Allan Gardens Conservatory: A Winter Oasis

As we approach the deep mid-winter, a light flurry of snow is gently falling, adding to the duvet of white already covering the ground. So, I thought I would add some colour to this wintry scene, in hope of brightening the day. And where better to colour our world than in a garden. In this case, I’m retracing my steps of an early April visit to Toronto’s historic Allan Gardens Conservatory.

A Winter Oasis

Robert McCallum‘s 1910 Edwardian conservatory is the architectural centrepiece of the Allan Gardens park. And on this day, its classically proportioned glass domes stood shining in the sun, in stark contrast to the high rises beyond. This indoor botanical garden features colourful plants and flowers from around the world, having cultivated a permanent collection of botanical importance since 1858. However, as we approached the park, the first shot of colour that appeared was not within the Conservatory. Rather, it appeared in the form of an eye-catching, 23-storey high, rainbow-coloured mural overshadowing the park. Equilibrium is a public art project painted on the Parkside Student Residence Building by Spanish street artist Okuda San Miguel.

The Palm House

A lovely trio of urns planted with spring bulbs greeted my companion and I as we approached the entrance. A peak into the window beyond, gave us our first glimpse of what lay beneath the grand dome of the Palm House. The promise of green beckoned us in and, upon entering the Conservatory, a welcome cloud of warm humidity en-wrapped us. It felt as though we had entered a tropical paradise. For here we found a thriving collection of sun-washed palms, bananas and tropical vines accompanied by drifts of brilliantly coloured seasonal plants. Immediately, I felt my body relax and my breath deepen. And I was reminded of the healing power of nature. 

The Temperate House

Veering to our left, we descended the ramp into the second of the Conservatory’s six greenhouses. And I have to say, this was my favourite. The cooler Temperate House features camellias and jasmine as well as other plants from Australia and the Mediterranean. However, that April day, it was the epitome of the vernal season, as it was awash in a blaze of springtime blossoms and their heady scents. And thanks to the Friends of Allan Gardens, you too can plan your visit around your favourite blooms.

Leda and the Swan

As we strolled along the serpentine path of the Temperate House, a delightful statue of a young woman and a swan appeared. A small placard informed us that it was titled ‘Leda and the Swan‘. And it told the following story from Greek mythology.

Leda, when she came of age, was married to the King of Sparta. Her beauty was so great that it attracted the attention of Zeus, who spied her from his throne on Mount Olympus. He was so taken with her that the god transformed himself into a magnificent swan and made a fierce bird of prey pretend to be pursuing him. Leda took pity on Zeus and protected the swan from its attacker. He then proceeded to seduce her. As a result of their union, Leda brought fourth two eggs, each of which produced two children. The most famous of these was to become Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world. Leda’s fantastical story is also immortalized in the beautiful poem by Yeats, Leda and the Swan.

The Orchid House

Proceeding past Leda and taking a turn to the right, we entered the fascinating Orchid House. It was here among a wide variety of orchids, bromeliads and begonias that we saw some of the most elegant and unique blossoms housed within the more than 16,000 square feet of the Allan Gardens Conservatory.

Turtle Island

And it was here too that we saw our greatest surprise – a community of turtles. They had their own little house, decorated with beautiful flower boxes of course, as well as a pond with a stone ledge running through it. And that’s where we found them sunning themselves on that bright spring day.

The Tropical House

Making our way back through the Temperate House, we lingered a while under the leaves of the Palm House before entering the first of the houses on the north side of the Conservatory. Here, the Tropical House overflowed with lush exotics such as cycads, gingers, hibiscus. And as I relive the feeling of being surrounded by their sun-dappled greenery now, I am reminded of the mindset of the Catalan architect Domènech i Montaner of Hospital Sant Pau: The Other Modernista Wonder of Barcelona. Fully aware of the enormous healing power of plants, he built gardens into his stunning hospital design.

The Arid House

From here we transitioned into the much drier environment of the Arid House. Home to a large display of unusual cacti and succulents such as agave and aloe, it provided its own brand of colours and shapes.

Our wanderings through the Allan Gardens Conservatory complete, we took one last, deep, breath before exiting into the cool April air, revived in both body and spirit.

Laveanne Lavender Fields is another rejuvenating garden to visit in the Toronto area. You can read all about it in my post: The Lavender Labyrinth of Laveanne.

Allan Gardens  160 Gerard St. East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada