"Turn off the news and build a garden with me " - Lukas Nelson
Color on the Creek is the world’s largest free public water garden. In its eleventh year, the entirely volunteer managed garden extends over 1/4 mile and covers about 34,000 square feet of water in Carroll Creek Park at the heart of Downtown Frederick.
With thousands of perennial, tropical day and night blooming lilies, lotus, and bogg plants there is always something blooming for your visit.
New in 2023 are nine Victoria lilies which are native to the Amazon and can grow individual lily pads reaching 8 feet in diameter. To replicate the Amazon heat required for these plants to thrive, three custom heated pods are used to heat the soil to about 87 degrees F. Victorias bloom over two successive evenings and will change in color from a white bloom, to a shade of pink. Check out these amazing plants.
The majority of the garden emerges and matures from April through September peaking in late July and August.
The water garden is always open and free but the best viewing time is between 8am and noon. So grab a cup of coffee and a snack from one of the local restaurants and take a scenic stroll along the creek!
