Covering 250 acres of land in Northern Etobicoke, the Humber Arboretum is a natural escape from the city. Complete with lush public gardens and winding trails, it’s a special place to visit, unwind, and learn.
Curving paths, fish ponds, bike trails, and open fields await you at the Humber Arboretum, located on the college’s North Campus (and lovingly referred to as ‘the Arb’). It’s all about connecting with nature and discovering something new.
No matter what time of year you visit the arboretum, the gardens are always a sight to see. With a truly vast display of flowers — including over 20,000 blooming annuals and delicate perennials like peonies and daylilies — the Arboretum boasts six themed gardens to explore.
Be sure to visit the Cacti Garden in the summer, which only operates in-season, where beautiful cacti are carefully replanted after wintering in the greenhouse. Springtime is prime time to check out the garden’s flowering trees like cherry or lilac and the garden’s many roses.
The Garden of the Rising Moon is a gem-hued beauty, inspired by the enchanting twilight. Boasting ponds and waterfalls, it was constructed with help from Humber College students and is one of the more peaceful areas of the Arb.
What makes this arboretum even more special is that it runs through the Carolinian Life Zone, a bioregion stretching from the eastern United States to the southern tip of Canada, with a unique collection of deciduous trees and wildlife. Since only a small part of the country is included in this area, and most of this area has been developed, the Arb is home to a variety of species not seen naturally elsewhere in the country.
From grassy meadows to urban wetlands and the mighty Humber River, the arb is full of life. Sitting on the 45-kilometre western stretch of the river means there are always critters and plants to visit, including snapping turtles, frogs and crayfish, salmon, and minnows.
When it comes to the mammals that can be found in the arboretum, we’re talking minks, opossums, coyotes, deer, beavers, and groundhogs, too. Look to the sky to catch some soaring hawks, woodpeckers, doves, and sparrows.
The arboretum can trace its roots back to 1972, when a group of Humber horticultural students used the land to brush up on their craft. Just five years later, in 1977, the lands officially opened as a joint venture with multiple partners, including the city, now a true functioning conservation area. Today, it is operated as a three-way partnership with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.
Easily accessible by transit (96 Wilson, 996 Wilson Express, and the 927 Hwy 27 Express routes), the Arb will soon be serviced by the Finch West LRT. It’s always a good time to visit the Humber Arboretum.
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