| Membership | Price (+HST) |
|---|---|
| Single | $85/year |
| Single Plus | $120/year |
| Family | $130/year |
| Family Plus | $175/year |
| Contributing | $300/year |
| Supporting | $600/year |
| Sustaining | $1,000/year |
| Benefactor's Circle | $2,500/year |
| Director's Circle | $5,000/year |
| President's Circle | $10,000/year |
What’s in Bloom? August at RBG
July 30, 2026
What Blooms in August?
Note: this is a general guide of what typically blooms this month at RBG. Bloom periods may vary by up to 2 weeks. For the best view of what’s blooming right now at RBG, see the current photos on RBG’s Instagram, or find the “Bloom Watch” section on the What’s in Bloom page.
The summer heat and sunshine brings out the pollinators as the gardens burst with bright colour and cooling foliage all August long!
In Hendrie Park, the Helen M. Kippax Garden bursts with pollinator-friendly native plants and their cultivars, including Coneflower, Bee Balm, and Blazing Star. In the Rose Garden, individual Rose varieties continue to pop throughout the month, while some summers will gift us another full flush! Between the Rose blooms, spot striking companion plants like Crocosmia, Pale Purple Coneflower, Stonecrop, Lindheimer’s Beeblossom, and Verbena bonariensis.
With the ANCHORBALL: A Curious Art Journey exhibit continuing until September 20 in Hendrie Park, experience a joyful fusion of nature and art designed for curiosity, fun, exploration, and imagination. This massive outdoor exhibition transforms the garden into a vivid sculptural landscape where bold characters, imaginative narratives, and contemporary form merge with nature and blooms to create a world that feels full of wonder, yet deeply recognizable.
Pictured, left to right: Canna lilies and aquatic plant feature, Rose, native perennials.
Lush blooms await you throughout the Rock Garden, including Cardinal Flower, Shrub Roses, Goldenrod and Woodland Sage. Russian Sage looks particularly striking as tall, pink Hibiscus flowers flourish behind it. Sitting by the water feature is the best way to cool down on a hot day, and it’s a great spot to enjoy the Water Lily and watch bees and butterflies flutter around blooming perennials.
Pictured, left to right: Dense blazing star, Hibiscus, Cyclist floral installation, Water lily
Pictured, left to right: Dense blazing star, Hibiscus, Seasonal Annual Display, Water lilies
Full trees at the Arboretum offer shade for those exploring the wide-open space. Look for fragrant flowers beginning to open on Seven-Son Flower in the Synoptic Shrub Collection. Explore the nearby trails for signs of wildlife and keep an eye out while walking through the wetlands; Blue Vervain, Pickerel Weed, cattails and other marsh plants are flourishing.
Pictured, left to right: Anishinaabe waadiziwin trail, Water lily, Smooth oxeye, Pickerelweed
August Favourites
ANCHORBALL: A Curious Art Journey
Until September 20; Hendrie Park
Explore the vibrant sculptural universe of artist and contemporary sculptor Ken Kelleher, internationally known as Anchorball. This massive outdoor exhibition features 18 monumental sculptures ranging up to 12 feet tall, transforming the garden into a vivid sculptural landscape where bold characters, imaginative narratives, and contemporary form merge with nature and blooms.
Visitors can also discover a hidden digital world using augmented reality, extending the experience beyond the visible landscape and inviting moments of surprise, play, and exploration throughout the garden.
Roses
The rose collection features multiple flushes mid June through fall, alongside companion plants that bloom throughout the season.
The Rose Garden is located in Hendrie Park.
Rock Garden Perennials
The rejuvenated David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden contains many bold drifts of herbaceous perennials, with peak interest from July through September.
Plants that typically flower in August at RBG
- Annuals
- Astilbe
- Beebalm
- Black Cohosh
- Blazing Star
- Cardinal Flower
- Coneflower
- Crocosmia
- Dill
- Geranium
- Giant Hyssop
- Goldenrod
- Hibiscus
- Hosta
- Hydrangea
- Joe Pye Weed
- Lily
- Lindheimer’s beeblossom
- Oregano
- Rose
- Sage
- Smoketree
- Snapdragon
- Stonecrop
- Sunflower
- Verbena bonariensis
- Water Lily
*These plants have short bloom times and are very weather dependent. Check our social media feeds closer to bloom time for updates.
Blooms by Season
Plants of interest are ever-changing in RBG’s five cultivated garden areas and nature sanctuaries. Learn what’s blooming now or see the blooms calendar for a rough estimation of what to expect each season.
