Nearly 50,000 people were present when the garden was dedicated July 14, 1932. Dr. Henry J. Moore, of Islington, Ontario, Canada, a lecturing horticulturist for the Ontario Department of Agriculture, came up with the idea of creating a botanical garden to commemorate the long and peaceful coexistence of the people of Canada and the United States.
Today, visitors to the International Peace Garden will see a reflecting pool and more than 150,000 colorful flowers displayed throughout the garden. There is also a 14-bell chime, a 120-foot concrete Peace Tower, a Peace Chapel, and two floral displays of the American and Canadian flags, which are the only floral designs that remain the same each year.
The Peace Tower is a world symbol. It is made up of four columns, which represent people coming from the four corners of the world. The columns come together to form two similar but distinct nations, with a common base of democracy and beliefs.
Also of great interest are the seven Peace Poles, in which ‘May Peace Prevail’ is written in 28 languages. The poles were presented to the garden by the Japanese government.
Another popular attraction is the 9/11 Memorial Site. Ten steel girders from the World Trade Center lie at rest at the site and are a reminder of the tragedy that occurred Sept. 11, 2001, in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. It allows visitors to recall, reflect and remember those who lost their lives, but who will never be forgotten.
Another popular attraction at the International Peace Garden is the Floral Clock. The large clock, which was received from the Bulova Watch Co. in 1966, is a duplicate of the famous Bulova Floral Clock at Berne, Switzerland. The clock displays a different floral design each year, and depending on the type of plants used, the number of flowers used can range from 2,000 to 5,000. This summer, the clock will be replaced with a new clock from St. Louis that is 15 feet in diameter.