The World's Largest Collection of Lilacs is at Ontario's Royal Botanical Gardens

Photo courtesy RBG

Burlington / Hamilton, Ontario - Head west from Toronto on the Queen Elizabeth Hwy and if it's late spring, in about an hour you can enjoy strolling through the world's largest collection of lilacs. The Royal Botanical Gardens features more than 800 varieties of this fabulously fragant flower. The best time to plan to visit this National Historic Site for the lilacs is late May, during the Lilac Festival, when the scent and color of the lilacs are peaking and you can enjoy special tours and demonstrations. Most lilacs are shrubs, except Japanese tree lilacs and Peking lilacs, which can grow as high as 18.5 metres/60 feet. Here, in the Lilac Dell and along the RBG's introductory Lilac Walk, the bushes are kept to 1.8-2.8 (6-9 feet), so they can be fully enjoyed when you wander among them. In late June and early July the Gardens' two acres of roses will be in bloom.

Where: The gardens are located at 680 Plains Road West on the border between Burlington and Hamilton, halfway between Toronto and Niagara Falls. The RBG Centre (open year round with a restaurant and gift shop) is the hub. While in the area you can enjoy the waterfront in downtown Burlington, and also consider also including a visit to the Art Gallery of Hamilton, which has one of the finest collections in Canada. In the region you'll also find Dundurn Castle - a National Historic Site that was once owned by ancestors of Camilla Parker Bowels, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. At the Hamilton International Airport you can find the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, which has the only operational Lancaster in North America.

In the News: For 2009 peak lilac viewing is expected to be on the last two weekends in May and the first one in June. Special tours, demonstrations and live music is planned during the 'Lilac Festival'. The RBG has five gardens areas, four nature sanctuaries and 30 km of walking trails. The Lilac Dell is at the Arboretum which is services by free double-decker shuttle bus on the grounds.

More Ontario 'Cool' west & south of Toronto: Niagara Falls froze l 10,000 butterflies l invention of the Blackberry l Napoleon's brother's honeymoon l North America's first oil well l Icewine l Uncle Tom's Cabin l The Tipping Point l world's first long distance phone call l Hockey Legend Wayne Gretzky l one of North America's largest POW WOW's l world's largest single day maple syrup festival l Johnny Cash proposal

Created by Travel Journalist Lucy Izon

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