Did you see the llama? Or the dinosaur? Hey, this one looks like a frog.
Wait, there’s a dinosaur here?
What a delightful time I had yesterday afternoon when I explored the beautiful Coventry Garden in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Coventry Garden
Windsor is known for it’s friendly waterfront, with easily accessible parks and trails lining the Detroit River. I think I’ve visited five or six of their riverfront gardens.
But after my visit yesterday, Coventry Garden is now my favorite park along the Windsor riverfront.
Located on Riverside Drive along the Detroit River, the garden is part of Reaume Park, named for local businessman Joseph Reaume who donated land along the riverfront to the community in the 1930’s. The seven-acre Coventry Garden was added to Reaume Park in 1975.
With plenty of shade, wide open spaces, paved walkways, and a gorgeous view of the river, Coventry Garden is the ideal place for walks, playing lawn games with friends, and enjoying time with family.
In the space of three hours at the garden, I saw four wedding parties taking photos. People walked along the paved walkway on the river and many families were having picnics.
Though yesterday was a bright, sunny day with temperatures over 90 degrees Farenheit, the breeze and shade from the tall walnut, locust, and maple trees made it feel a lot cooler.
The garden is known for the Peace Fountain, the only international floating fountain in the world. I’ve seen the fountain dozens of times from Belle Isle, across the river in Detroit, Michigan and I’ve always wanted to see the fountain in person.
Yesterday I finally did!
Topiary in the Gardens
With summer flowers in full bloom, and a few spring flowers still hanging on, I took my time gazing at the amazing textures and beautiful colors of the flowers and leaves.
Hollyhocks, lilies, yarrow, roses, and poppies filled the beds. Coleus and begonias were tucked under evergreens.
I was surprised to see an iris still in bloom in one of the beds near the fountain.
Walking back to take another look at the poppies, I turned my head, and caught a dark shadow in the background.
I looked again.
Could it be? Was that a dinosaur in the background?
Yes, there it was! The sculptured evergreen was a dinosaur topiary, hidden in the back behind other topiary in the bed underneath the maple trees.
How could I have missed it? And as I retraced my steps in the garden, I noticed many other topiary animals, including a llama, turtle, and I think a caterpillar.
If you’re in the Windsor, Ontario area, and want to enjoy a beautiful walk about a garden, or along the Detroit River, I highly recommend you visit Coventry Garden. Let me know how many topiary animals you can find in the garden!
Check out some of the photos from the garden:
