Author: Jim Charlier
Gardens Buffalo Niagara’s Tours of Open Gardens start this Thursday. There will be 75+ exceptional gardens throughout Erie and Niagara counties open for select hours on Thursdays and Friday through July (see tours).
Back for its fourth year, this tour of gardens lets you visit gardens – many not on any other garden tours – at your leisure, without the crowds that weekend neighborhood tours can have. Select gardens in twelve different regional groupings, from the Niagara Trail to Lakeshore to East Aurora/Holland, including popular gardens from the city’s Garden Walk Buffalo will be open this year multiple times for your leisurely viewing.
Many Southtowns gardens are open both Thursdays AND Fridays. Some area gardens are open as late as 10 p.m. – a chance to see them in twilight, with great garden lighting. Visit for your enjoyment – but please steal ideas!
Many of the gardens have appeared in national gardening magazines. One garden, the Blyth family’s Song ’n Birds Garden in Ken-Ton, is on the cover of the current Garden Gate magazine, and has an eight-page spread inside the issue!
It’s easy to plan your day, with a map showing the gardens, and suggested routes to see them all. The handy color guide with photos breaks down what you will see in each garden – water features, plant collections, artwork, certified wildlife habitats, and more. It will even let you know which gardens are wheelchair/stroller friendly. Be sure to check the schedule of availability list for each garden’s days and hours. The gardeners are usually present and willing to answer any questions you may have.
You’ll need the Tours of Open Gardens and Garden Events Guide, available for only $5 at the following locations:
Buffalo
- 1045 Elmwood Gallery for the Arts 1045
- Elmwwod Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, 228-1855
- Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens
- 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14218, 827-1584
- Earsing’s Green House
- 3065 Clinton St, Buffalo, NY 14224, 826-5025
- Urban Roots Garden Center
- 428 Rhode Island Street, Buffalo, NY 14213, 362-8982
- Visit Buffalo Niagara Visitors Center
- 403 Main Street (Washington at Clinton Street) Buffalo, NY 14203, 852-2356
- Mike Weber Greenhouses
- 42 French Road, West Seneca, NY 14224, 822-8887
- Perry’s Nursery and Garden Center
- 5203 Seneca Street, West Seneca, 14224, 674-7752
Hamburg
- Lockwoods Garden Center
- 4484 Clark Street Hamburg, NY 14075, 649-4684
- Zittles Coutry Market
4415 Southwestern Blvd, Hamburg, NY 14075, 649-3010
Blasdell
- Blasdell Nursery
- 3527 South Park Avenue, Blasdell, NY 14219 259-8303
Cheektowaga
- Grabber & Sons Landscaping and Nursery
- 3242 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga, NY 14225, 633-1920
- Northtown Garden Center
2121 Sheridan Drive, Tonawanda, NY 14223, 876-2121
East Amherst
- Badding Brothers Farm Market
- 10820 Transit Road East Amherst, NY 14051, 636-7824
- Russel’s Tree and Shrub Farm
- 9800 Transit Rd, East Amherst, NY 14051, 689-6764
East Aurora
- The Roycroft Inn
- 40 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052, 652-5552
- Johnson’s Nursery
- 11753 Big Tree Rd, East Aurora, NY 14052, 652-8969
Eden
- Henry’s
- 7884 Sisson Highway, Eden
Photos: Jim Charlier