Fall days are calling us park-goers in Toronto, and this very special garden is a popular hotspot for seasonal beauty.
Check out the Rosetta McClain Gardens in Scarborough, a 7.5-hectare park that’s part of the Scarborough Bluffs. With roughly 23 acres designated to just the gardens, it’s a peaceful and tranquil spot ripe with autumnal vibes.
With a beautiful pergola and rock fountain, raised flowerbeds, multiple benches, winding paths, and stunning waterfront views, Rosetta McClain is undoubtedly a hidden gem for a quiet retreat in the city.
Swatches of orange, yellow, and red explode during the fall months at Rosetta McClain, where its manicured lands awaken with the colder temperatures. Walk through the cascading foliage and pause to look out over the bluffs! With a visit to the gardens in October, you could see park staff planting thousands of bulbs for the spring.
Cross your fingers! You may be lucky enough to capture a glimpse of butterfly magic during the annual Monarch migration. These winged beauties use the ample trees and plants at Rosetta McClain as pit stops on their long journey to Mexico.
September and October mark the 3,000-kilometre journey south for these butterflies, and some even get tagged and tracked right here at the gardens. Keep your eyes peeled for Monarch-loving plants like cup flowers, milkweed, salvia bushes, and buckeyes.
Look up to the sky for some avian sights as well! Rosetta McClain is a well-known hotspot for avid bird watchers. Hundreds of different birds have been spotted in the garden, including Turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, and Northern harriers.
Situated on the former property of Rosetta and Robert McClain, this is a historic piece of Toronto land. First starting as the Rumph Farm, owned and operated by Thomas McDonald West, the land was divided among his four children. Daughter Rosetta and her husband, Robert, are responsible for the major landscape improvements to the gardens, which can still be enjoyed today.
Robert donated their piece of land to the city in 1959, following Rosetta McClain’s death in 1940, in her memory. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, further pieces of land were added to the garden, which now sits at 7.5 hectares. A memorable plaque sits at the opening of the gardens, recognizing the McClains’ legacy and efforts.
Today, Rosetta and her family’s legacy lives on in the beauty that we Toronto residents enjoy throughout the entire year. You can witness some of this historic past with remains of former buildings, like an old pine house.
Referred to as a garden park, Rosetta McClain does not allow biking, dogs, ball activity, skateboarding, rollerblading, or picnics, which helps to preserve the peacefulness of the grounds.
If autumnal vibes are calling, then Rosetta McClain Gardens is the answer!
Where: 5 Glen Everest Rd.
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