Highland Park draws international crowds numbering in the thousands during Rochester’s week-long Lilac Festival in May, though the lilacs are not the only sights to see!
Frederick Law Olmsted designed this park in 1888, along with Genesee Valley, Seneca, and Maplewood, to be enjoyed year-round. Every pathway, every tree, every vista and every relationship between the land and water is intentional. We’ve embedded the Highland Park Conservancy’s video, Rochester’s First Park: Highland Park, toward the middle of this article.
Overview of the
Highland Park area
Walking the paved paths weaves you up, down, and through a diverse collection of flowers, flowering bushes and trees, taking you from the Pansy Bed to the Poet’s Garden, Tulip Garden, Lamberton Conservatory and the reservoir.
Crossing South Ave. you can wander toward the stage at Highland Bowl (outdoor movies and Shakespeare in the summer) and the well-hidden Warner Castle Sunken Garden.
Venturing across Mount Hope Blvd. you’ll discover the beautiful Mount Hope Cemetery in which you can spend hours discovering where the various pathways lead.
What’s Blooming When
You can witness something new in Highland Park every day of the year! But there are several very specific times I find myself compelled to visit:
Early April – carpets of blue Siberian Squill
Early May – Flowering trees, Magnolias, Lilacs, and shortly thereafter when the Buckeyes bloom
Late June – The Smoke Bush collection
Early November – Autumn foliage around the Conservatory, Sunken Garden, and Japanese Maple collection
For more information on what’s in bloom, we list everything at the bottom of this article.
Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY
Highland Park draws crowds numbering in the thousands during Rochester’s week-long Lilac Festival in May, though the lilacs are not the only sights to see!
Plant Collections
The Lilacs
The Rochester Strain of Lilac can have 8-12 radials. Older varieties have only 4.
Magnolia Collection
Visit Highland Park in late-April into early-May to witness the magnolia collection in full bloom.
Pansy Bed
Wandering among the trees and flowering bushes in lower Highland Park
Japanese Maple Collection
Upper Highland Park
The Poet’s Garden
The Rhododendrons & Azaleas
All azaleas are Rhododendrons (note the capital R), but not all Rhododendrons are azaleas. And they’re all intoxicating!
On average, rhododendrons are larger shrubs than azalea plants, and they have larger leaves. Also, azalea flowers usually have five stamens, while the rhododendron flowers have ten. Learn how to tell the difference
The Pinetum
The Pinetum contains 300 species and varieties of conifers from all over the world.
The Tulip Bed
I always refer to this section next to Lamberton Conservatory as the Tulip Bed, even though it is replanted with extraordinary summer flowers once the tulips die.
The Reservoir
The City of Rochester, through the Department of Environmental Services / Water Bureau, maintains three finished water reservoirs, two of which are open.
Highland Reservoir is the City of Rochester’s smallest uncovered finished water reservoir; having a capacity of approximately 26 million gallons. The City of Rochester’s primary water supply is from Canadice and Hemlock Lakes.
Lamberton Conservatory
The Lamberton Conservatory is open year-round. In addition to its tropical forest display, desert plants, economic plants and house plants, the Conservatory features seasonal floral displays. The exhibits are changed 5 times throughout the year, so that there is always something new to be seen.
The Conservatory is open daily from 10a-4p with evening hours during the holiday show. Admission fees are $3.00 for adults, and $2.00 for youth (6-18) and seniors (62 and over). There is no fee for children ages 0 to 5 years. Seasonal passes are available for $10 individual, $30 family, and $50 companies and institutions.
Warner Castle Sunken Garden
Highland Bowl
Highland Park Bowl is an outdoor amphitheater used for summertime concerts, Shakespeare in the Park, and Movies in the Park.
Memorials in Highland Park
Newly constructed play-space
A few of my favorite
benches in Highland Park
More information about Highland Park
Cost: Free
Located in the City of Rochester (get directions)
More information: cityofrochester.gov/highlandpark/ or monroecounty.gov/parks-highland
Map of the park. If you are using Google Maps on your mobile device, add this map as a layer to help you navigate and not miss a thing!
What’s in Bloom Each Month
From the Highland Park Conservancy website
March and early-April
- Witchhazels – south of the Overlook
- Helleborus foetidus – Stinking Hellobore
- Helleborus niger – Christmas Rose
- Galanthus – Snow Drops
- Chionodoxa – Glory of the Snow
- Scilla Siberica – Squill
- Crocus
- Primula – cowslip
- Vinca minor – Periwinkle
- Sanguinaria canadensis – Bloodroot
- Narcissus – Poets’
- Anemone blanda – Windflower
- Hepatica acutiloba
- Podophyllum peltatum – May Apple
- Brunnera
- Epimedium – Bishop’s Hat
- Helleborus orientalis – Lenten Rose
- Trillium grandiflorum
- Mertensia virginicus – Virginia Bluebell
- Asarum europium – European Ginger
- Arisaema triphyllum – Jack in the Pulpit
- Lathyrus vernus – Spring Vetchling
- Tulipa – Tulip
- Viola – Violet
- Polygonatum biflorum – Solomon’s Seal
Late-April – early-May
- Magnolias – southwest of the Reservoir
- Forsythias and daffodils – south of the Overlook
- Flowering pears – along South Goodman between Highland and Elmwood
- Tulips – corner of South Avenue and Reservoir Drive
Mid- to Late-May
- Crabapples – along South Goodman between Highland and Elmwood
- Flowering Dogwood – south of the Overlook
- Muscari – Grape Hyacinth
- Convallaria majalis – Lily of the Valley
- Doronicum – Leopard’s Bane
- Allium
- Hyacinthoides hispanica – wood hyacinth
- Azaleas – southeast of the Overlook
- Horse chestnuts – west of the Reservoir
- Lilacs – along Highland Avenue
- Pansy Bed – on Highland Avenue
- Spirea – southeast of the Reservoir
- Tree peonies – west of the horse chestnuts
- Wisteria – southeast of the Reservoir
Early June
- Rhododendron – southeast of the Overlook
- Iris – near the magnolias
- Hesperis matronalis – Dame’s Rocket
- Sweet Woodruff
- Herb Robert
- Virginia Waterleaf
- Day Lily
- Wild Columbine
- Erythronium – Dogtooth Violet
- Smoke Bush
- Mock oranges – southeast of the Reservoir
- Weigelas
July
- Hydrangeas – southeast of the Reservoir
- Hardy Geranium/Crane’s Bill
- Thalictrum – Wild Meadowrue
- Cimicifuga
- Anemone syvestris
August
- Annual bedding plants and Shrub Althea
- Hosta
- Wood Aster
- Gooseneck Loosestrife
- Golden Rain Tree
October
- Witchhazels – south of the Overlook
- Decaisnea fargesii shrubs – This plant’s ripened bluish-colored and finger-shaped fruit provides for its commonly known name–dead man’s fingers. The shrub is native to western China and other western Asia countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and northeastern parts of India.
November
- Look for the Katsura Tree to turn gold, then drop its leaves over a short period of time. This is probably the largest specimen in the state, overlooking the Pansy bed.
- Highland Park explodes with autumn colors
December, January and February
Enjoy the quiet among the evergreens.
Tropical plants need tropical temperatures, so visiting Lamberton Conservatory in winter is a welcome escape from the cold!
Sunken Garden at Warner Castle
When you stroll around the back of Warner Castle and down the lawn, you’ll discover the Sunken Garden. It’s a peaceful retreat anytime of the year.
It may seem odd to think of a cemetery as a family-friendly destination, but Mount Hope Cemetery is as much park-like as it nearby neighbor Highland Park.
Where are your favorite spots in Highland Park?
Share with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!
Absolutely gorgeous…. Wow