Photo courtesy of NiagaraParks.com
“Spring ahead, fall behind.”
If this phrase means anything to you, you are one of the many people in the northern hemisphere (including Canada, USA, UK) that observed Daylight Savings Time (DST) today and got an extra hour of sleep!
DST was implemented to make use of the precious daylight in the evenings by setting our clocks one hour ahead during the summer and moving it back again in the fall. Benefits of DST include: reducing energy use and increasing outdoor activities.
To celebrate the time change, today’s blog post is all about the fantastic Floral Clock in Niagara Falls, Ontario. If you have the opportunity to visit Niagara Falls, which is one of the most beautiful places in Canada, you must go see the Floral Clock. After the falls, the clock is one of Niagara Fall’s most popular attractions.
While there are other floral clocks around the world (i.e the Edinburgh), the one in Niagara Falls is the largest of its kind, measuring 40 ft wide! The floral clock, which is both beautiful and functional, is made up of 16 000 carpet bedding and annual plants. And as if the clock itself isn’t impressive enough, there is a 10 ft. wide water garden around the base of the timepiece; it has become one of the most popular places to make a wish! The intricate design of the face changes in the Fall and Spring. In the Spring, horticultural staff plant violas and alternanthera (Joseph’s Coat) and Santolina Sage in the Summer/Fall.
A site maintenance worker checks the clock regularly to ensure the accuracy of the time. It will even chime at each quarter hour! There is a tower at the back of the clock that houses Westminster chimes. During visiting hours, tourists can go inside the tower to look at the clock mechanism and to see photographs of all the face designs since 1950 (when the clock was first built).
For more info, please visit: niagaraparks.com
