Hi all, happy Sunday – and happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads out there! I know “World’s Best Dad” is something that’s emblazoned on just a few million mugs, keychains and picture frames – but seriously, mine really is! My dad is honestly everything I could have asked for in a father. He’s caring, supportive and always there for me in any situation. He’s not only smart, but wise, and gives great advice. He’s got a terrific sense of humour, is kind and thoughtful, and is immensely loyal to the ones lucky enough to call him a relative or friend. He’s patient, understanding and always goes the extra mile for the people he cares about. All that to say, I couldn’t have lucked out more with the dad lottery. Today he told me he was honoured to be my father, so Dad, if you’re reading this – right back at you! I hope that all the wonderful dads out there are enjoying their day.
On that note, I hope everyone’s been enjoying the last few days of spring. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it is indeed, still spring – here in Southern Ontario, most folks tend to think of Victoria Day weekend (which was on May 20 this year) as the unofficial start of summer. Well, the actual first day of summer is this Thursday, and as excited as I am, I’ll miss the spring just as much! There are so many things I love about spring: the general feeling of hope and renewal in the air, the celebration of Easter (one of my favourite holidays) and of course, all those gorgeous spring flowers. If you love flowers as much as I do, then today’s post is for you!
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while (and/or have an excellent memory) then you may already be familiar with the Royal Botanical Gardens (and if you live in Burlington or Hamilton, you definitely know it!) I posted about the RBG last summer, when I’d taken my mom out for afternoon tea at their then-recently renovated Turner Pavilion Teahouse. Recently, I found myself at the RBG yet again – and who can blame me? With over 2,400 acres of gardens and 235,000 plants, there’s always something new to see at the RBG. From magnolias and cherry blossoms in the spring to roses and peonies in the summer to spectacular foliage in the fall, there’s never a bad time to visit. Even in winter – not the time most people would think of visiting a botanical garden – the RBG lights up its trails with the festive Winter Wonders exhibit. Personally, though, I think spring is definitely one of the best times to visit the RBG. In addition to their renowned cherry blossom, magnolia and iris collections, they’re equally famous for another spring bloom: lilacs!
In Southern Ontario, lilacs typically bloom between late May and early June, but due to above-average temperatures this year, lilac season both began – and ended – early. Luckily, I was able to make it out to the RBG on the last weekend in May to catch the tail end of lilac season.
The Katie Osborne Lilac Garden, located in the RBG Arboretum, is home to the largest living collection of lilacs in the entire world! That’s nothing to sneeze at – unless of course, you happen to be allergic to flowers (hey, I had to throw in at least one dad joke in honour of Father’s Day!)
The hilly lilac dell contains over 800 species of lilacs, from early-flowering hyacinth lilacs to native Canadian Preston lilacs to – my personal favourite – French hybrid lilacs (I especially love the two-toned ones with the white edges.) I was amazed to see how much variation there is between different species of lilacs, from shapes to textures to colours – they don’t just come in purple, but also pink, blue and even white!
As we visited at the end of lilac season, many of the flowers were already starting to fade and turn brown, but it was still a glorious sight to see – and the fragrance was heavenly. Even a single lilac is deliciously aromatic, so just imagine what a garden of 500+ lilac bushes smells like!
Access to the RBG Arboretum is free most of the year, but costs $10 during lilac season (note that parking is paid all year round.) There was an option to pay $10 just for Arboretum access, but Tania and I opted to pay the full $19.50/person for full RBG admission, which includes access to the Arboretum as well as Hendrie Park, the Laking Garden and the Rock Garden. Now, the RBG is huge – it’s over 2,400 acres and stretches into both Burlington and Hamilton – and while you can walk from garden to garden, it’ll take you a while. The good news is that, with the exception of the Arboretum, parking is free at all the other gardens. So after our lilac adventures, we drove over to Hendrie Park to keep the floral fun going!
Hendrie Park is RBG’s largest garden, and it’s also where the Turner Pavilion Teahouse is located – check out my full review of the teahouse here. Hendrie Park spans 22 acres, has 12 themed garden areas, and is home to over 55,000 individual plants… but it’s perhaps most famous for its stunning rose garden, which blooms between June and September. Even during our visit at the end of May, a few of the roses were already in bloom – perhaps due to that aforementioned spring heatwave!
One of RBG’s most hyped seasonal blooms is their wisteria, and luckily, we were there right in time to experience it. Their vibrant purple blooms draped over the bridge at the entrance to Hendrie Park – talk about making a great first impression! It’s funny how some of nature’s most beautiful flowers – wisteria, lilacs, cherry blossoms – have the shortest blooming seasons. I guess that’s Mother Nature’s way of reminding us to live in the moment and appreciate the beauty of today!
After our stroll through Hendrie Park, we drove over to the RBG Rock Garden. This six-acre garden is open year-round, and boasts a vast collection of perennials, water features (including a winding “river”), beautiful sculptures – and yes, lots of rocks! The Rock Garden definitely has ‘secret garden’ vibes: it feels lush and wild, and – in my opinion – it’s one of the most peaceful spots at the RBG. Several seating areas throughout the garden encourage visitors to stop, sit, and take a moment to enjoy nature.
We wanted to visit Laking Garden before leaving, but unfortunately we were too late, as we hadn’t realized it was operating under special seasonal hours and thus closed earlier than the rest of the gardens, with the final entry time at 4pm. If you’re planning your own RBG visit, be sure to check their website for up-to-date hours, as they change throughout the year. My own fault – I should have done my homework ahead of time! Oh well… just an excuse to go back and visit the RBG soon, which I’ll certainly be doing anyways. I’m strongly considering purchasing an annual membership – given how close I live and how many things there are to see and do there, I think it’d be a worthwhile investment!
What are some of your favourite spring (or summer) blooms?
Leave a Reply