Pretty pix, but better in person: Get booklet now for Open Gardens

native plants in Castle Creek garden in Williamsville NY — Get many earth-friendly ideas at Castle Creek in Williamsville, a new garden on Tours of Open Gardens. More than 500 species of (mostly) Eastern US natives support local wildlife and pollinators. Photo courtesy Jim Charlier

by Connie Oswald Stofko

creek at Castle Creek garden in Williamsville NY — Castle Creek is situated on Ellicott Creek. The one-acre naturalistic landscape flows from perennial gardens to the floodplain forest. Photo courtesy Jim Charlier

Start planning for summer by getting the booklet that gives you all the details for Tours of Open Gardens.

These 100 beautiful gardens are open for free on Thursdays and Fridays in July–and there are no crowds! Most of the gardens are generous in size and can be found across Erie and Niagara Counties.

To find out where the gardens are located and when they are open, you need the booklet. You can order the booklet here or stop in to these local businesses to buy a copy. UPDATE: Open Gardens Committee currently does not plan to offer an app for Open Gardens 2023 season. The guidebook is now available to purchase at various garden centers and on gardensbuffaloniagara.com/shop

If you have been to Open Gardens before, you know how amazing these landscapes are.

There are new gardens this year to see this year. Plus, like any landscape, these gardens evolve over the years. It’s wonderful to see how they have changed.

Note: The Grand Island gardens (which are new this year!) are open Thursdays AND Fridays for the hours listed. If you bought the booklet at Plantasia, there is an error. In the front of the book, on page 19, and on page 84, they are listed as if they were just on Fridays. The error was corrected after Plantasia. So enjoy the Grand Island gardens on either day!

castle at Castle Creek garden in Williamsville NY — Despite its name, you may be surprised that Castle Creek has a castle! Photo courtesy Jim Charlier

water feature at Castle Creek in Williamsville NY — In addition to a formal water feature, there is a frog pond, gravel garden, crevice gardens, garden sculpture and more. Photo courtesy Jim Charlier

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Open Gardens Committee currently does no plan to offer an app for Open Gardens 2023 season. The guidebook is now available to purchase at various garden centers and on gardensbuffaloniagara.com/shop