GARDENS/GARDENING

Linda here - I read somewhere that North America's favorite pastime is gardening. I believe it. A disability may stop you from actually gardening but it certainly doesn't stop you from looking and buying items for your garden to have someone else plant, sow, put in place or construct. And, more and more people with disabilities are gardening in raised-bed gardens or box gardens.

 

Flower wagon at the Niagara Garden and Flower Show

Niagara has some lovely gardens and some really nice garden shops and nurseries. And, for the first time, in 2004, the Niagara Garden and Flower Show was held in June. It was spectacular with over 100 exhibitors, a flower show, workshops by master gadeners, you name it and you couldn't beat the location, the absolutely beautiful Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.

2006 - June 9 - 11; Friday and Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
$9.00 admission; children under 12, free.

 
Broadway Gardens
Water Garden Area
Absolutely gorgeous!

Broadway Gardens
74 Broadway
St. Catharines, ON
Tel: (905)935-4659
Web site: www.broadwaygardens.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays, always. Hours vary in the summer and they can be open very early or as late as 9 pm. depending on time of year or season. If you are coming early or late, call ahead to make sure the store is open.
Parking: There is a very large lot so you can park just about anywhere if you have a side entering van. There is also a designated spot for a wheechair using driver to the left of the entrance on the asphalt.
Broadway Gardens is a large operation with greenhouse after greenhouse and a large outdoors area for perenials, a big pond division, plenty of nursery stock and tall grasses as well as odd ball finds. I've cruised the entire area except for the houseplants section which is too tight and crowded for me to get my scooter around.
During the fourth week of November the Broadway Gardens Craft Show is held among all the plants and poinsettias. What a setting for a craft show. The main store is crowded with full sized Christmas trees fully decorated. All of the ornaments are for sale. Getting around these trees could be a major challenge but persistence pays off. I've managed to get between a few and see some really lovely and unique items. (Please see Art/Art and Craft Shows section for exact dates and times for the craft show.) I usually go to this show, pick up some Christmas gifts, a few plants and some home baking that is to die for. You can also have lunch at the show. I have never had to use the washroom but will check it out the next time I visit.
On the boulevard
Entrance is flat and easy
Hanging dried flowers
Just outside

The Copper Leaf
3845 Main Street
Jordan, ON
Tel: (905)562-0244
Web site: www.thecopperleaf.com
Hours: Summer - Seven days a week 10-6; Winter 10-5 5 days a week call ahead to find out which two days they are closed.
Parking: There is plenty of on street parking and more in the Jordan Village parkng lot just down the street where there is usually ample room for sideand rear loading vans. I''ve never had a problem parking in Jordan.

I love the natural feeling of this store...the thick stone walls and floor, hand hewn beams, everything old, big and natural. Run by a crew of people very conscious of the more natural side of landscaping, this totally accessible shop has items you won't find in other stores such as specialty gardening tools, different garden markers, huge balls made of grapevines, bird baths, and other garden ornaments that blend but still make a statement. I always find something unusual here. The outdoor garden room area to the side is always full of unusual perennials, vines, statuary and fountains you'd likely want to take home. The owners have a landscaping business and are graduates of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture. Everything they sell has a special something about it.

 
The Floral Clock - 2003

Floral Clock and Lilac Grove - The Floral Clock is on the Niagara Parkway just past the Ontario Hydro building. You can't miss it. Every year Niagara Parks redesigns the shrubs and flowers that make up the face of this huge clock. It attacts hundreds of thousands of visitors simply to take in the wonder of the size of it all and the numbers of flowers and green plants that go into making it the spectacular sight it is. There is plenty of parking near it and no one stays all that long so spots open up often. Opposite the floral clock is a large lilac grove that is a vision of purple, mauve, pink and white in early June.

Niagara Parkway - The Niagara Parkway runs from Fort Erie in the south through Chippawa where Betty's Restaurant is located, through Niagara Falls where you can stop to enjoy and take photos of all of the wonderful things the Falls area has to offer, historical Queenston and Niagara-on-the-Lake and then you can follow Lakeshore Road right into St.Catharines and Port Dalhousie. It is a beautful drive of perhaps three to as many hours as you like, depending on what you do, and you can stop along the way for a terrific lunch and dinner, photos of the falls and the other wonders of Niagara Falls, theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and with ice cream cone in hand take in the sunset as you roll out on the pier into Lake Ontario at Port Dalhousie.

 
All kinds of perennials, annuals
flowering trees an shrubs
pines, firs and cedars

Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls

The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens is on the Niagara Parkway past the falls. It is the home of acres of various gardens including a rock garden and herb garden, a huge rose garden, all kinds of annuals, perennials, specimen trees, indigenous trees to Ontario (you'll be surprised what will grow in so-called wintery Canada), a waterfall and a lovely pond. Canada geese also call the park home. The Butterfly Conservatory (see attractions) is also in this park.

 

Niagara Park Fragrance Garden, Niagara Falls

Located behind the Niagara Parks Greenhouse just north of the falls, this garden features a variety of scented flowers and shrubs that can be enjoyed by those with vision impairment or who are blind and by everyone else. I have found it is a little tough on people who are sensitivie to strong scent.

Orchids at the
Niagara Parks
greenhouse


Niagara Parks Greenhouse - The Niagara Parks Greenhouse is were I go in the winter when I just can't stand the cold and snow any longer. This 11,000 sq. foot refuge for the winter weary is always bright and full of wonderful blooming things in a myriad of colors and shapes. No matter how many times I've visited, I've always come away feeling better about life. Just for your infomation, all of the bedding plants for all of the Niagara Parks system are grown in these greenhouses. The ones you are allowed in are the public display properties. There are many others.
Street entrance: The entrance to the greenhouse is located just adjacent to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls across from the old Toronto Hydro generating building that looks like a great Greek temple with its columns and huge windows. Parking: There is usually a small charge to get into the parking area, around $3. for half an hour. The area is paved and there are two designated spots close to the entrance. There is a curbcut to the walkway that leads you to the greenhouse
Greenhouse entrance: The entrance is through two sets of double doors. They are not automatic but there are usually so many people going through them that I don't think we have ever had to hold them for ourselves. People away from home, we find, are usually very helpful.
The Greenhouses: There is a circle of palms and tropicals in the entrance. After going up a short ramp, you'll be greeted by the marble cupids in the fountain that I believe has been there since the greenhouse was erected in 1945. This fountain is usually decked out with the flowers of the season and it is always lovely. The greenhouse to right is the one that changes with the seasons: The spring show featuring primula, calceolaria, cyclamen, cinerarias, schizanthus, forced bulbs and shrubs goes from mid-January till Easter. The Easter display lasts three weeks and features Easter lilies, forced spring bulbs and schizanthus. There is an hydrangea show in May which includes foxgloves and delphiniums and June sees the Regal Geranium Show in full bloom. The summer show from July to mid-September featured geraniums, a huge array of coleus that dazzle the eye and mixed annuals. From mid-September through October begonias and coleus are featured and November sees the chrysanthemum show featuring cascade, exhibition and bush chrysanthemums. The Christmas Show is always a stunner and it proudly displays the beauty of poinsettias, cyclamen, azaleas and Christmas cactus.The greenhouse to the left of the fountain is full of tropical plants and sometimes it just drips with humidity although it is open above the door for the tropical birds that live in the greenhouses to flit back and forth from one area to another.
Exterior gardens: Just outside the greenhouse is a beautful floribunda rose garden, fountain, and a fragrance garden for the visually impaired plus a small garden designed specifically to attract butterflies. A tour of the greenhouses and the gardens can take a half hour or two hours, depending on what you want to stop to see s
Washrooms: The washrooms in the greenhouse are accessible as they were upgraded in 1980.


Oakes Garden Theatre

Queen Victoria Park adjacent to the falls

Judy and Teesha
Hostas galore
some are fragrant
lilies, too

Olde Towne Gardens
1896 Lakeshore/Townline Rd.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
(905)937-6758
oldetownegardens@yahoo.ca
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. most days May to October. It is always wise to call ahead.

Olde Towne Gardens is a labour of love for Bruce Cumpson and Judy Hilborn, avid gardeners who specialize in hostas but have many grasses and ferns and beautiful old perennials in their beautiful garden. Working on hostas since 1994, they now have more than 500 varieties in their collection and 200 types for sale.
You are welcome to browse, ask questions and there is plenty of parking. I drive right in to the back area and let down my ramp onto the grass. When I leave I drive around the back potting shed in a circle and go right back down the driveway. I've never had a problem on the grounds in my scooter. A manual wheelchair might find the going rough especially if it is wet underfoot. The greenhouse is also accessible.
Visitors will often pick out their plants and then go and enjoy Niagara's theatres, fine restaurants and do some shopping a several days before coming back to the garden on their way home to find their selection boxed and ready for them.

 


Rainbow Iris Gardens
635 Welland Road
Fenwick, ON
Tel: (905)892-6846 for telephone orders
Fax orders: (905)892-5229
e-mail: rbwiris@vaxxine.com
Hours: call ahead
Parking: roadside and in front of the barn on packed old hard gravel - friendy dog on site
This is the Alan Beamer homestead farm and the iris gardens are huge. There is a smaller sample garden that features samples of most of the varieties to the left of the house which is accessible to see but not for wheelchairs or scooters. However, if you visit between late May and mid-June the iris should be in bloom and you can see them in this garden.
There is also a large selection of annuals and some rare and unusual perennials for sale suring the summer months and into the early fall. Call ahead if you want to make sure someone is there but somone usually is and if you'd like a map or directions just e-mail or call and they'll send you a brochure with directions to the gardens and this years' featured varieties.

Stokes Seeds Ltd.
296 Collier Road South, Thorold, ON
Tel: (905)688-4300
Web site: www.stokeseeds.com
Store hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tours may be arranged by calling Wayne Gale, the manager.
Parking: There are several designated parking spots and I'm told the washroom is wheelchair accessible.
Stokes Seeds is the largest mail order seed business in Canada with roots back to 1878. They supply 40,000 commercial truck farmers and greenhouse growers in Canada and Northeastern United States and have also attracted more than 240,000 home gardeners as loyal customers. The store is on the main floor and is accessible. Three thousand types of seeds for flowers, vegetables and herbs are available in the store as well as all manner of gardening supplies. A catalogue may be had by simply asking through the Web site or phoning or you can visit and pick one up at the store but I'm sure you'll be tempted to buy your seeds right there and then from the huge selection offered.
Stokes Seeds trial gardens are on Lakeshore Road West between Fifth and Seventh Streets Louth. The pathways are dirt so it could be difficult for scooters or wheelchairs to manage but they are also nice just to drive by. Across the road from this is a huge nursery area featuring roses belonging to Bakkers.

Pond at Sunshine Express
Automatic doors throughout
Flowers everywhere

Sunshine Express
18 Carlton St. E.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Tel: (905)641-0983
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. shoulder seasons of March till mid-April and then from last two weeks in April till last two weeks in July 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunshine Express closes December 24th around 5 p.m. and opens again in mid-March. If you are going out late call ahead just to make sure they are open.
Parking: The parking lot is large and asphalt. They have automatic doors and the huge store is easy to get around in in a wheelchair or scooter.
Sunshine Express has a large selection of locally grown annuals, perennials, roses and shrubs.

just a bit of the huge expanse of wholesale growing area
Completely accessible entrance
large sales area plus much more not shown


Vermeer's Garden Centre and Flower Shop
684 South Pelham St.
Welland, ON
Tel: (905)735-5744
Web site: www.vermeers.ca

Hours: Monday through Saturday a.m. to p.m. Closed Sundays
Parking: Accessible parking right near the store doors, automatic double doors and an accessible washroom. Someone really gave this place some thought.
Vermeer's is a large wholesale operation with a large retail store in the front that is open year round as well as a big outdoor garden area open during the spring, summer and fall. Completely renovated several years go, Vermeer's is just lovely. When I get the winter blahs I like to go there and just spend a few hours looking and soaking it all in. The store really has several sections. I've found lovely cards, vases, artifical flowers, pots, tables, bulbs, seeds, garening tools and specialty items, orchids, violets, large house plants, seasonal bulbs in bloom, more exotic plants that you wouldn't think would grow here but do as long as they are kept indoors in winter. They also sell fresh cut flowers and can fill orders to have them delivered.
The greenhouses out back are usually filled with the next crop coming. In February there were thousands of small Easter lilies and Shamrocks being brought to the point wher they could be shipped and sold. Sometimes the greenhouses are just a sea of color as geraniums and other plants are readied for market.
The outdoor area features all manner of landscaping plants, statuary, garden furniture and decorations to make your garden space truly unique.