The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens are the softer counterpoint to the falls: formal planting, mature trees, rose gardens, and wide lawns set along the Niagara Parkway. They are especially useful when the main viewpoints are crowded and you want somewhere slower without leaving the park system.
The gardens pair naturally with the Butterfly Conservatory, which sits on the same grounds. Spring and summer bring the most colour, but even outside peak bloom the site is a pleasant break from the hard surfaces and crowds around Clifton Hill.