Allan Gardens

Trip to Allen gardens was going well until I was approached by an employee, informing us that we have to leave because we are taking photos. There were no signs up anywhere on the gardens indicating that permits were needed for photography, but was told they are posted everywhere. After leaving the gardens, we checked the website and written on the website was «permits are required for professional photography; ie weddings, graduations etc. In no way was I taking photos professionally. Also there were about 30 others in the gardens who were also taking photos with their phones and dslr’s and were not asked to leave. Wouldn’t return to the gardens, although I have been a long time attendee of it.

I absolutely loved it! I cannot believe this place was not more crowded, considering it is completely free. The floral arrangements were outstanding and the holidays décor added to the spirit. I have a pretty lousy nose but I was still able to smell the arrangements and it was a genuinely happy place. This is truly a treasure that Toronto should cherish.

If you haven’t been to Allen Gardens, you are really missing out.
First of all, this gem is FREE OF CHARGE! There’s not many things you can do for free these days, so take advantage of this one while you still can.
Even if you’re not that into flowers, this is a nice place to have an afternoon stroll or a relaxing place to read a book. The greenhouse has multiple rooms with different types of flowers, plants and cacti. They even have turtles.
It took me about 30 – 45 minutes to walk through but you can spend as much time as you want in there.

My favorite place to go in Toronto .
Friendly staff, open for everyone (free)
I love the layout.
There are so many compliments for that place. I can’t write it down all.
Just visit and enjoy the fresh and free oxygen :-)

Beautiful, tranquil, warm and inviting. A favourite escape in the city. I hope it continues to be as cultivated as it has been for the last three years of my frequent visits.

I love Allan Gardens! I cannot express how peaceful and calming I find this place to be. I have been during different seasons and love to see how the plants inside change and what new flowers are on display. My favourite so far is the spring flower show. Gorgeous! I also love that they have a section of cactus plants. Some of them are really huge and cool to see up close. They also have turtles in this little pond area! So cute. Any staff I have run into have always been the loveliest people, and it’s free to see, which are just added bonuses. The only thing to be a bit cautious of is the area of the city and some of the people who frequent this park– it can be a little sketchy sometimes. Just go during the day and mind your own, and it’s fine. So worth multiple visits. I can’t wait for this year’s fall and winter displays!

Went: Sunday May 3, 2015, 4:30 p.m. (⁷²⁄₁₀₀)
Yes, 4:30 p.m. and the Gardens closed at 5:00 p.m. We were in the area. During the short time we were there, we thought the flowers looked nice, but nothing really impressed.
After seeing and paying to get in to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, I like this one a lot better. I definitely want to come back it and give it another try. Perhaps, we didn’t have time to fully explore and appreciate it. However, for romantic dates, do to Edwards Gardens or Niagara Botanical Gardens.
We hung around the park surrounding the Gardens and it was very pleasant, a nice oasis of greenery in contrast to busy downtown life.

⁴⁄₅
This lovely green house is a perfect place to bring family, lover and friends. There are fair numbers of various plants from different environments. Staffs are all very knowledgeable and kind to explain different kinds of plants in the place. Also it’s free of charge. It’s can be bit humid and hot inside so be prepared. Also be aware of drunken/​high homeless people. They love hang out in the park. They are open 7 days a week and close at 5pm

Very splendid park areas, green houses, horticulture centre is full of vitality w/​many different species of plants and flowers, fresh air, brilliant colours very well kept…
Many folks walking around w/​their dogs, children, and families and friends; a really beautiful safe free place in Toronto.

What a great *free* place to spend some time looking at beautiful plants, trees, and flowers. The fish pond is a nice added touch and on the multiple times I’ve attended the gardens, it is generally free of large crowds. It is a real treat to visit the garden near Christmas as they have a wide array of poinsettias and seasonal décor. A great and relaxing flora & fauna trip indeed!

Hidden gem. Its a public park and the interior gardens are well groomed. A fun and free place to hang out. I’m sure its excellent in the winter.

Took a walk through here with my boyfriend on a cold drizzly March day, and it was just gorgeous. Smells amazing, the flowers are beautiful, and it’s a cozy little place to have a wander, especially when it’s cool out.
It was a wee bit busy when we went, so there was a bit of tripping over/​squeezing past other people, but… it was a Saturday, so what can you expect. ;)

I love the allan Gardens. It has been here for an eternity but has been one of Toronto’s well kept secrets… until now! There were a mob of people when I recently visited. That did not detract from the natural beauty found here. The guardians of the Allan Gardens should be commended for their ongoing care of this jewel. Even better than no admission is charged. A must visit when in Toronto!

Allan Gardens is a bit of a throwback to quiet, carefully tended places that you can actually relax at. It’s open 364 days a year (!) from 10 – 5 and offers a welcome oasis in the heart of the city.
Not that there isn’t plenty of danger available for you to think about as you tour the various greenhouses. Going into the different tropical greenhouses your mind may take you to the actual tropics, in which case I’d recommend looking at this first:
The arid greenhouse could also get you thinking — close your eyes and you might have a nagging feeling that you didn’t pay attention when you looked at (for example) Arizona’s vacation guide:
And you may relax a bit as you go to the temperate greenhouse, though you might want to think about the very real possibility of a member of the Sciuridae family (squirrel) being right in there with you.
Finally, there is a greenhouse specifically for children which looks great. Didn’t get a chance to go in it, but did note the potential danger if you suffer from Pedophobia or ‘fear of children’.
So — a wonderful place to visit with just as much danger as you want to imagine:-)

We came here and also went to Edwards Gardens. If you’re short on time and have to choose between the two, choose Allan Gardens Conservatory. It is on Jarvis and Gerrard, within short walking distance of downtown, and features a greenhouse with tropical plants, one with desert plants, and another with seasonal plants (which, in early November, meant chrysanthemums).

I raised my children in the Beach area of the City of Toronto. Visits were made at least 4 times a year. The gardeners change the landscape indoors seasonally. I could park in one of the few spots at the back of the building and walk through with my kids. My kids did not always want to accompany me but enjoyed the visit when we got there.
This place calms the spirit and soul. Toronto is lucky to have such a place. I would recommend visiting should you need a little peace or respite in your day. It is also a feast for your eyes. It is dressed up for Christmas usually with a decorated tree or two. Spring showcases all the beautiful flowers. It is wonderful year round.

An awesome oasis in the dead of winter!
I walked by Allen Gardens for half a year before someone told me what it was. It’s this amazing winter oasis. A heated greenhouse filled with beautiful plants from all over the world. It’s divided into sections, everything from the tropical entrance with lots of palm trees to the warm and dry dessert sections featuring a variety of succulents (not to be confused with a succubus… sorry for any resultant disappointment) to a delightful room with a semi-​working paddle wheel and a collection of orchids.
This is a great escape from the awful winters here… you can enjoy the sun without being bundled up. It’s good for time alone with friends or with family. My only complaint is that there’s not a lot of seating, so it’s hard to just sit and enjoy for a long time if it’s busy.
A TIP: It closes at 5. Weekends can be quite busy, but if you come close to opening, i.e. before 10:30 you’ll have a lot of time to wander without having to navigate the people setting up tripods for photos.

Not crowded at all. A nice little winter pick-​me-​up. Had a great conversation with a drunk lady who was apparently just forcibly removed from a funeral. 5 stars.

I really would never expect something this beautiful smack dab in the city. The place was recommended to me by someone who was having a hard time and found solace coming here to take a breather and do some writing. I totally underestimated this place before going there. Despite my biases, the classical music enhances the atmosphere and the conservatory is a slice of serenity away from the bustle of traffic and complications of our mundane world.
That sounds kind of tacky, I know, but whatevs. Ok, factual stuff. Plenty of variety in terms of things to look at and ponder over, informative, interesting signs to play tour guide to you so you can go wherever you please at your own pace, generally not busy, benches to sit on in case you’d like to stay a while and look around.
They also have turtles! And a squirrel, however I think that was an accident of sorts, but still cool anyhow methinks.
For free admission and the quality of this place, a definite Toronto must-​see. Just a heads up though, they close at 5, so head over early.

This place is brilliant. A real gem in Toronto. I wish more cities had places like this.
The Conservatory is a large, multi-​zone entity where you can find banana trees, palm trees, Nepenthes and other carnivorous plants, gorgeous flowers, cacti, and countless plants I don’t know of. It’s a place where you walk around admiring stuff, or sit on a bench to read/​be enveloped by natural beauty and tranquility.
Also, a warm, free place to come and brighten your day in the winter!

Such a gem in the middle of the city!
Need some colour and warmth during a typical bleak Toronto weather? Make the trek over to the Conservatory and be enveloped by the flowers and foliage in the greenhouses that make up the site.
Can’t argue with the price: it’s free!
The Conservatory does close at 5 p.m. and can be congested sometimes on the weekends or during wedding shoots.
The floral themes change throughout the season with different Flower Shows so there’s always something new on exhibit whenever you visit.
Quite an under-​appreciated jewel we have in Toronto, take a break from a mall and hop on the streetcar over to Carlton and Jarvis soon.

Allan Gardens is one of the most surprising hidden gems in Toronto! Most people never or seldom have heard of it and chances are if they had, they never visited.
While places like the Art Gallery of Ontario have 49 reviews, this oasis of multiple climates in a city like Toronto only has 12 as of this writing; and the last one was 6 months ago! Why?
Decreed into being free for perpetuity after Allan donated the land back in 1857 the park/​land was almost rejected as it was considered way too far in the ‘burbs’ back then. (Ha!) Now the thing is smack downtown and for the most part it is run by volunteers and it is generally always empty. So…
The Conservatory is a great place to go and just sit. Or if you never been, walk around an just take in that delicious greenery smell. Remember to bring your camera.
Word for the wise, the park surrounding the conservatory has a dog park where you can let your dog run free free-​reign. The grounds are also home to Toronto’s largest flock of pigeons and a decent number of loitering homeless people. Not so keen on that last one though.
As for the actual conservatory/​gardens, they are divided in 6 sections. One being a teaching area. The other five are full of glorious plants from desert cacti, tropical banana, bamboo to orchids and a few endangered species (as if orchids themselves are growing everywhere) like Jade Vines!
This is one of those places that really makes you feel proud to be a Torontonian and I enjoy visiting often.
Fun Fact: Crazy yet lovable Oscar Wilde gave a lecture here back in May 1882.