Buffalo, NY - Spring cannot seem to come soon enough this year and the Botanical Gardens will be bursting with color this spring during Western New York’s favorite spring tradition, the Spring Flower Exhibit. From March 20 through April 18 over 22,000 bulbs will be on display as well as fragrant shrubs and flowers of various kinds. To complement the Spring Exhibit a special Wegmans Family Day - Flower Fest is planned for March 21 and a new and memorable experience, Gardens After Dark: Spring Flowers will be held on select evenings March 26 through April 11.
During the Spring Flower Exhibit, visitors will experience the sights and fragrant smells of vibrant daffodils and tulips in peaches, oranges, yellows and purples that will bring the Botanical Gardens some lively pops of color that visitors won’t want to miss. Also joining this year's exhibit will be Pink Dandelions. These beautiful pastel blooms will bring the sights of spring with its lemon-colored center and gorgeous pink edges. Stroll through the Botanical Gardens and take in the fresh scents of spring and be transported into a tropical paradise while finding peace and serenity. The Spring Exhibit will be open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm March 20 through April 18 and is included with admission to the Botanical Gardens. The Spring Flower Exhibit is sponsored by M&T Bank.
A special Wegmans Family Day - Flower Fest is planned for March 21 from 10:00am to 4:00pm for a fun day with family and flowers. Attendees may go on a scavenger hunt inside the Botanical Gardens to discover all types of beautiful flowers and collect a flower themed prize. Visitors will tiptoe through the tulips, talk with educators about different types of flowers and the pollinator experts from Hahn's Honey Bee Haven will be on site to talk about the important relationship between bees and flowers. Flowers come in a variety of colors, and so do animals. Stop and visit with a beautiful array of colorful creatures from Prehistoric World and on the way out, grab an activity bag to go to continue the fun at home! The Botanical Bunny will be onsite to wave hello and take photos from a safe distance from 10:00a to 4:00pm. This safely spaced event will be held inside the Botanical Gardens with safety guidelines in place to keep participants, staff, and all of our loved ones safe. Flower Fest is sponsored by Wegmans.
The Botanical Gardens introduced a brand-new series of exhibits entitled Gardens After Dark this past December and is now introducing Gardens After Dark: Spring Flowers for 2021. This enchanting exhibit will take place on March 26 through 28, March 31 through April 2 and April 6 through 11 (Spring Break Week) from 6:30pm to 9:00pm and 6:30pm to 9:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
This magical exhibit will highlight the Botanical Gardens’ amazing plant collection and the Spring Flower Exhibit. Thousands of spring flowers will fill the Botanical Gardens and Gardens After Dark will highlight these amazing and fragrant plants in a different way. Each Gardens After Dark exhibit focuses on the Botanical Gardens’ mission of connecting people to the natural world in a new way and in a new light- literally. Filled with colorful and soft lighting, Gardens After Dark enhances the mesmerizing plant collection and the larger-than-life historic conservatory that surrounds. Visitors will take a self-guided tour around the Botanical Gardens after dark to experience spring, in a whole new light. This one-of-a-kind experience is a perfect respite from the chaos and climate that will transport you into a tropical paradise. Bring a friend, co-worker, date and/or family members. Gardens After Dark: Spring Flowers is sponsored by National Grid, the Western New York Foundation and Rich Products.
The Spring Flower Exhibit, Flower Fest and Gardens After Dark tickets must be purchased online only at buffalogardens.com as RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED for all visitors, including members, due to capacity limitations. Walk-ins may be turned away if capacity is surpassed. To maintain the capacity limit and the safety of both visitors and staff, visitors are encouraged to limit their visit to 1-1.5 hours. Please arrive with your E-tickets ready to be scanned and have your ID available. Masks are required at all times when visiting the Botanical Gardens.
Spring Flower Exhibit and Flower Fest ticket prices are: $12.50 for adults, $11.00 for seniors 62 and over, $11.00 for students 13 and over with ID, $7.00 for kids 3 to 12 and Botanical Gardens’ Members and kids 2 and under are free but must have a ticket.
Gardens After Dark tickets are $13.50 for adults, $12.00 for seniors 62 and over, $12.00 for students 13 and over, $7.00 for kids 3 to 12 and kids 2 and under are free but must have a ticket. Tickets for Garden Members are $11.50 for adults, $10.00 for seniors 62 and older, $10.00 for students 13 and older, $7.00 for kids 3 to 12 and kids 2 and under are free but must have a ticket. Guest passes, coupons and Arts Access passes are not valid during Gardens After Dark.
The Botanical Gardens staff would like to make a few notes to the public regarding these spring events:
- Due to COVID-19 safety regulations, the Spring Flower Exhibit will look a bit different this year. There will not be the traditional Mini 4-H Farm, Easter Egg Hunt or Botanical Bunny visits during the Spring Flower Exhibit this year. However, the Botanical Bunny and some colorful creatures will visit the Botanical Gardens for one day during Flower Fest on March 21.
- The Botanical Gardens will be closed March 18 and March 19 in preparation for the Spring Exhibit.
- The Botanical Gardens will also close at 4:00pm on days that Gardens After Dark: Spring Flowers takes place and will re-open at 6:30pm for Gardens After Dark.
Use #SpringFlowerExhibit, #GardensAfterDark and @BuffaloGardens when posting and tagging on social media. For more information, visit the Botanical Gardens’ website at buffalogardens.com. Proceeds benefit the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission to inspire curiosity and connect people to the natural world through its historic living museum.