Garden Walk Buffalo
Garden Walk Buffalo, put on by the great folks at Gardens Buffalo Niagara, is a yearly event that shows off Buffalo’s best gardens and invites you into yards and private landscapes you’d otherwise never be able to see.
Garden Walk Buffalo has blossomed into more than just an event that we look forward to as Buffalonians. It’s now a national spectacle, attracting upwards of 60,000 to 70,000 visitors from both the US and Canada. Buffalo’s garden walk doesn’t just showcase the lush, creative gardens around the City. It also bring out a major sense of community and pride among its residents.
Garden Walk Buffalo: Showcasing Buffalo’s Beauty and Community
Launched in the late 1990s, Garden Walk Buffalo began as a small, neighborhood initiative aimed at enhancing community engagement and beautifying neighborhoods. What started modestly with just a handful of gardens has expanded into a grand showcase featuring hundreds of private gardens.
The event traditionally spanned from the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Delaware Park to downtown Buffalo’s Canalside, and from the Niagara River to Buffalo’s Main Street. In 2019, to mark its 25th anniversary, the Buffalo’s garden walk extended its reach to include the historic Parkside neighborhood, further broadening its impact.
If you attend Buffalo’s Garden Walk, you’ll find the participating streets lined with people. Kids have lemonade stands open and neighbors are hosting watch parties. Many gardeners sit in there garden and greet the visitors. It’s truly a community building event.
Buffalo’s Gardens Are Beyond Impressive
The true heart of Garden Walk Buffalo lies in its diverse array of participating gardens. Unlike many other garden tours, most of the gardens are privately owned, offering a unique glimpse into the personal creativity and passion of local gardeners.
These spaces range from quaint backyard havens to elaborate floral displays, each adding a unique thread to the city’s vibrant green tapestry.
Alongside these private oases, Buffalo’s garden walk also features an increasing number of community gardens, corporate landscapes, and church gardens, showcasing the collective spirit of Buffalo’s gardening community.
Even home owners that aren’t participating in Garden Walk Buffalo trim up their hedges and make sure their gardens are looking tidy.
If you’re an aspiring gardener, there is no better event for some inspiration. You’ll see inside backyard that are very much like your own, but with such colorful flowers and impressive displays that you’ll leave wanting to take a trip to your local garden shop.
Many gardeners will happily answer questions about their gardens and offer tips if you’re really interested.
How To Attend Garden Walk Buffalo
If you’re interested in attending Garden Walk Buffalo, then you’re in luck. Attending is as simple as being present on the weekend it’s help and wandering around. Keep an eye out on the Garden Walk Buffalo page on the Gardens Buffalo Niagara site, but it usually happens during the last weekend of July every year.
There are a handful of participating sponsors that provide maps of all the gardens participating in the walk which are available a week or so before the event starts. Once you pick a neighborhood or street you want to visit, it’s very easy to identify the gardens and homes participating.
Some you may only be able to look at the front gardens, but many allow visitors to see both their front and backyard gardens. Clear your schedule and book your ticket (if needed) for the weekend, pick a neighborhood, and look for the yellow Garden Walk Buffalo signs.
You’ll be happy you spent your weekend walking around some of Buffalo’s most beautiful gardens.
