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The Enchanted Garden

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This page contains details for a 2023 event. Check back for updated information for the 2024 season!

Hear first about upcoming events!

Calling all gnomes, elves, fairies, pixies, and sprites!

Friday July 14 to Sunday July 16, 2023
Time-ticketed*, beginning 10 a.m.; Rock Garden

Make your way to Royal Botanical Gardens where a touch of magic awaits you. Meet mystical creatures, participate in delightful activities, and discover the secrets of our Enchanted Garden. Be sure to check out our pop-up Gift Shop located inside the Rock Garden Visitor Centre.  

Recommended Audience: This event is recommended for enchanted families with children aged 4 to 7.

*This is a time-ticketed event. Upon registration you will be required to select an entry time.

Pre-Purchased Tickets Recommended.

  • Girl With Fairy Wings At Enchanted Weekend

The Enchanted Garden Event Tickets

The Enchanted Garden requires pre-purchased tickets, available online at the dates below. Your event ticket includes access to the Rock Garden, parking, and event programming.

Category Ticket Price
Adult $18 (+ HST & Service Fee)
Child Age 4 & Up $18 (+ HST & Service Fee)
Child Age 3 &  Under FREE (registration still required)
  • Your ticket is for this event only, and does not include access to other garden areas.
  • Tickets are non-refundable and final sale.
  • General admission discounts and coupons are not applicable to this ticketed event.
  • Members do not receive a discount but have access to a presale.

To access the member presale, simply log in to your RBG online account using the email address associated with your membership. Once your account is set up, visit the registration page during the pre-sale time and tickets will be available! That’s it! No pre-sale code required.

Do NOT make a new account; any new account created will not have access to your member benefits, and will not permit you access to the pre-sale.

How To Activate Your Account (do this prior to the sale date to avoid disappointment)

  1. Visit secure.rbg.ca/account/login
  2. Enter your email address and “submit” (NOTE: RBG members must use the email associated with their current membership)
  3. Check your email for a link to reset your password
  4. Log in with your new credentials and check your account information. Ensure your updated membership is showing.
  5. Optional but recommended: test your member benefits by checking tickets for Arboretum Parking; if you see free member tickets, this account will have access to the pre-sale.

If you do not receive a password reset email within 10 minutes, or if you log into and your membership is not showing in your account information, it is possible that email address is not the primary contact on your RBG Membership. Get in touch with the memberships team for more information.

If you’re an RBG Member, your account is waiting for you! DO NOT create a new account. See the “Member pre-sale instructions” below.

For non-members:

  1. Visit secure.rbg.ca/account/login
  2. Click ‘Register’.
  3. Input your user information, customize your email preferences

Once you click ‘Create Account’ you’re all set! You will be redirected to a page where you can register for camp when registration opens, purchase tickets for winter exhibit, select special events, and more!

Our family events are incredibly popular and registration can feel competitive. To help manage site activity and make registration as fair as possible, RBG will be implementing an online waiting room system.

The waiting room will open 1 hour prior to sale time. When the sale begins, you will be randomly placed in an online queue, with a limited number of registrants let into the site at a time. Complete your purchase, and close the browser tab when complete.

Thank You for Supporting RBG!

Royal Botanical Gardens is a registered charitable organization dedicated to connecting people, plants and place. By attending this event, you’re supporting our efforts in areas like plant science, conservation, horticulture and education.

Event Format & Time Ticketing

  • Please expect to spend at least an hour experiencing The Enchanted Garden
  • Timeslots: 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

Enchanted Activities

Timed Programming

  • Siren Songs: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
    Sing along with a magical friend.
  • Fairy Tales: 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m.
    Hear enchanted stories.

Take Me Home

  • Enchanted Seeds: Select seeds to attract mystical creatures
  • Charming Gardens: Create your own fairy-sized garden
  • Whimsical Drawings: Get your portrait drawn by a caricaturist ($15 per drawing)

At Your Leisure

  • Magical Monarchs: Meet RBG’s Monarch expert
  • Pixie Post Office: Send a note to a magical friend
  • Doors to a Secret World: Search for magic portals
  • Protected Passage: Charm a bridge guardian to cross
  • Garden Games: Play outdoor games
  • Dazzling Spectacles: Watch out for wandering performances.

Food & Drink

Grab and go fare available for purchase from the “Tinker Treats Cafe!”

Looking for something more substantial? Make a reservation at the Rock Garden Bistro.

  • Wizard Sticks – $ 7 (BBQ Chicken Kabob)
  • Ogre’s Delight Burger $11 (Beef Burger)
  • Gnome’s Garden Burger – Veg $11 (Veggie Burger)
  • Beastly Dragon Dogs – $6 (Hot Dogs)
  • Sorcerer’s Scepter – Veg $8 (Veggie Dog)
  • Pot o’ Gold Kettle Chips – Veg $3.50 (Kettle Chips)
  • Leapin’ Leprechaun Coleslaw – V $4 (Coleslaw)
  • Pixie Potato Salad – Veg $5 (Potato Salad)
  • Uni-corn – Veg $6 (Grilled Street Corn)
  • Fairy Wands – $4
  • Charmed Cheese and Fruit – Veg $12 (Cheese & Fruit Box)
  • Enchanted Garden Veggies with Fairy Dip – V $7 (Veggie & Hummus Box)

Beverages:

  • Mermaid Essence – $3.50 (FLOW Water Box)
  • Faerie Fizz – $3 (Canned Soft Drinks)
  • Nymph’s Nectar – $ 4 (Juice)

Rock Garden

The Enchanted Garden weekend takes place at RBG’s Rock Garden, 1185 York Blvd. Hamilton ON.

Built in 1932, the historic Rock Garden is considered the birthplace of Royal Botanical Gardens. Following a significant rejuvenation, the Rock Garden reopened in 2016 to embrace sustainable trends in garden design and management while respecting the integrity of its heritage setting.

Looking for a 19+ Alternative?

RBG After Dark

Thursday July 13, 2023
7 to 10 p.m.; Rock Garden

Enchanted FAQ

Have a question about RBG’s Enchanted Garden? Click the topics below for more information. If you have a question that is not answered, give us a call at 905-527-1158 or send us a message.

Tickets

Pre-purchased tickets are required for this special event. Upon purchasing, you will be required to select an entry time. When purchasing your tickets, please ensure you select the appropriate date/time, as switching your tickets after purchase will not be possible. Tickets are final sale. Every person must have a ticket 

Your tickets will be emailed to you as a pdf attachment shortly after online payment. You will be required to present these tickets upon arrival, either printed out or digitally on your personal device.

Arrival & Event Length

This event is time-ticketed. Please arrive at your scheduled time and expect to spend at least an hour here experiencing The Enchanted Garden.  

RBG’s other garden areas are open 10 a.m to 8 p.m. this weekend. Should you wish to visit RBG’s other garden areas, garden tickets can be purchased separately at rbg.ca/general-admission or day of at any of the garden kiosks.  

Weather

The Enchanted Garden is held rain or shine and is 100% outdoors, so come prepared for the weather! RBG reserves the right to cancel the event due to inclement weather. If the event is canceled participants will receive a full refund.

Directions and Parking

This event is held at the historic Rock Garden, 1185 York Blvd. Hamilton. Parking is included, available in the lot across the street. 

This garden is located along bus routes for Burlington Transit and Hamilton Transit, with stops a short distance from the entrance. See rbg.ca/directions for more details.

Accessibility

The newly rejuvenated Rock Garden features some wide, paved paths that descend with a slope into the lower bowl of the garden. Some stations will take place on grassy areas. If you have any questions about accessibility at this event, please contact us at 905-527-1158.

Pets & Service Animals

With the exception of service animals, personal dogs/cats/animals are not permitted at this tour.

Terms & Conditions

Tickets purchased to special events are final sale and non-refundable. Tickets for this event can be transferred to someone else if you can no longer attend. If RBG cancels a special event, ticketholders will be fully refunded. Please keep your tickets and confirmation: it is proof of your purchase and allows entry for the tour. 

COVID 19 Rights and Responsibilities: Royal Botanical Gardens understands and respects the rights of all staff, volunteers, and event attendees to be protected from infectious diseases. Royal Botanical Gardens follows the public health and workplace safety measures and regulations as indicated by local public health units, local municipalities, and the Province of Ontario. As such, event attendees are mandatorily required to adhere to the processes and policies that are put in place to mitigate effects of infectious diseases. Such processes and policies include, but are not limited to: face coverings, daily medical screening, and social distancing. It is the right of Royal Botanical Gardens to restrict the access to or remove from its events and properties any individual who does not adhere to such processes and policies. By agreeing you understand the above statement and agree to its contents for yourself and those individuals attending the event with you.

Liability: RBG assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to property, or for personal injury or mishap; all activities are at the risk of the participant. 

Filming/Photography Release: Please be advised that all photos, audio-video, and static images taken at this tour may be used for exhibit, reproduction, and/or distribution for RBG related promotional use, including all forms of print, television advertisement, social media and /or website display. In consideration of your participation as a guest or attendee of this event, you authorize Royal Botanical Gardens, its legal representatives, suppliers, invited media and assigns unrestricted right and permission to copyright and use such photos and images under their sole discretion. Royal Botanical Gardens, its legal representatives, suppliers, invited media and assigns are released without limitation of any claims for libel or invasion of privacy. 

By purchasing tickets and participating in this tour on RBG properties, you are agreeing to the above release for yourself, and on behalf of your guests.