We may be in the middle of winter, but there are several indoor garden spaces in and near Toronto that are filled with tropical and arid displays, providing a warm escape from the cold weather! The next time you’re seeking respite from the biting wind, check out one of these indoor green sanctuaries.
Bamboo Garden, Terrence Donnelly Centre (University of Toronto)
This indoor garden along the southern façade of the building was constructed nearly 15 years ago and is a fav spot for students or anyone who enjoys greenery! The area is separated by tall tropical plants, palms, and 30-foot-tall bamboo trees, so it almost feels like you’re in a secret garden hidden away amidst a large, commercialized campus. The staircase is surrounded by a forest of trees that lead up to a vast patio with benches, making it the perfect hiding spot to escape the winter cold and enjoy lush vegetation. (160 College St, Toronto).
Centennial Park Conservatory
This expansive conservatory offers free admission and boasts more than 12,000 square feet of indoor gardens that bloom all year around, making it an ideal space to shake off your winter blues. The main greenhouse contains over 200 tropical plant varieties, including lush palms, hibiscus, and orchids, as well as tropical fruit trees, like banana, soursop, and papaya! Stroll through the South Wing and you’ll discover unusual cacti and succulents, like agave, opuntia, and aloe. The north wing features more specialty displays that change seasonally, like floral species selected for the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons. (151 Elmcrest Rd, Etobicoke).
Royal Botanical Gardens
The venue features the largest botanical gardens in Canada — with over 2,400 acres of indoor gardens and outdoor, as well as a nature sanctuary, the space feels like a botanical dream! The gardens span across Hamilton and Burlington, so it’s just under a 1-hour drive from Toronto. During the winter months, you’ll want to check out the Royal Botanical Gardens Centre. Stroll through the Mediterranean Garden and you’ll witness new plants alongside familiar flora, like the Cacti and Succulent Collection, which adapt to arid, desert-like environments. Visit the Breezeway display and it’ll brighten your entire afternoon with colourful flowering shrubs and trees, as well as a range of common and exotic bulbs. Even if it’s sub-zero outside, it’ll literally feel like a spring day.
Allan Gardens Conservatory
The Conservatory opened up more than a century ago, and with six display houses and plant collections from across the globe, you can explore the venue for hours. Visit the Palm House — the historic glasshouse is the oldest greenhouse at the Gardens and is bursting with palms, bananas, and other tall specimens under a huge 16-sided dome! If you’re more into exotic plants, like cycads, gingers, and jade vines, check out The Tropical House — you’ll be transported to a brilliant Amazon rainforest. To get really heated up throughout the winter months, visit The Arid House — you’ll feel like you’re strolling through a desert as you clamber through dense cacti and beautiful succulents. Entry is free and the Gardens are open 365 days a year! (19 Horticultural Ave, Toronto).
Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory
This tropical venue features much more than greenery — observe thousands of free-flying butterflies, exotic birds, plants, live insect galleries, and more at this 25,000-square-foot facility. This is especially a perfect spot to escape the cold if you’re into butterfly evolution, as you can witness butterflies emerge from their chrysalis and take their first flight. The Conservatory, just over a 1-hour drive from Toronto, also boasts over 100 species of exotic plants that provide both nectar and pollen as natural food sources for the butterflies (you can also talk with their specialists to find out how to create the perfect butterfly habitat in your own backyard once the weather gets warmer)! (2500 Kossuth Rd, Cambridge).
