Saturday October 18 - drop by for the North American Conker Championship.
More info below!
First, a list of some of the current highlights:
• Roses: There are a surprising number of roses in bloom - always lovely.
• Perennials in various places around the Gardens are providing colour and interest. The Ornamental Grass Collection is also stunning in the fall.
• Shrubs & Trees: to the right of the main path towards the rose garden, watch for the very rare Franklinia still in bloom.
• The Lower Pond area is always a highlight in autumn.
• The Knot Garden has a lovely collection of dahlias.
• The Victorian Garden will be a highlight for another several days, but will be finished after this weekend.
A note about October Hours:
The Gardens are open every day (holidays included)
Operating hours: 9am-5pm (Last entry at 5pm)
And remember: no charge for kids under 18.
Be sure to pick up a scavenger hunt activity for them to work on during your walk!
The Gardens Shop is also open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm.
The Elm Tree Cafe is open until Sunday October 19.
11am - 4pm.
This is the final weekend of the season for the Cafe!
For detailed visitor information, hours and rates, please visit www.historicgardens.com
Seasonal Selections - Still seems like summer
We still have roses!
The Victorian Garden is still wowing visitors,
but this is the last weekend to see it in its full glory!
The dahlias in the Knot Garden continue to delight.
The potted papyrus in the Main Courtyard is beautiful,
especially in the last day sunshine.
The Conkerer will be crowned on October 18!
It is the eve of our annual North American Conker Championship, and volunteer organizer Simon Bonnington has been waxing poetically about the upcoming event.
In his words...
The anticipation is now palpable in the air!
From the Saga of Knut the Konkerer (Halvard Hrafnsson circa 728CE, trans.)
Sinews are stretched,
Loins are girded,
Hearts are steeled,
And breath is bated.
Tomorrow the 2025 North American Conker Championship will be fought out at the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens!
Registration from 9.30am - a modest fee of $5 is requested
Competition commences 10:30am
See you there!
[Our event vigilant Weapons Master checks munitions for Competition Grade compliance]
[In a secure storage facility, somewhere near Granville Ferry]
"May your eye be true, let your arm be strong, let your strike be swift and sharp, and let your elbow and thigh avoid excessive bruising on the follow-through'
Sun-Tzu
Reigning champ Kevin Goodlad. Will he repeat? Or will he be dethroned?
It will all unfold tomorrow...
The 2025 North American Conker Championship will be held in front of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens on Saturday, October 18, as participants vie for the coveted Crofton Chalice. Registration begins at 9:30am with the competition kicking off at 10:30am sharp! No experience necessary! Competitive rounds for age 8 to 108 - practice area available for younger kids and any adults who want to try their hand in a non-competitive environment.
Seasonal Selections - Autumn Colours Abound
The Lower Pond area is in its autumn glory.
Berries provide interesting shapes.
It isn't fall without some mums...
More pond beauty...
The native witch hazels are putting on a show!
The Devil's Walking Stick has super funky fall features.
Garden Skelebration
Mr & Mrs Bones will soon be doing a makeover in the Main Courtyard
as the Hallowe'en season approaches and we look forward to our annual
Garden Skelebration!
Mr & Mrs Bones invite you to join us for some family-friendly Halloween fun
October 25 and 26.
Scavenger Hunts, BrainSqueezers and games…
and don't miss the Little Monster Mash each day 2-3pm.
Be sure to plan enough time to enjoy a walk around our autumn Gardens as well!
Fan Fotos
Thanks to Garden Member Maurice Allen for this fantasic foto of a Frankinia blossom.
The Franklinia, a small flowering tree in the tea family, is said to be among the rarest trees in the world and is extinct in the wild.
Yet, here in the Historic Gardens... we have one AND it is in bloom!
And thanks to our Horticultural Manager Ashlea Viola for snapping this shot
of our gardening team at work planting tulip bulbs in the L Beds.
Can't wait until May to see the show!
These cold, crisp mornings are a reminder that we will soon be wanting our hats and mittens at the ready! The Gardens Shop has a great selection of handmade felted mitts created by Fiona Sensenstein using 'upcycled' sweaters. A combination of wool and cashmere, these mitts are SUPER COZY!
The Gardens Shop is open 7 days a week ALL YEAR LONG,
from 9am-5pm. Drop by soon!
Remember, you can always explore our online shop for gift ideas from the comfort of your arm chair!
Explore now!
Elm Tree Cafe
We are entering the final weekend of 2025 for the Elm Tree Cafe,
open 11-4 on October 17, 18 and 19 to finish up the season.
If you get a chance this weekend,
stop by for lunch or a treat during your Garden visit.
A big shout out to the Cafe staff for a their great food and service this summer!
What do we do with hot peppers grown in the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens?
Why, we make Hot Sauce of course!
The Gardens Shop has a great selection of unique hot sauces made by our creative Elm Tree Cafe staff. Current flavours include Jack O'Lantern, Strawberry Inferno, Nectarine Dream, Nasturtium Reaper, Plum Starrburst, Stone Fruit Lightning and Louisiana Style.
If you are a hot sauce lover, you will want to try some of these!
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...
Gracing the front lawn of the Historic Gardens, "Dance of the Blue Heron" has become an iconic feature in Annapolis Royal, much appreciated by residents and visitors alike. The sculpture was created by the late Gerald Jank, a Nova Scotian artist who did some amazing work using recycled metal. The feathers on these herons, for instance, came from discarded oil tanks!
The couple who purchased the herons felt they should have a place of prominence in Annapolis Royal, to be enjoyed by all, and that is how these magnificent creatures came to reside on the front lawn of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. Thanks to Gerald Jank for his creation, and thanks to the Archibald family for generously sharing them with the world.
Hope to see you in the Gardens soon. Don't forget your camera!
Trish
"The earth laughs in flowers"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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