The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens is a must-see on your visit to the Niagara Falls area. Enjoy expertly manicured gardens and flower displays, an arboretum and a butterfly conservatory in this 99-acre (40-hectare) park. Opened in 1936, the gardens also serve as an open-air classroom for students of a nearby horticulture school.
Stroll along the garden pathways to spot displays of perennial plants in addition to colourful rhododendrons, azaleas and other flowering bushes and annuals. Explore the rose garden, which features over 2,400 roses, and an arboretum that is home to ornamental trees and shrubs, including numerous flowering cherry trees.
Bring a picnic and sit on the large green lawns or relax beneath a tree and enjoy the natural surroundings. You might see a wedding ceremony taking place at the Victorian-style arbor or next to the pond.
Go to the Butterfly Conservatory to spot over 2,000 butterflies fluttering freely above your head. Follow the pathway as it winds through an indoor tropical rainforest and passes a pond and waterfall. You’ll see some butterflies feeding and others getting ready for their first flight.
The gardens are open daily from dawn until dusk. Admission is free. During the summer months you can enjoy a guided horse-and-carriage tour of the gardens. The Butterfly Conservatory is open daily, except Christmas Day, and it has an entrance fee. Full details of the opening hours, tours and prices are available on the gardens’ official website.
Located on the Niagara Parkway, the gardens are a 15-minute drive north from the city centre of Niagara Falls, Ontario. There is an on-site parking lot where you can park for a fee. Public buses stop at the entrance to the gardens, as does a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus.
The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens form part of the Niagara Garden Trail, which is a collection of gardens and floral displays located along Niagara Parkway, between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Visit the official website of Niagara Parks for more information about the trail.
