The roses are at their very best - visit soon to experience a true feast for the senses. Lots of other colour too, all around the Gardens.
Below is a summary of our current highlights.
Things are changing every day, so best to come often!
Currently in bloom:
• Roses: The Rose Collection is at its peak, with 285 cultivars and thousands of blossoms.
• Perennial Borders are lovely - lots in bloom. And the lavender in the Knot Garden is blooming.
• The ponds have lovely water lilies, and lots of bullfrogs are enjoying themselves. Nearby, early day lilies are beginning and early hydrangeas are also starting. The Virginia Sweetspire by the lower ponds is in flower, and take note of 'Pink & Sweet', a lovely pink azalea bordering the first pond.
• In the Courtyard area, the Japanese Tree Lilacs (sweet smell) are just finishing, and note the Climbing Hydrangea on the fence by the Innovative Garden.
• Shrubs & Trees: The Satomi Dogwood (pink) on the way to the Acadian Cottage, and the white Kousa Dogwoods near the Cottage, and one down between the ponds, are in bloom and will soon start to fade. The Stewartias (near between Acadian Cottage and top of Boardwalk) are coming into bloom with large white flowers - Japanese, Chinese and Korean Stewartias. The Butterfly Garden on the lower path is very colourful.
• The Victorian Garden is filling in and will be a highlight all season, as is the always interesting Innovative Garden.
• Special:
○ Roses - more than 285 cultivars of roses!
○ Kousa Dogwood trees - both pink and white
○ Stewartias - Japanese, Chinese and Korean are all starting to bloom
Highlight times ahead:
• Roses - last week of June or early July will be biggest highlight, but they bloom all summer
• Daylilies & Hydrangeas - usually later July
• Heather Collection - early August
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 daily 11am-4pm
(Note the Cafe is available exclusively for members and Garden visitors)
For detailed visitor information, hours and rates, please visit www.historicgardens.com
Roses, roses, and more roses!
The Rose Collection is at its peak,
so plan to come in the next week or so to see them at their best.
Here is just a taste... with 285 roses in our collection, there are many more to see!
We have a great selection of Canadian and Nova Scotian roses...
Above, 'Campfire' is on the right, and further along a collection of Nova Scotian roses.
Below: 'Oscar Peterson', 'Chinook Sunrise', 'Prairie Dawn', 'Aurora Borealis' and 'Canadian Shield'.
And we have many heirloom roses...
Old Red Moss is one of the earliest moss roses. It was introduced before 1848.
One of the oldest roses in commerce,
York and Lancaster is a historical reference
to the 15th century War of the Roses in England.
Said to be the oldest of the striped rose varieties,
Rosa Mundi has been cultivated since Greek and Roman antiquity.
Add to that many other interesting roses - so many shapes and colours!
'Delany Sisters' - Grandiflora
'Tabris' - Floribunda
'Gold & Great' - Floribunda
And even one named 'Rita MacNeil', which of course is a tea rose!
Some views around the Gardens..
And some close-ups too...
It kinda felt like the desert today, so a cactus photo seemed appropriate!
Mountain Laurel, Lamb's Ears and a very cool fern!
A Water Lily
And lots more...
Day lily
And the title for this one wrote itself... Raindrops on Sundrops!
Virginia Sweetspire
Pink and Sweet Azalea
Hydrangeas are starting...
Lots of colour in the Butterfly Garden
And don't miss the Stewartias!
2026 Memberships
Drop in soon to renew,
or to get your first-ever Gardens Membership!
To purchase online: Buy Now
Critter Corner
A busy year for chipmunks, so watch your step when you visit!
There are also a ton of Gray Catbirds around the Gardens this year.
They can be very entertaining!
Some of our favourite critters are made of clay,
such as Paul Bolland's fantastic puffins!
Odds & Sods...
The forecast last weekend was for thunderstorms,
but it was sunshine and blue sky for another Historic Gardens wedding!
We welcomed a crew filming for Eastlink television.
The faerie houses continue to create magical moments for the kids,
along with our other scavenger hunt activities.
Memory Lane
The Gardens officially opened to the public on August 15, 1981.
Save the Date: for our 45th birthday party on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Today we look back at the Innovative Garden through the years...
Do you have photos or memories from the "early days" as we call them?
If so, we'd love to hear from you!
Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for frequent posts,
and we'll make them a regular feature in our Bloom Report as well.
In the Gardens Shop
We are sooooo excited to have a new shipment of soaps, locally made in Digby. Iconic Nova Scotian themes (Moonmist!), and some flavours that represent the aromas one might experience in the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens (Acadian Forest, Annapolis Rose). Added to that we have a special Gardener's Soap for those hard-to-clean-just-been-in-the-dirt hands.
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...
In addition to providing lunch and refreshment options for visitors all day long, our Cafe staff are often asked to host gatherings of one type or another. If you have a birthday, anniversary or even a celebration of life... the Gardens may be the perfect place to gather!
The Elm Tree Cafe is open daily from 11am-4pm.
Our menu offering varies from day to day,
so be sure to pop in often to see what treats await you!
Around Town...
Annapolis Royal is a very special place... every day of the year.
Friday evenings in the summer months are extra special
as people gather to enjoy music in the waterfront amphitheatre.
A truly magical setting!
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!
And to close...
Imagine immersing yourself in a setting like this.
Good news - this reality is yours every time you visit!
0 comments