Bloom Report - August 30 2026

August 30, 2026

Bloom Report - August 30, 2026

August was a busy month, and a beautiful one in the Gardens.

We'll give you a taste of that in today's email.

Below is a summary of our current highlights.

Things are changing every day, so best to come often!

Currently in bloom:

• Roses: are having a lovely second flush.
• Perennial Borders: lots of colour.
• The Lower Pond area has several hibiscus (Rose of Sharon) in bloom. The Sourwood (oxydendrum) in blooming at the top of the first pond (look waaaay up!). Hydrangeas of various colours and shapes throughout the Gardens.
• The Knot Garden is always a highlight with two "knots" along with topiary and a sundial. The dahlias are a highlight!
• The Victorian Garden is a showstopper, and will be a highlight through October.
• Courtyard - Lots of colour, especially the potted flowers. And don't miss the 'Midnight Marvel' hibiscus growing by the Shop.
• Lower path - the Native Plant Garden and Butterfly Garden are flowering nicely and the heathers are still quite showy.
• The Innovative Garden has colour and interest with lots of produce, and the Acadian potager is lovely!

The Gardens are open every day 9am-5pm

AND until 8pm on Saturdays!

Check our website for daily admission fees.

And remember - no charge for kids under 18.

Visitor Washrooms are open daily 9am-5pm

AND until 8pm on Saturdays!

The Gardens Shop is also open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm

AND until 8pm on Saturdays!

Visitor Information services are available daily 9am-5pm

AND until 8pm on Saturdays!

(with self serve information available 24/7)

The Elm Tree Cafe is open Friday through Tuesday 11am-4pm

Closed on Wed/Thurs in Sept/Oct.

(Note the Cafe is available exclusively for members and Garden visitors)

For detailed visitor information, hours and rates, please visit www.historicgardens.com

Our BIG news...

IT HAS BEGUN! We are excited to report that work has begun on the upgrade to the Allain's River dyke system that forms part of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. The Allain's River dyke system was first built by early Acadians and has existed for almost 400 years. The upgrade will secure this important heritage asset for decades to come in addition to the continued protection of the Historic Gardens from salt water and tides.

This work is being done through the Nova Scotia Dykeland System Upgrades Project. The project will likely take 4-6 weeks. Aside from the dykewalk being closed, the impact for Garden visitors will be minimal and the Gardens will be open daily 9am-5pm throughout.

Not only does this stabilize things for the Gardens in terms of tides, it also means that our dykewalk will be able to re-open in 2027. It has been missed by many of our visitors while we waitied for this work to be done.

Yaaaaaaayyyyyyy!

Some views around the Gardens..

The heathers...

The Perennial Borders...

La Maison acadienne...

A burst of colour in the Grass Collection...

The very lush Victorian Garden...

And an eerily autumn-like view of the ponds...

And some close-ups too...

'Midnight Marvel' hibiscus

Rose of Sharon...

'Happy Go Lucky' rose...

'J.H. Hamilton' heather...

Rudbeckia...

2026 Memberships

It's still not too late to renew your Gardens Membership!

To purchase online: Buy Now

Critter Corner

Two mourning doves were getting friendly on the rooftop!

An Eastern Wood Pewee and a Black-and-white Warbler

Odds & Sods...

In August we were quite busy with the media.
CBC Radio came and did a piece about the Gardens 45th birthday season, and we had three different groups filming for various travel and/or gardening shows.

Meet Myrtle from Dartmouth. She visited the Gardens a few weeks ago with family and friends, and was simply thrilled to spend the afternoon here. They walked, had lunch at the Elm Tree Cafe, bought gifts in the Gardens Shop... and left with smiles on their faces. She found the Gardens inspiring, but I must say we found her equally inspiring - so active and joyful at 93 years young!
Thanks for coming Myrtle, Heather, Gordon and Joyce!

And for our own version of "Where's Waldo"... can YOU find the visitors in this photo?

Memory Lane - Happy Birthday to Us!

The Gardens officially opened to the public on August 15, 1981. We've been celebrating all season, and had some extra fun on August 15th to mark the special day!

We were especially touched by a presentation from the Municipality of the District of Digby who recognized the Gardens' contribution to the region with a Certificate of Appreciation.
Shown here: Stuart Jamieson, Chair of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens Society, accepts a Certificate of Appreciation from Linda Gregory, Warden of the Municipality of the District of Digby.

Serendipity... when the piper pauses in front of the blooming Scotch heathers and plays Scotland the Brave.
Thank you Jeff Sensenstein for this magic moment.

Thanks to vocalist Noelle Lucas for entertaining us.
Music makes every celebration better!

In the Gardens Shop

This year's ornament has arrived, featuring the Ginkgo. And the annual calendar is in production as we speak...

And... drum roll please...

We now have snazzy new Gift Cards that can be used to pay for admission and memberships or used at the Cafe or Gardens Shop!
Available in the Gardens Shop.

The Shop is open daily, year round, from 9am-5pm. Drop in to browse.
And if you can't get here in person, you can explore our online shop for gift ideas, and have items shipped.

And in the Elm Tree Cafe...

Now that our student staff has gone back to school, the Elm Tree Cafe has new hours for the rest of the season, open Friday through Tuesday each week.
Drop by soon for a treat or lunch!

Donations to the Gardens

The Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens Society is a registered charity whose purpose is stewardship of these Seventeen Acres of Paradise. Without the charitable donations we receive every year, the Gardens could simply not exist. We encourage you to support the Society in this important work to help to ensure the Gardens continue to blossom for future generations.

Please consider a donation today!

Random shots...

Globe artichoke...

Birdhouse gourd...

A fallen Belliveau Apple...

A striped pepper...

Lots of fungi around - the squirrels are feasting!

And to close...

See you soon!

Trish

The Gardens would not be here without lots of amazing community support. Please consider a donation to the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens Society (Charitable # 106714736 RR0001).