Royal Botanical Gardens (Ontario) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Royal Botanical Gardens

Type	Botanical garden
Location	Burlington, Ontario, Canada (Headquarters) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Gardens)
Area	1,100 hectares (2,700 acres)
Created	1929 (1929)
Founder	Thomas McQuesten
Visitors	387,104 (in 2023)
Status	Open all year

National Historic Site of Canada
Official name: Royal Botanical Gardens National Historic Site of Canada
Designated:	January 1, 1994

The Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) is a huge botanical garden and nature area in Ontario, Canada. It is located in the cities of Burlington and Hamilton. RBG protects large natural spaces, important historical sites, and beautiful gardens.

It is a popular place for visitors between Niagara Falls and Toronto. RBG is also a key spot for learning about plants, protecting nature, and doing scientific research.

The Royal Botanical Gardens was created by a special law in 1941. Its main goal is to help people connect with nature. It also protects important lands at the western end of Lake Ontario. The gardens cover about 10 kilometers by 4 kilometers. This area includes two large wetlands and landscapes shaped by ancient glaciers. These areas stretch from Lake Ontario up to the Niagara Escarpment. You can enter the many gardens and natural areas through nine different public entrances.

In 2006, the Royal Botanical Gardens was chosen to lead Canada's efforts in protecting plants. This was part of a big plan by the United Nations to save plant life around the world.

RBG owns about 980 hectares (2,422 acres) of nature sanctuary. Much of this land was once a game preserve created in 1927. These lands are now recognized for their cultural and environmental importance. They are considered a "plant biodiversity hotspot" for Canada. This means many different wild plants grow here. It is also an "Important Bird Area" and part of the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve.

More than 1,100 types of plants grow at RBG. This includes the Bashful Bulrush, which is found nowhere else in Canada. It also has the largest group of Red Mulberry trees, which are very rare in Canada. Both of these plants are listed as endangered. In 2008, RBG was also named an Important Amphibian and Reptile Area. RBG helps protect many endangered plants in its garden areas.

RBG owns the land under two important wetlands, Cootes Paradise and Grindstone Marsh. It also helps manage activities on the water, even though these are connected to Lake Ontario. RBG works to protect these wetlands, but it does not control the quality of water flowing into them.

History of the Gardens
How RBG is Funded
What to See and Do at RBG
Images for kids
See also

History of the Gardens

A plaque about Thomas McQuesten, who helped start the Royal Botanical Gardens.

The idea for the Royal Botanical Gardens began in the 1920s. Thomas McQuesten, from the City of Hamilton, led this effort. The first plan was to put the garden along the south shore of Cootes Paradise Marsh. This area was near McMaster University in Hamilton. The garden would also protect many natural areas around the marsh.

In 1930, King George V gave special permission for the gardens to be called the "Royal Botanical Gardens." Around the same time, the City of Hamilton was making the Burlington Heights area more beautiful. This project included many gardens designed by a Toronto company. One of these was the Rock Garden. It was made by lining an old gravel pit with limestone from the Niagara Escarpment. In 1932, the Burlington Heights gardens and the Cootes Paradise area were joined together to form the Royal Botanical Gardens.

The first idea for RBG was to have both beautiful plant displays and protected natural forests and wetlands. Dr. Norman Radforth became the first Director of RBG in 1947. He was also a Botany Professor at McMaster University. In 1954, Leslie Laking became the Director and served until 1981. Under his leadership, RBG grew into the important place it is today. In the 1960s, more plant experts joined RBG. This helped the gardens and their programs grow. More protected lands were added to RBG over the years, including the Berry Tract South property in 2015.

With about 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) of land, Royal Botanical Gardens is one of the largest places like it in North America. In 2006, a book called Love, sweat and soil: a history of Royal Botanical Gardens from 1930 to 1981 was published. Dr. Laking wrote this book.

How RBG is Funded

When it first started, the City of Hamilton mostly paid for RBG. Then, in the 1940s, the Province of Ontario helped with funding. By the early 1980s, RBG wanted to earn more of its own money. So, they started charging an entry fee for the main garden areas. Members can visit for free.

RBG has over 20 kilometers (12 miles) of nature trails. These trails are free for local people to use. Money from memberships is very important for keeping the gardens open. In 2006, about 40% of RBG's yearly money came from the Province of Ontario, the City of Hamilton, and the Region of Halton. The other 60% came from things like entry fees, memberships, donations, summer camps, and other services.

More than 500 volunteers help RBG. Each year, these volunteers help raise a lot of money. They also give thousands of hours of their time. They work as tour guides, help at events, organize old records, and care for the plant collections.

What to See and Do at RBG

Royal Botanical Gardens has five main garden areas for visitors. These are Hendrie Park, RBG Centre (which has the Mediterranean Garden, RBG's only indoor plant area), The Arboretum, Laking Garden, and the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden. There are also large natural areas with trails. These include trails along Grindstone Creek, Rock Chapel, and the north and south shores of Cootes Paradise, and Princess Point.

Some of RBG's trails on the Niagara Escarpment at Rock Chapel were part of the first Bruce Trail. In 2010, RBG worked with Geotrail to put its trail maps online. This lets people explore the trails using an interactive website.

The natural lands at Royal Botanical Gardens are home to some of Canada's most important wildlife and native plants. The largest area is the wetland called Cootes Paradise (also known as Dundas Marsh). This is a major place for native fish from Lake Ontario to lay their eggs. It is also one of the best places in Canada to watch birds. A big project called 'Project Paradise' is working to restore this wetland.

The Arboretum has one of the world's largest collections of lilacs. This collection, called the Katie Osborne Lilac Collection, has 570 plants of 407 different types. The "Lilac Dell" is a very popular spot in late May when the lilacs bloom. Royal Botanical Gardens also hosts the second-largest garden show in Canada, called The Ontario Garden Show.

RBG offers fun and educational programs for kids and adults. These programs happen at RBG's main building in Burlington and at the Nature Interpretive Centre in the Arboretum. More than 18,000 school children visit RBG each year for organized school programs. Over 200 public education programs are offered. These include topics like drawing plants, cooking with organic foods, and basic plant science. Aldershot School even has an ECO Studies program with RBG.

Royal Botanical Gardens is part of big groups like the American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. It works with others locally, nationally, and internationally to protect plant diversity.

RBG's lands also include Bayview Junction. This is a popular spot for people who enjoy watching trains.