Poinsettias Are Here

This is their only month here in the Norther Hemisphere.  Known for their Christmas status, they lose favour quickly after the holiday passes.  

However, for this short time, they rule as the King and Queen of flowers.  Here are a few selections of the display at Centennial Greenhouses in Toronto, along with a scene of the  traditional display of dried fruits and pine cones. 

Canada Blooms as Great as Ever!

Debbe Shannon was there with her collective and interactive art, and I participated in the mural, contributing the landscape curl.

And lots of fun and creative garden and floral displays.

Loving those Christmas Poinsettias at Centennial Park Conservatory

Centennial Park Conservatory in the west end of Toronto (Renforth and Rathburn area) seems to always have the best display of the most unusual Poinsettias.  This year too!  The new hybrid is a luscious two toned red and pink version.  

This year's new flower:

Tropical mist and poinsettias seem to go splendidly together on a snowy day.

A Little More Christmas

Allan Gardens is no ordinary garden. It is situated in the heart of Toronto and is more than 150 years old. The garden and the main part of the property was donated by George William Allan, a one-time Mayor of Toronto and long-time Senator.

The park, one of the city's oldest (since 1858), is bounded by Jarvis Street on the west, Sherbourne Street on the east, Carlton Street on the north and Gerrard Street East on the south in Toronto's Garden District. In the centre of the park is a Victorian conservatory known as the Palm House, built in 1909 to replace the pavilion burned in 1902. Rare tropical plants from all over the globe are nurtured inside. Admission is free. 

The trees in the park represent the northern tip of the Carolinian forest with species such as black cherry, American beech, red oak, sugar maple and sassafras. Most are over one hundred years old. The park is home to three varieties of squirrel, the gray, the black, and, unique to this park, the red tailed black squirrel. The park is also home to the city's largest flock of pigeons, a roving peregrine falcon and a statue of Robert Burns. The University of Toronto greenhouse (1931) was moved to the site.