Monday, June 22, 2015

The Toronto Island Gardens

Much has been written about the Garden Bloggers visit to the Toronto Island Gardens. My fellow "Flingers" seem enamored with the idea of island life. No cars on the island, a slower pace, etc. While I thoroughly enjoyed walking the community you won't find dreaming about a move. I grew up in a rural setting where outings had to be planned and weather could dictate your schedule (roads made impassable by drifting snow). I am now a city girl through and through!

I snapped the shot above while waiting for the return ferry to downtown (before the buckets of rain started to fall). Below I've cropped it to highlight the area we explored: gardens on Ward's Island and Algonquin Island, just a short ferry ride across the harbour from downtown Toronto.

We were met at the ferry dock by a local and escorted to the far corner of Ward's where our group photo would be taken. A kind gentleman stopped a couple of us on our walk to point out this variegated chestnut. Beautiful!

This was the location for our photo...nice view of downtown don't you think?

Here's the group. I believe there were 70 of us, give or take a couple.

After being handed maps showing the locations of the open gardens we were set free to wander. Our group got "early admission" to the official Island Garden Tour happening that weekend.

The homes and lots on Ward's Island are small, and close together. At times it was difficult to tell where the garden you were supposed to be walking though ended and the next began. Thankfully nobody seemed to mind (well, almost nobody - more on that in a bit).

Was the window box actually a toy canoe? I hope so.

Birdseed.

See what I mean about close together?

Ferns seem to spring up wherever there is a bit of open ground on this island.

They obviously love the climate.

Another garden...

Giving the ferns a run for "most popular plant" on the island were the hostas.

When there are no cars the "streets" can be much smaller.

I've read about the red-stemmed hosta, but not seen one before this. Now I want one...

This was the resident I mentioned earlier, who didn't want anybody mistaking their garden for one that was open.

Too bad as I liked their style!

And theirs too (also not open)...

It was mostly hidden behind a screen of tress.

For those who want more space (and sun) to grow veggies there's an allotment garden.

Further on, nearing the footbridge to Algonquin Island, was a sign that caused me a little concern. I'd just read a story about a California woman battling Lyme Disease she picked up on a trip to New England. Ugh.

Crossing the bridge to Algonquin Island...

Since everything that comes onto, and leaves, the islands must do so by boat the residents are excellent at reuse and repurposing. There's a "free" stand at the base of the bridge.

There was also a small staging area for furniture. I saw a nice 50's era Formica kitchen table I would have considered hauling home, if home was nearby.

What a tree house!

More of the same metal framework the previous "closed" gardener was using to block the entrance. I wonder what it did in it's former life?

This group seemed to enjoy the passers-by as much as we enjoyed them.

Some of the homes and lots on Algonquin Island were much larger than those on Ward's...

But the ferns and hostas were just as happy...

Several of the homes had this million-dollar view (the pitch-fork is holding an open garden sign)...

The gardens are all blurring together now, I was starting to walk a little faster as small raindrops were falling and the time to catch the last (!) ferry off the island was drawing near.

This was the last garden I walked through and felt a little bad rushing...

But I didn't want to miss the boat! (there's one island garden I didn't share today, it gets it's own post tomorrow)...

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

32 comments:

  1. The island gardens all look like great places to relax, very cool and shady. Thanks for sharing them.

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    1. Indeed they would be a nice place to be on a hot day!

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  2. It's a beautiful island/area that's for sure, lots of well executed intimate gardens. Oh and those lime green planters on the last shot, love them!!

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    1. That was the second group of those planters I saw that day! The first were at the entrance to a park we visited. I tried to get a shot of them but taken from a moving bus it didn't work out so well.

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  3. This is unique (to me)! I think I might like living on a "garden island", although the houses are quite close together... I think I'd need more space. So lush!

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    1. Perhaps on one of the islands we didn't visit you'd be able to spread out?

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  4. I cannot imagine how one does house or yard projects without being able to haul stuff in by car or truck. How do you do a big bunch of groceries or some new furniture? Still, the islands are enchanting to look at and it would be a great place to explore. You mentioned ticks.... what about mosquitoes?

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    1. There were a couple of government vehicles on the island. Perhaps they do favors? We also saw some very creative "hauling" bikes. Where there is a will, there is a way. Oh and no mosquitoes, at least none that liked me, which is normal.

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  5. Now, that is an interesting place... beautiful gardens, I love hostas and ferns. The pond in the last garden and the green planters before you left are gorgeous.

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    1. That pond was really beautiful, I would have loved to spend more time staring at/into it!

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  6. Fantasy Islands? Enchanting to visit.

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  7. I thought I knew which garden would get its own post, but I was wrong because I see pics of it here. I'm breaking out two of the island gardens for their own posts, but I do hope to put up a general islands post later today. I'm curious to see which one you are highlighting tomorrow.

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    1. Well now I'm curious which one you thought it was!?

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    2. I thought it might be one of the two I'm breaking out in their own posts, of course. Stay tuned. :-)

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  8. What are those yellow-hint-of-orange flowers 2nd to last photo??

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  9. I liked their anything goes in a garden attitude! It was fun, colorful, inviting and creative. Getting gardening material to the garden, getting anything to their houses would get old quickly, but, once it was there, oh my, what a relaxed lifestyle.

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    1. I think I would have to come up with an alternative to my yearly compost buy and application. Can't imagine biking that in...

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  10. Ward's and Algonquin are the only islands with residents, and the Algonquin Island lots are larger than those on Ward's -- one reason the houses are smaller on the latter. To get a taste of island living you can do two things: stay at a B&B on the island (the yellow house with the pond used to be a B&B; don't know if they still take guests, but there are others) or book a stay at the Artscape Gibraltar Point artists' retreat. It has always been a temptation of mine. Let's see if I can get this link to work: http://www.torontoartscape.org/artscape-gibraltar-point Looking forward to seeing your post on that one garden.

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    1. Ah, I'd missed that tidbit about these two being the only islands with residents, thanks Helen! I bet there will be a couple of "flingers" who return for that B&B stay.

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  11. Gorgeous place! Would love to visit some day!

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  12. Oh, I missed the allotment garden! Darn. And the tick alert. Someone had mentioned the ticks...we have them here in Wisconsin, too. :( I loved those island gardens. I like the idea of no cars, but I wouldn't want to actually live there, either. It's a great place to visit, though, and the gardens were fun. Great post!

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    1. I only saw it because I was wandering on the back side of the island a bit, then cut across a field. Which also had me worrying once I saw the tick sign!

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  13. My initial thought was that would be a great place to live but, as I accompanied you on your tour, I can see that it could be a bit too small - and close. After years of living on top of my neighbors, I've discovered I like a bit of space and privacy. The islands would be a great place to spend a week (or 2), though.

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  14. Wow, exotic to these eyes. Some nice bits and pieces. The size of the Hostas is eyepopping--the million dollar view of the city is nice, but if I could look out my dining room window and see a Hosta like that...

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    1. Glad you enjoyed them. There were more, oh so many more...

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  15. Wow, what a view of the city. I like the idea of a slower pace and the whole island vibe but I'd want a bit more garden space. There were some interesting ideas in these gardens.

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    1. Ya you'd fill up one of those lots in a heartbeat!

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  16. Martha's Vineyard in Massachussetts had that same "reuse, repurpose" culture. I loved it. That fern that is everywhere looks like ostrich fern. It spreads, sometimes aggressively, by thick rhizomes. I love the fertile fronds. They are beautifully architectural in winter.

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