As winter turns to spring, parks and gardens in Niagara Falls come alive with some of Canada's most spectacular horticultural sights. Very well-known for its stunning daffodil, tulip and magnolia blossoms, Niagara Falls is also home to a variety of lesser-know (and equally beautiful) spring blooms. 

We've put together a list of all the springtime floral standouts that you can enjoy on your next springtime visit to Niagara Falls.

Snow Drops & Crocus

These early spring blooms are the first signs that warmer weather is coming and appear while there is still snow on the ground. Snow Drops sprout from the ground in early March and blanket the gardens with their small white bell-shaped flowers. Soon after, in late March, the colourful crocus with their vibrant yellow, mauve and purple flowers make a cheerful appearance. 

Daffodils

In early April, a spectacular sea of over one million blooming daffodils is the reason why Niagara Falls has become known as the Daffodil Capital of North America. Every daffodil is represented in colour from white, yellow, white and yellow, and white with orange. Each year 30,000 new daffodils are added in the Niagara Parks gardens. You'll even find daffodils along the edge of the Niagara River at the brink of the Falls. 

Tulips  

Around mid-April, thousands of colourful red species tulips begin blooming with their narrow, pointed flowers. Soon after, the hybrid tulips bloom alongside them creating a spectacular display throughout Niagara Parks. Each year 40,000 new tulip bulbs are planted and every fall the bulbs are rotated to provide a colourful new display of blooms the following season. 

Forsythia  

You will find these bright yellow shrubs in plant beds and hedgeways and at the Botanical Gardens where you can see different varieties and different tones of yellow. 

Cherry Blossoms and Crabapple Vista 

It's truly spring when the cherry blossoms bloom in Niagara Falls. The indigenous species of white cherry blossoms emerge first, followed by pink cherry blossoms and deeper pink crabapples along the Niagara Parkway. Don’t miss Crabapple Vista at the Botanical Gardens. 

Magnolia Allée 

Around mid to late-April hundreds of magnificent magnolia trees and shrubs bloom in Niagara Falls.  Discover the incredible Magnolia Allée at the Floral Showhouse to enjoy a walk through this stunning pathway lined with approximately 50 magnolia trees with magnificent bright pink and white flowers.   

Hydrangea Show 

Taking place at the Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse, the Annual Hydrangea Show launches just in time for Mother's Day weekend in May and features gigantic spheres of colourful blue, pink and white hydrangeas.  As many as 20,000 plants are grown annually complementing the stunning array of tropical plants and incredible orchids with blooms in a range of colours and sizes. 

Lilacs

With 1,200 lilac bushes across ten acres, the Centennial Lilac Garden is in a spectacular fragrant bloom for only a few weeks each spring. Located just north of the Floral Clock, more than two hundred varieties of lilacs are planted in this garden with purple, white, pink, blue, pink and white, and fuscia blooms. New plantings are introduced each year.

The Floral Clock  

Each year, the intricate design on the face of the iconic Floral Clock is created with approximately 16,000 plants.  The clock design is changed twice each year and features a different theme each year.  Spring planting typcially begins the third week of May and takes up to two weeks to complete. 

Canada’s Largest Rose Garden  

In addition to perennials, rhododendrons, azaleas, a formal parterre garden, herb and vegetable plantings, the world-famous rose garden at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens features more than 2,500 rose bushes and 120 different species. 

New Garden for 2021 

Visit the gardens at the new Niagara Parks Power Station scheduled to open July 1, 2021. Featuring indigenous plants that can be found in Canadian forests, meadows, wetlands and prairies and include pollinator plants. 

Pollinator Gardens, Prairie Gardens and Sustainable Projects  

Fourteen pollinator gardens can be found along the Niagara Parkway from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake designed to sustain the ecosystems and provide support for a wide range of pollinating species, many considered at risk. Five pollinator gardens can be found at Legends on the Niagara Golf Complex as well as a 100-acre habitat restoration pollinator meadow. A Legacy Prairie Garden with over 15,000 locally sourced, native wildflowers and shrubs, from manicured gardens to natural habitats is located at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.  The Chippawa Grasslands Bird Habitat Management project will restore approximately 50 hectares (120 acres) of fallow former agricultural fields into native grassland habitat to protect and enhance bird habitats.  

Fall Chrysanthemum Show

The annual Chrysanthemum exhibit at the Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse is one of the longest running and most popular shows hosted at this venue. More than 1,100 mums are grown to create the Annual Chrysanthemum Show which opens during the Thanksgiving weekend. These incredibly beautiful and hardy plants offer extraordinary colour, but they can be quite challenging to cultivate. Mums naturally bloom in the fall. Their buds are set once the length of day is less than eight hours. The spectacular shapes are created using frames to support the plants as they grow.

Fall Colours

Niagara Falls offers a wealth of stunning vantage points from which the beautiful yellow, orange and red fall leaves can be enjoyed. Whether you take a walk through Queen Victoria Park or drive or cycle along the Niagara Parkway Niagara Falls is a great place to explore when the fall colours are at their peak.

Poinsettia Show

A family holiday tradition for over 65 years featuring over 1,400 poinsettias. See vibrant poinsettias, cyclamen, azaleas, Christmas cactus, paperwhite narcissus and more at the Annual Poinsettia Show on display at the Floral Showhouse. The Poinsettia Show connects with our culture and holds a traditional place during this festive time of year.

Book a Fallsview room to enjoy a room with a view of the majesty of the Falls from the comfort of your bed, any time of the day. Niagara Falls campgrounds and cottages afford visitors a special way of getting a closer to nature.