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Whistling Gardens
Whistling Gardens, one of Ontario’s best horticulture gardens, is home to the largest peony and conifer collections in North America, as well as one of Canada’s largest computer-run fountain exhibits. Since 2012, we have won numerous regional, provincial, national, and international honors. Wander through more than 20 acres of gardens that feature more than 4,500 distinct flora, including the Baishan Fir, the rarest tree in the world.
Garden Awards and Recognition:
- 2024 Innovator of the Year Award Regional Finalist 2023 – Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation
- 2023 Garden Tourism Persons of the Year Leadership Award – International Garden Tourism Conference/Canadian Garden Council
- 2022 Festival of Fountains – The Night Gardens – Best New Event Nomination, FEO
- 2021 Six Favourite Showcase Gardens In Ontario – Toronto Star Mark & Ben Cullen Columnist
- 2019 Millstream Garden Award – North American Rock Garden Society
- 2017 Best Gardening Event of The Year “Whistling Gardens Peony Festival” Toronto Star, Sonia Day National Canadian Garden Columnist
- 2017 Canada 150 for 150 Awards Federal Medal Recipient – MP Diane Finley
- 2017 Recognized as 1 of 20 Canadians Shaping Our Future Gardens – Garden Making Magazine
- 2017 Canada 150 Garden Experience Designation – North American Garden Tourism Conference
- 2016 Best Botanical Gardens of The Year – Toronto Star, Sonia Day National Canadian Garden Columnist/Multi Award Winning Author
- Canada’s Best New Garden Experience – Canadian and International Garden Tourism Awards
- Sustainable Tourism Ambassador of The Year Award – Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation in partnership with Norfolk County
- VOTED: Top 10 Amazing Places of Norfolk County
- Readers Choice Award: Best Local Tourist Attraction/Best Wedding Facility
- Featured Garden: Say Yes To The Dress Canada, WNetwork
- “Home to North America’s Largest Public Peony & Conifer Collections”
Photos
Yellow Lamiaceae Plant and flower
Yellow Sonoma Yedo Peony Flower
Close up of a scarlet peony
Developed scarlet peony flower
Mature pink peony flower
Light purple and yellow peony flower
Unique Gardens
Remarkable Collection of Peonies
Whistling Gardens’ collection of herbaceous, intersectional, tree peony, and species variants has steadily expanded to 1,300 species. It is without a doubt the greatest public collection in North America and among the largest in the entire globe. Renowned peony breeder Dr. Feng, a Beijing Botanical Gardens peony tree grower, referred to the collection as one of the most amazing and vast he had ever seen when visiting Whistling Gardens.
Conifer Garden
With over 1500 distinct species, hybrids, and cultivars on exhibit, the conifer collection is the largest in North America and many are unique to the nation. One of the rarest species in the world, Baishan Fir (Abies beshanzuensis), is also part of our collection. Even after thirty years old, some tiny conifers are still barely two feet tall. A real testimonial to their ornamental appeal, landscaping value, and little upkeep. We are pleased that Whistling Gardens has brought over 150 varieties to Canadian horticulture through our own propagation and that of our colleagues; many of these have since established themselves as mainstays in gardens all over the nation.
