Festive Foliage

In the summer, the Niagara Floral Showhouse is surrounded by extensive rose gardens, a spectacular water feature embellished by water lilies, and a fragrance garden where plants are identified in Braille for people who are visually impaired. It’s a stunning display of floral brilliance.

But just because summer gives way to winter, frost chills the air, and a blanket of snow covers the ground doesn’t mean the Floral Showhouse is any less vibrant. The colours just move inside for a series of spectacular floral shows that fill the gap until the blissful warmth of summer returns.

For over 75 years visitors have come to this this lush oasis, a spot of serenity just a short walk from the Falls. Collections of orchids, succulents and other tropical plant species are on display throughout the year, while tropical birds flitter to-and-fro amongst the greenery, chirping merrily as you admire the exotic cultivars.

In November and December, poinsettias take center stage.

“There’s always something new and exciting, but the Poinsettia Showcase is one of our most popular events,” explains Charles Hunter, Director of Horticulture at the

Niagara Parks Commission. “It represents a dose of cheer while the rest of Niagara Parks’ extensive gardens are covered in snow.”

Except for the Christmas tree itself, perhaps no plant is more representative of the yuletide season than the poinsettia. A native of Mexico and transplanted to California and the Canary Islands, the flower became attached to the holiday through the legend of an impoverished young girl walking to church on Christmas Eve, ashamed she had nothing but weeds to give baby Jesus. Moved by the child’s piety, Jesus miraculously transformed the weeds into beautiful blooms, known forever after as Flores de Noche Buena, or ‘Flowers of the Holy Night’. The legend and the flower were brought back to the United States in the 19th century by Joel Poinsett, American ambassador to Mexico. In time, the poinsettia became as much a part of the North America holiday season as it has traditionally been in Mexico.

But Hunter hastens to point out poinsettias aren’t merely a Christmas flower. “The poinsettia is iconic to that time of

Mexico into North America holiday season as it has traditionally been in Mexico. that year in general, a season when so many cultures hold sacred celebrations,” he says. “It’s a time of year for reflection, hope, kindness, and gentleness in a season that can be hard for so many. The poinsettia symbolizes these ideals even when its dark and bleak outside.”

Perhaps this emotional connection explains the enduring popularity of the Poinsettia Showcase, which dates to 1946 and a time when poinsettias were just becoming universally popular in North American homes. “We were sort of ahead of the trend,” explains Hunter. “Although it’s hard to imagine, poinsettias weren’t a fixture of holiday décor at the time. They only became iconic to the season in North America in the 1950s.”

The Poinsettia showcase has been held every year since, beginning the week after Remembrance Day to give due respect to that solemn event. As many as 1,500 poinsettias emblazon the greenhouses in festive colours – the traditional red and whites of course, but also other, more exotic shades to match the chosen theme for that year. In addition to unusual colours, there are also unusual varieties on display, such as double-red and curly bloomed. Often mixed among the poinsettias are other complementary flowers like cyclamen, narcissus, paperwhites, or Christmas cactus.

The design changes every year, with planning beginning several years in advance. The design is always rooted in a ‘sense of place’, meaning it is informed by important anniversaries or events that the community or the wider nation is celebrating. But no matter the theme, the Showcase always includes nods to the traditional celebrations of the time of year.

“Designing the Showcase is a creative expression that we really enjoy. The challenge comes in getting the poinsettias to bloom when we need them to,” explains Hunter. “Poinsettias are a short-day plant, meaning they bloom when days are short and nights long. They won’t bloom if exposed to light, so about ten weeks beforehand we need black out the greenhouses from every source of illumination, including interior lights and streetlights.”

Poinsettias are also sensitive to extreme low or high temperatures. The greenhouses are maintained at consistent and ideal temperatures, ensuring the most stunning of blooms.

The sight of hundreds of poinsettias creating a sea of cheerfulness is spectacular, but the designers always include a showstopper that captures the imagination. In some years it’s a towering Christmas tree made up of 150 poinsettias. Other times it’s an arch composed of poinsettias.

Hunter is mum on future Showcase themes though. “You’ll have to come and see,” he laughs.

But what he can guarantee is that you will experience the magic of the holiday season and leave with those warm festive feelings, the kind that only come around once a year.

Even as the weather outside is grey and dreary, wind chilling you to the bone and frost hanging off every breath, Niagara Floral Showhouse remains bursting with vibrancy. Like an oasis of colour in a desert of snow and cold, it’s a welcome reprieve from the long winter months. The greenhouse casts an enchanting spell.

“The Poinsettia Showcase,” says Hunter passionately, “represents a sense of wonder that seems so fitting during the holiday season.”

7145 Niagara Pkwy, Niagara Falls, ON 1-877-642-7275 • niagaraparks.com

Admission: $8 (13+years), $5 (3-12 years), FREE (2 & under). Seasons passes are available to enjoy year-round.