The Palm House at Allan Gardens
Click individual photos to enlarge.
We are introducing a brand new series of Photo Essays! Have a look at amazing Photo Sets all shot by talented photographers. Explore the vibe of the city, its hidden treasures, meet the Torontonians! This time, let's have a look at Toronto through the lens of Benson Kua!
The beautiful greenhouse roofs glitter in the summer sun
The Allan Gardens Conservatory
Allan Gardens is bounded by Jarvis Street to the west, Sherbourne Street to the east, Carlton Street to the North, and Gerrard Street East to the South in Toronto's Garden District. Founded in 1858, this remarkable green oasis within the City of Toronto is one of its oldest parks. In the beautiful greenhouses of the Conservatory, you will find rare tropical plants from all over the world! Walk the more than 16,000 square feet of the complex and discover orchids in the Tropical House, a beautiful waterfall in the Cool House, and cacti and succulents in the Cactus House. It's small pieces of different worlds all sitting happily next to each other. This is an unforgettable experience for your kids!
You can take a walk inside the greenhouses all year round, although it might get too steamy during the summer. In that case, there are spacious gardens all around the Conservatory to be enjoyed, home to three kinds of squirrels, the largest flock of pigeons, and a statue of Robert Burns. The good news is that this amazing place is open every day from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. all year round and it's free! Follow the special events such as the Victorian Christmas Show (opening every first Sunday in December) that decorates the premises with thousands of flowering plants and welcomes you with some special events and carols. For Easter, the dome is filled with blue and pink hydrangeas and Easter lilies.
Tired after the long walk, taking in all the beauty hidden in the greenhouses? Open May through October in the historic barn at the north end of the gardens, you will find a cozy garden cafe overlooking the park to grab a coffee.
You can get a glimpse of Arizona Dream in the cactus section
Visitors admire the beauty of Botanical Gardens
The flowers are all neatly labeled so that you know exactly what you see!
Visitors Allan Gardens Conservatory
The flowers in full bloom make you feel like in paradise
For keen photographers, the flowers offer endless patterns to work with
A little bit of macro photography
Looking up through the glass ceiling
The beautiful statue of Leda and the Swan
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Meet the Photographer
Benson Kua
Benson was born and raised in Manila, Philippines and currently resides in Toronto, Canada. He loves taking photographs of everything under the sun (or the moon) but has a soft spot for landscape and nature photography.