City Hall Flowers
** NOTICE **
Sarnia grows, plants and maintains more than 150,000 annuals and perennials each year throughout the city. A small staff of 2 full-time gardeners, 6 seasonal employees, and 6 summer students take care of the City’s spectacular floral displays. Our gardeners are almost always available in our gardens and would love to answer any questions that you may have.
The Waterfront
Take a leisurely walk along Sarnia’s beautiful waterfront to enjoy the Azure Blue waters of the St. Clair River and the rainbow of colours in our multitude of floral beds.
Beginning at the Dow People Place in Centennial Park, annual and perennial flowers, along with exotic and tropical plants, are displayed in the floral beds that meander along the waterfront walkway. The diversity of plant material that is planted each year is amazing. Unique hanging baskets featuring the most beautiful flowers and foliage plants may surprise you. Herb baskets are a new feature this year, as well as baskets filled with succulents and cacti.
As you stroll south along the waterfront visit the VON Remembrance Garden featuring a Japanese garden and water display.
As you continue your stroll south along the walkway you will come to Bayshore Park which features many floral displays along with the McPherson Fountain. The Duke D’Orleans tour boat is the next attraction you will encounter along with a grand display of vibrant floral beds. Take the time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the flowers that are provided by staff for your pleasure.
Just to the south of the Duc parking lot is our Butterfly Garden which attracts hundreds of Monarchs, Swallowtails, Viceroys and Fritillaries. Have your picture taken on our butterfly bench. It’s one of a kind, but be careful, it can be pretty hot on a summer day.
Staff has incorporated many unique and hard to find trees and shrubs into our landscape that include Weeping Katsura, Chionanthes, Fernleaf Beech, and many others. We’re sure that both the professional and hobby gardeners will be impressed.
Our floral displays continue to meander south to MacKenzie Park where a monument to
Germain Botanical Gardens and Arboretum
Located in the heart of the City, on East Street next to the Strangway Community Centre Germain Gardens and Arboretum is by far one of the most tranquil and beautiful locations you will ever visit.
Germain Gardens were first planted in 1968 and although most of the trees are still there, many of the flowering shrubs have been replaced and others planted. An arbour with 60 hanging baskets will greet you upon your entrance to the gardens. The gardens consist of many annuals, perennials, tropicals and standards. You will want to sit and relax on a bench to watch the hummingbirds and butterflies enjoy the flowers, along with you.
Weddings can be booked at our Wedding Arbor along the outer perimeter of the sunken gardens. Electricity is available. What a beautiful (and inexpensive) venue for your wedding.
Located just to the west of the Germain Gardens is our arboretum. The Arboretum contains more than 200 species of trees. Some of our unusual species are: Japanese Heartnut (Juglans ailantifolia var. cordiformis), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) and Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’.
Sarnia is fortunate that we live in the Carolinian Forest Zone and are able to grow species that other parts of Ontario cannot. We also have included native trees into our arboretum such as the Tulip tree, Black Maple, Sugar Maple, Cucumber Tree, American Larch, American Beech, Sycamore, Pin Oak, Burr Oak, Red Oak, Redbud, Serviceberry and the list goes on. Come see for yourself. It’s worth the trip!
