The Arboretum in the Rochester Park System is famous for its collection of over four thousand named species, varieties and forms of plants and trees. The perennial plants, shrubs and a large proportion of the trees are to be found in Highland Park. Large groups of different species and forms in numerous genera attract the serious student as well as those looking for desirable plants for their home grounds.
Highland Park goes far beyond the average city park in educational value.
Here may be seen beautiful flowers the year around, from the tiny white blossoms of the snowdrops during a warm spell in January to the gorgeous hardy chrysanthemums often covered by the first fall snow before they fade. Forsythia or goldenbell show a dozen different forms of this early spring flowering bush, while the two dozen species and varieties of magnolias represent many rare forms. Their brilliant yellow, orange and red fruits in autumn rival in interest the earlier flowers. Several other collections of flowering plants deserve special mention. The most beautiful are the azaleas, which so truly deserve the name of Flame Azalea, as they brighten the valley south of the picnic grove.