The peony collection is Whistling Gardens’ biggest draw, featuring more than 1,300 varieties and nearly 3,000 plants. They bloom over a six-week season from mid-May to late June. Visitors can admire everything from classic herbaceous peonies to striking tree peonies and Itoh hybrids.
Much of the collection was donated by passionate growers, including a former peony society president and a family-run nursery near Peterborough. Their contributions helped create one of North America’s most remarkable public peony displays, making the gardens a celebration of generations of horticultural expertise as much as Heimbecker’s vision.
While the peonies are the main attraction, the conifer collection is equally impressive. The gardens are home to more than 2,000 varieties of conifers, including species, hybrids, and cultivars, with several found nowhere else in Canada. Among the rarest is the critically endangered Baishan fir, with only three known specimens remaining in the wild, making it one of the collection’s most remarkable highlights.
Beyond its signature collections, the gardens feature a tranquil temple garden centred around a custom iron dome supported by five pillars, along with one of Canada’s largest computerized fountain shows. Visitors can also explore an aviary with peacocks, ornamental pheasants, and the world’s smallest chicken breed, stroll more than four kilometres of wheelchair-accessible trails through ponds and streams, shop for plants propagated from the collections, and enjoy a picnic or snacks during their visit.
The Need To Know
- Location: 698 Concession 3, Wilsonville, Ontario (Norfolk County), about a 2-hour drive from Toronto
- Admission: Adults (18+) $16.80, youth (5–17) $8.95, and children 4 and under are free. Tickets are purchased on arrival
- Hours: Open seasonally from May through Thanksgiving weekend, with operating days varying by month. Check current hours before visiting
- Best time to visit: Mid-May through late June for the famous peony bloom. The gardens offer seasonal displays through October
- Accessibility: More than 4 km of pathways are designed to maximize wheelchair access, though some natural surfaces may be challenging
- Food: Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic. Snacks, drinks, and ice cream are also available for purchase at The Redbud
- Good to know: Pets are not permitted (except certified guide dogs). Photography is welcome. The daytime musical fountain show is included with general admission
