10 enchanting Toronto gardens where you can see and smell the flowers
Gardens in Toronto are necessary floral reprieves in this urban jungle we call home. Even though summer is nearly over, there's nothing like a trip to these green oases to remind you it's the simple things in life that matter.
Here are some enchanting gardens in Toronto where you can see and smell flowers.
This swirling garden on Queens Quay is a poetic ode to both plants and music. Take a walk through groves of conifers and birch trees, through the wildflower meadow, or sit beneath a willow tree. Listen to Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 on your headphones for the full effect.
Dating back to the 19th century, the lovely garden surrounding Toronto's most famous castle are as much an attraction as the actual building. It's the ultimate English garden, with hundreds of roses in the summer and a rhododendron dell, among other blooms.
Families have long flocked to this nature park at Leslie and Lawrence for its kept lawn and photogenic bridges. First explore all 4.4 acres of the Toronto Botanical Gardens before heading to Edwards Gardens behind it for even more flowering scenery.
There are few places in the city that are teeming with plantlife year-round, but this lush conservatory at Sherbourne and Gerrard is one of them. Head into this beautiful Edwardian wonderland for a sprawling selection of tropical flowers, palm trees, cacti patches and orchids.
Butterfly enthusiasts love this sprawling 250-acre garden for its carefully curated plots of plants and secret trails. The Arb, as it's called, is definitely secluded, but it's brimming with life: beautiful flower patches and bird-feeders attract all kinds of animals.
You'll hear this park before you see it: with a five-storey waterfall thundering down, you'll barely be able to hear the traffic coming from the Financial District. Head to the upper floor to access the park's main feature: a greenhouse filled with vertical gardens and leafy trees, open on weekdays.
Not far from Ashbridges Bay is this secret plot of flowers and veggies, tended to by the loving hands of local gardeners. There's nothing more down-to-earth than a homegrown garden; even better when it's decades-old. Just be mindful when visiting: people have worked hard for all the plants blooming there today.
This nature hub and community space is surrounded by all the wonders of the Don Valley, meaning it's a paradise for nature lovers. If you're heading there for their Saturday Farmers Market, make sure to visit the Don Valley Brick Works Park for a budding ecosystem full of Carolinian trees, wildflowers, and wetland ponds.
Situated on the west bank of the Humber River is this stately park, home to the historic James Gazebo. You'll find a numerous flower gardens including a bed of roses, and a lookout that offers an amazing vista of the Humber Valley.
Another Don Valley treasure, this piece of land is home to some important historic buildings as well as this wildflower wonderland. Highly secluded, this 9.2 hectare park only takes 15 minutes to walk through the Oxbow Trail, but you could realistically stay here overdosing on oxygen for hours.
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