative Youth Painting | Free family activity, drop-in |
Sept 14 & 15 | 1PM - 4PM | Leaf Imprint & Identification Workshop with My Painted House | Free family activity, drop-in |
September 21 & 22, 2019 Edible Garden
Our environment, the gardens we grow and the food we cultivate connects us all! Learn how developing your own garden can inspire you to make better food choices to improve your well-being. Explore the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens to find the vegetables and herbs nurtured by students at our School of Horticulture.
Discover the many ways our Niagara Parks Culinary team utilizes the food they grow at all five of our Feast On certified restaurants. During Edible Garden week, take part in various workshops to explore our relationship with the land, learn how to build your own backyard garden and, understand the benefits of community gardens.
At the end of this weekend, you’ll take home a variety of DIY recipes to make your own natural health products.

Edible Garden Workshops | |||
Sept 21 & 22 | 10AM - 11AM | Fermenting Sauerkraut with Fizz Ferments | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 21 | 11AM - 12PM | Kombucha Brewing with For The Love of Body | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 22 | 1PM - 2PM | Cause and Effect Tasting | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 21 & 22 | 2PM - 3PM | Honeycomb 101 with Rosewood Estates Winery | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 21 & 22 | 3PM - 4PM | Foraging, Cultivating & farming with Honsberger Estate Winery | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 22 | 11AM - 12PM | Botanical Soap Making with For The Love of Body | Included with your Rooted Pass | Edible Garden Family Activities |
Sept 21 | 10AM - 2PM | Plant Sale at the Botanical Garden School of Horticulture | Free family activity |
Sept 21 & 22 | 10AM - 2PM | Cupcakes with Prudence | Free family activity, drop-in |
FEATURED EVENT Mr. Plant Geek
Michael Perry, Mr. Plant Geek returns to Rooted! Hosted at the School of Horticulture, you’ll learn top secrets of the plant world with one of the UK’s most influential horticulturalists and explore gardening from a completely different perspective.
After each lecture, guests will also be able to mingle while enjoying light refreshments, a cash bar on-site serving craft beers and other beverages. Pre-registration is required and admission is not included with the Rooted Pass.
The Forbidden World of Plants Sat Sept 21, 7pm-9pm – Niagara Parks School of Horticulture
Discover the cheeky side of the plant world with one of the UK’s most influential horticulturalists and delve into the mysteriously sultry connections in our green world.
The Plant Magician Sun Sept 22, 11am-12pm – Niagara Parks School of Horticulture
Join Michael Perry, Mr. Plant Geek’s encore presentation for a morning of learning at the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture. Travel with Michael on his journey to far off places and discover how this has influenced his story. Learn of the countless plants Michael has introduced into the industry and how you too can use them in new and fascinating ways. This lecture will include an interactive planting session where Mr. Plant Geek will demonstrate how to create “cool-looking” containers.
$25/ea or $40/both

September 28 & 29, 2019 Creativity, Mindfulness & Well-being
Mindfulness is the ability to stay in the present moment. During this state of mind, you’re relaxed and aware of yourself and your surroundings. We can achieve this during meditation, deep breathing techniques and yoga. Over time, the idea is to improve your overall sense of well-being.
This week, we’ll connect with nature and re-focus your energy through exploration, discovery and grounding. At the Botanical Gardens, you’ll be able to explore a variety of activities such as meditation, drum circles, yoga, Tai Chi and gardening. Feel refreshed, centered and at peace after reconnecting with the earth and yourself!
Creativity, Mindfulness & Well-Being Workshops | |||
Sept 28 & 29 | 9:30AM - 11AM | Extended Butterfly Conservatory Tour | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 28 | 10AM - 11AM | Natural Deodorant Workshop with OM Toronto | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 28 & 29 | 11AM - 12PM & 1PM - 2PM | Drum Circle Workshop with Mark Chindemi | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 28 & 29 | 12PM - 1PM | Essential Oils Workshop | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 28 & 29 | 2PM - 3PM | Tai Chi with Seek Within Intuitive Art & Wellness | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 28 | 3PM - 4PM | Cannabis Program at Niagara College | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Sept 29 | 10AM - 11AM | Sound Healing with OM Toronto | Included with your Rooted Pass |
Creativity, Mindfulness & Well-Being Family Activities | |||
Sept 28 & 29 | 10AM - 11AM | Mindful Meditation | Free family activity |
Sept 28 & 29 | 11AM - 12PM | Geocaching 101 with Niagara Parks | Free family activity |
Sept 28 | 1PM - 2PM | Sonshine & Broccoli | Free family activity |
Sept 29 | 10AM - 12PM | A Dragon on The Hill with Carousel Players | Free family activity |
$90$ CND + TAX
- Living a Zero Waste Lifestyle with Niagara Parks
- Garden Walking Tour with Niagara Parks
- Pollinate Your Garden with Niagara Parks
- Butterfly Conservatory Tour
- Orbax & Pepper Do Science!
- Little Ray’s Reptile Show: Wild Frontier
- Little Ray’s Reptile Show: Ecosystems
- Monarch Release with Niagara Parks
- Art for your Heart Art Therapy & Journaling with Rhiannon Barry
- Accessible Yoga with Shine On Yoga
- How Does Your Garden Show?
- Painting Pollinators in Garden with Rhiannon Barry
- Photography Walkabout with Meagan Ashley Photography
- Mackenzie Printery Bookmark Workshop
- Carousel Players Puppet Making
- Leaf Imprint & Identification Workshop with My Painted House
- Gordon Reeves Engineering of Niagara Strait
- Gordon Reeves Acoustics of Niagara Strait & Live Music
- Kids Butterfly Craft Workshop with Niagara Parks
- Fermenting Sauerkraut with Fizz Ferments
- Kombucha Brewing with For The Love of Body
- Honeycomb 101 with Rosewood Estates Winery
- Foraging, Cultivating & farming with Honsberger Estate Winery
- Plant Sale at the Botanical Garden School of Horticulture
- Cupcakes with Prudence
- Mr. Plant Geek Garden Walk & Talk
- Botanical Soap Making with For The Love of Body
- Natural Deodorant Workshop with OM Toronto
- Drum Circle Workshop with Mark Chindemi
- Essential Oils Workshop
- Tai Chi with Seek Within Intuitive Art & Wellness
- Cannabis Program at Niagara College
- Geocaching 101 with Niagara Parks
- Sonshine & Broccoli
- Extended Butterfly Conservatory Tour
- Sound Healing with OM Toronto
- A Dragon on The Hill with Carousel Players
- Cause and Effect Tasting
- Mindful Meditation
- Joy of the Gardens Painting Workshop
- Parkway Artist's Guild Art Show
- Creative Youth Painting