In 2025, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens celebrated our 125th Anniversary! Since 1900, we have loved bringing a little corner of the horticultural world to your backyard. Over the last century and a quarter, countless visitors have explored our conservatory, immersing themselves in thousands of tropical plants. While we officially opened at the start of the 20th century, our journey began a bit earlier than that.
In 1868, the City of Buffalo hired Frederick Law Olmsted to design a park system, which included Delaware Park, Front Park, and Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Several years passed before Olmsted was brought back with the request of expanding this park system into the southtowns. In 1891, he designed Cazenovia Park and, our home, South Park. His final design of South Park included a conservatory, surrounding formal gardens, and an arboretum. South Park opened in 1894, when John F. Cowell was appointed as park director. Cowell’s leadership extended to both the arboretum and soon-to-be-built conservatory.
In 1886, the City of Buffalo signed a contract with Lord & Burnham Co., America’s most prestigious greenhouse construction firm, to design what was then referred to as the South Park Conservatory. Their design was inspired by the Crystal Palace in England, featuring a Victorian greenhouse design with three prominent domes. As construction began, Cowell developed and cared for our initial plant collection (some of which have been preserved in the Buffalo Museum of Science’s Clinton Herbarium). For nearly fifteen years, construction of our iconic conservatory continued, with costs nearing $130,000.
As the flowers outside began to bloom, our Botanical Gardens officially opened to the public in spring of 1900. Initial responses were very positive, as locals and travelers from across the country stepped into our tropical oasis. During this time, when information and imagery of plants from around the world were not readily accessible, visitors were awestruck by the gorgeous flowers and enormous palms.
For several years the reception surrounding the South Park Conservatory was positive, but over time began to decline. The building had endured structural damage due to Buffalo’s brutal winter weather. Pollution from the nearby Lackawanna Steel Mill had also damaged much of the glass. These factors, combined with low attendance, lead the City of Buffalo to consider demolishing the conservatory in 1929. Luckily, federal funding was available to help repair the building, allowing for a complete renovation!
This renovation helped to sustain the conservatory, as throughout the following years attendance increased and the facility was able to expand. In 1965, a growing range building and two connecting greenhouses were constructed behind the conservatory. This allowed the Botanical Gardens to grow more plants on-site and rely less on importing plants from third-parties. This success unfortunately did not last forever, as the infamous Blizzard of ’77 caused the collapse of Greenhouse 4, the home of our desert collection. Outside of a single prickly pear cactus, which is still on display to this day, the entire collection of cacti and succulents was destroyed.
After the repairs were completed, the City of Buffalo once again considered closing the conservatory due to a lack of funds. It was in 1979 that a dedicated volunteer, Florence DaLuiso Zoll, lead a passionate group of citizens and volunteers to raise public awareness of the conservatory and its value as a community asset. Her efforts resulted in the creation of a not-for-profit Society dedicated to reviving the Botanical Gardens. Two years later, Erie County purchased the the conservatory and 11.4 surrounding acres within South Park from the City of Buffalo for just $1. This called for a name change, thus creating the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens that we know and love today. The following year, South Park and our Botanical Gardens were listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New York State Register of Historic Places.
In the following years, the Society oversaw the development of the conservatory and organization, eventually forming a public-private partnership with Erie County that ensured the growth and long-term viability of the Botanical Gardens. In 2004, the Society took full responsibility for day-to-day operations, management, and horticultural functions, while the County became responsible for capital improvements. Renovations and additions soon followed, as greenhouses 2, 3, 11, and 12 would be restored between 2005 and 2017. An administration building, two additional growhouses, and a visitor parking lot were also constructed in the early 2010s.
As our Botanical Gardens continued to grow, our facilities and image continued to develop. Our Farm Garden, which initially opened in 2017 and was later expanded in 2023, allows us to grow a variety of edible plants that are donated to our friends at Gerard Place. A new interior courtyard was recently renovated, allowing the public to enjoy the fresh air during their visit as well as serve as a stunning backdrop for weddings and other private events. In 2024, the Botanical Gardens unveiled a new brand, including an updated mission and vision statement, new website, and vibrant logo.
The year of our 125th anniversary was one of our busiest and most excited years ever! Not only did we completely renovate Greenhouse 12 into our Tropical Orchard, refurbish the children’s garden into our Playspace, and launch our instantly iconic Butterfly Experience, the Botanical Gardens broke ground on their highly anticipated expansion and renovation project! This project marks significant changes, both inside and outside of our conservatory. Our new building will serve as an easily accessible entrance, event space, classroom for kids and workshops, and more!
We’re so excited to have been part of Buffalo’s history for the past 125 years. From all of us at the Botanical Gardens, thank you for your support and allowing us to be part of your lives. Cheers to another 125!
