The Garden Project: Highlighting Cenotaph Park

This week, we are highlighting one of the town’s favourite collections of gardens, the beautiful landscaping, colours, and floral design at Cenotaph Park! These gardens are number 2 on the map, which can be found here.

Formally known as the Veteran’s Memorial Peace Park, but locally known as Cenotaph Park, this quiet little corner of town at Francis St and Market St is home to four different gardens. So, the next time you head to the post office, to the beach, or for a walk around town - be sure to stop by for a rest and enjoy the beauty of them all. This little jewel of Fenelon Falls is a favourite place for reflection, quiet contemplation, and remembrance. 

A fun fact about this little park: it is the only place in all of Fenelon Falls where the Horticultural Society plants annuals, as the City of Kawartha Lakes has arranged regular watering of the site in order to keep the flowers healthy, bright, and quenched.

The Circle Garden

Photo by Dan Burnie

The Circle Gardens are enjoyed by many, but have a special place in our town’s heart on Remembrance Day. Every year, different flowers of all shapes, colours and sizes fill these two circle gardens with beauty. 

This year, try and spot the Calla Lillies, Purple Fountain Grass, Zinnias and Super Petunias, if you can!

Queen’s Jubilee Garden

Photo by Dan Burnie

The Queen’s Jubilee Garden is a beautiful, large half circle garden built in 2002 to commemorate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. The making of this garden was a big community effort, with Pine Ridge Landscaping commissioned to design the garden and local students participating in the build! 

Currently, the Queen’s Jubilee Garden is under renovation and will be updated soon with a new design, courtesy of our wonderful Horticultural Society.

Reflection Garden

Photo by Maddy Warlow

The Reflection Garden is a compact, pretty little garden that was built and donated by the Horticultural Society in conjunction with the City of Kawartha Lakes. It is often cited as one of the team’s favourite gardens, as it is a quiet space where many can come to sit, relax and appreciate the soothing colours of the plants in quiet contemplation. 

This year, the garden has three smoke bushes at the back, three quick fire hydrangea bushes, three Rosy Glow barberries, two spirea, creeping phlox, daylilies, fall asters and various Spring bulbs! Stop by and see if you can spot them all.

Maple Leaf Garden

Photo by Dan Burnie

There is no missing this beautifully shaped garden when you walk by Cenotaph Park! The idea for a floral display in the shape of a maple leaf to commemorate Canada’s 150th was put forward by Kevin Brasier, of the City of Kawartha Lakes Parks and Recreation division, to Kathy Armstrong, President of the Horticultural Society at the time. Kathy then contacted local craftsman Franc Anderlich who built, and installed the beautiful geometric leaf structure you see today! 

Did you know that each rectangle represents a province or territory? Each year in this beautiful garden, a different set of flowers are planted. This year the garden houses mini snapdragons which is a new hybrid that you surely do not want to miss!

_____________________

As the gardens brighten and beautify the community, we want the community to be part of beautifying this project! Do you have a favourite garden around town, or perhaps a fond memory of time spent among the beautiful flowers and blooms? We would love to hear from you!

Please contact Maddy Warlow at communications.kwcc@gmail.com.  
If you want to learn more about the Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society, or get involved, visit http://www.backyardbuzz.ca/. Or get in touch!