We cordially invite you to join us here at Whistling Gardens, in Wilsonville, Ontario, nestled in Norfolk County just minutes south of Brantford and 20 minutes south of Hwy 403.

May 26, 2012 marked our official opening to the gardens. Since then, we have continued to expand all facets of the gardens.

We are now home to North America's largest public Peony Collection! Our fall planting additions introduce a total assortment of over 1,200+ varieties!

The Conifer Collection now surpasses 2,000 different species, hybrids and cultivars. This collection is the largest in North America on public display. Many specimens in the collection are the only ones in the country, and also features one of the rarest plants in the world – Baishan Fir (Abies beshanzuensis). Only 3 wild specimens remain!!

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Did We Say? Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas
or Just Because You’re A Nature Lover Too…

2022 SEASON MEMBERSHIPS, GARDEN DAY PASSES
& GARDEN CENTRE GIFT CERTIFICATES! - NOW AVAILABLE!
Garden centre and botanical gardens gift certificates make a unique gift. Season Memberships offer a savings for visitors wishing to visit throughout the season while saving 10% on their garden centre purchases year-round.

*Currently only self guided tours are available

2022 & 2023 GROUP GARDEN TOURS & CONFERENCE VISITS - NOW BOOKING!
2022 & 2023 EVENT GUEST, PANELIST & KEYNOTE SPEAKER - NOW BOOKING!
2022 & 2023 GARDEN "Bliss" WEDDINGS & CELEBRATIONS - NOW RESERVING!

2021 GARDEN EXPERIENCES
"Life After Lockdown - ESCAPE TO OUR GARDENS"
All Public Health Regulations In Place

Spring... May thru mid June... Celebrate the spring blooms with incredible displays of Peonies and Iris. Magnolia, Red Bud and many other flowering trees add to the magical renewal!

Summer - July, Mid August... 1,000's of summer blooms reveal their beauty with Red Hot Poker, Foxtail Lily, Blanket Flower, Echinacea, Aruncus, Lilies, Day Lilies and more...

Fall... Enjoy the changing of the season when annuals are at their peak, Fall perennials Echinacea, Black Eyed Susan, Aster Blanket Flower, Ornamental Grasses plus much more!

BOTANICAL GARDENS:

• Book A Group Education Tour (10 or more guests)
• Book Garden Experiences - Nature, Horticulture, Beekeeper, Wellness, Botanical Drawing
• CARE Day 50% Admission Donated
• Rejuvenate – Musical Fountain Show & Bird Aviary
• Photo Contests

GARDEN CENTRE:

• NEW Arrivals! Ornamental trees, shrubs, rare varieties in stock
• Peonies, perennials, grasses and more
• Free horticulture advice
• NEW Garden Gift Shop & Cafe!

Botanical Gardens
~ Visit our National Award Winning, Internationally acclaimed and one of Canada's only privately run Botanical Gardens and see why Whistling Gardens was recently voted as one of Canada’s Best Botanical Gardens. Explore nearly 20 acres where you can view over 4,500 different plants.

~ Be sure to visit during Peony Season (approx. May15^th to June 30^th). Over 1,200 varieties of peonies are now on display. It is the largest public collection in North America. Our conifer collection continues to attract visitors from around the world to see 2,500 species, varieties and cultivars throughout the grounds.

~ The fountain display begins June 2^nd featuring well over 100 jets choreographed to new music, composed by the owner of Whistling Gardens.

~ The transformation of a former corn field to what they are today is an ongoing project with many new features, gardens and plant collections continually being added.

Garden Centre
Our catalogue of woody plants is posted online and features many new, rare varieties of trees and conifers. With so much to see and explore, we hope you can join us for an afternoon or even make a day of it.

Our Garden Centre continues to offer a large selection of conifers and unusual woody treasures. We are now offering more and more varieties of peonies as well. For several years already, Whistling Gardens has attracted collectors and gardeners across several provinces and the US. We are proud that we have been referred as the "go to" garden centre for new and unique plants.

Take our NEW Virtual Tours! Passion For Peonies Virtual Tour & Interview The Simcoe and District Horticultural Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycdYdlM5xuU&feature=youtu.be Whistling Gardens: https://youtu.be/a7M33g6nQCc www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV6-t_T4co8 Norfolk Tourism: www.facebook.com/norfolk.tourism/ videos/1660378777308053/ David Hobson, Hobson's Garden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z06HydkmO8g

A Message from the Founders

January 2021

Where to start when reflecting on the unprecedented year of 2020? Like every other person and business, it was a year of adapting and change. Even with late worker arrival and no students until June and July, we somehow made it through. I spent more time gardening in 2020 since prior to the opening of the gardens in 2012. I often think of the past years where my gardening season starts in September and ends in April. So the past year was very different and I enjoyed the extra time in the gardens being outdoors in a natural environment and being in "my own bubble". Great strides were made again this year in the gardens with a focus on the east gardens and later this past fall the amphitheatre. Regular visitors and members instantly had seen the changes. Going into our 9th year, that 10 year anniversary is looming ever closer.

Fountain Amphitheatre Update
The renovation of the fountains continues and has been going smoothly. This past fall Whistling Gardens received its first shipment of computerized pumps. We are the first to bring this technology to Canada we look forward to showing them off. Our lights will be shipped in this spring and summer and "let the wiring begin". At this point, we are still on schedule to have our evening fountain programming ready by August of 2022, celebrating our 10th anniversary and Festival of Fountains.

Garden Centre Update
The new 2021 plant catalogue is online. All I can say is check it out, the newest and the rarest are contained within. It has been difficult to source some of these rare beauties and in many cases I could only get one plant. This year we are offering many herbaceous peony varieties from Roy Klemn’s Song Sparrow Nursery. It closed recently and this might be a real good opportunity to acquire a few of his rare varieties as I doubt many will ever be commercialized. A Word document of many of these varieties shows the photo of the plant when possible.

A very special thank you is needed for our staff and volunteers for their dedication, support and endless energy and being there not only for us but you (the guests) as well.

A special thank you is needed for our staff and volunteers for their dedication, support and endless energy. As we become more and more of an international destination, their vision and ideas are truly appreciated.

Finally, Whistling Gardens wouldn't be here at least in this form if it wasn't for members and guests coming out to support and see the continual changes in the gardens. As many guests know, besides British Columbia you can probably count on one hand the number of private botanical gardens (not government funded) that are in Canada. The economic challenges are dizzying and constant. Your continued support makes this all possible. So, thank you for recognizing the value of our work and merits of the collections and gardens which continue to expand. Your genuine exchanges of encouragement are truly heartfelt as we share our private story of transforming our "corn field into a botanical garden".

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy 2021.

Yours in Gardening

Darren & Wanda Heimbecker