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TrickyRicky said:
Much like interchange I found that last time I was in Montreal I found their botanical garden to be one of the most compelling experiences on offer that doesn't have a local equivalent here in Toronto.

Only a portion of the grounds have intensive planting and use. We especially enjoyed the greenhouses as well as the Asian gardens that encorporate architecture and cultural programming (even if in a slightly Epcot center-y way with curiously blue tinted water).
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I wonder how much funding the Montreal Botanical Gardens receive from all three levels of government (plus foundational funds) compared to our TBG. I'd bet ours is paltry.

Also, think about it from an institutional perspective - perhaps it's time to pull the highest profile parks in Toronto away from TO Parks & Rec and foundationalize it.

AoD
 
The Montreal gardens are renowned and one of the largest in the world. We usually head there on our trips to MTL and are looking forward to visiting again in couple of weeks. I heard they are- or will be- renovating the Chinese garden this summer. We frequent the TBG a few times each year as they rotate their beds. There's really not much to it but combined with a nice walk along Wilket creek it makes for a pleasant visit. I really like the potential for it and have been aware of these plans for some time now. It is a very small space though and even doubling the size it will still be relatively small. I think there is huge potential with the slopes of the ravine for some very interesting terraces and landscaping. I do agree that one strike against it as a tourist destination is the location, the Montreal garden is very close to the Metro station and some other attractions.
 
Bogtrotter said:
I do agree that one strike against it as a tourist destination is the location, the Montreal garden is very close to the Metro station and some other attractions.
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Which is why you would want some kind of association with other high profile public spaces - the location in and on itself is insufficient, but there are other spaces that can be used as showcases (e.g. Avenue of the Islands; Music Gardens; Allan Gardens; Centennial Park; Guild Park, the Zoo), not to mention the length of the ravine system itself. Theme them even - Allan Gardens can be the formal Victorian garden; etc. The key is whatever you do, it should be excellent (nobody will feel attached to mediocre green space that's a dime a dozen in the city).

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Which is why you would want some kind of association with other high profile public spaces - the location in and on itself is insufficient, but there are other spaces that can be used as showcases (e.g. Avenue of the Islands; Music Gardens; Allan Gardens; Centennial Park; Guild Park, the Zoo), not to mention the length of the ravine system itself. Theme them even - Allan Gardens can be the formal Victorian garden; etc. The key is whatever you do, it should be excellent (nobody will feel attached to mediocre green space that's a dime a dozen in the city).

AoD
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And Humber Arboretum.
 
Tangentially…
Bogtrotter said:
I heard they are- or will be- renovating the Chinese garden this summer.
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They are being renovated now, the second year into the two-year job. Rather appallingly, the official website does not seem to indicate any closure. For a park that charges a $20 entry fee, the closure of that rather special garden should be posted online. There are people on Tripadvisor complaining about that.

42
 
adma said:
And Humber Arboretum.
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Come to think of it, why not James Gardens, which I've always felt to be the Edwards Gardens of the West--both elaborately landscaped private estates that were purchased by Metro in 1955. (Unfortunately, JG's now suffering from association w/ the Fords: RoFo's house as a neighbour, DoFo's reported teenage parking-lot drug dealings.)

In fact, the general problem with TBG, presence-wise, is that it's always registered more as an Edwards Gardens tag-a-long than anything.
 
Not that long ago a Toronto politician could say breathlessly, " subways, subways, subways "; the mantra awaiting the reborn city might be, " parks, parks, parks ".
 
old boy said:
Not that long ago a Toronto politician could say breathlessly, " subways, subways, subways "; the mantra awaiting the reborn city might be, " parks, parks, parks ".
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Before the car expropriated the roads for their "exclusive" use (after the 1920's), kids were able to play and sport on those roads, bicycles were able to ride on those roads, and horses had less restrictions to use those roads. Without being able to use those roads for play, we ended up needing more and more parks, parks, parks.
 
W. K. Lis said:
Before the car expropriated the roads for their "exclusive" use (after the 1920's), kids were able to play and sport on those roads, bicycles were able to ride on those roads, and horses had less restrictions to use those roads. Without being able to use those roads for play, we ended up needing more and more parks, parks, parks.
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We need more woonerfs as well.
 
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
And just to give some ideas - Longwood Gardens just outside of Philadelphia just done a revitalization:

http://www.architecturalrecord.com/...-renovation-by-beyer-blinder-belle-and-west-8
http://newheights.longwoodgardens.org/#/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/vide...622124-4188-11e7-b29f-f40ffced2ddb_video.html

This is what will really draw people in, not another dinky pathway.

AoD
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Did you notice the entrance fee to Longwood Gardens is US$30 per adult? While Longwood is spectacular, it appears to have been designed with different objectives when compared with Edwards Gardens. Dinky pathways may be the best we can do with the budget available.
 
jaybe said:
Did you notice the entrance fee to Longwood Gardens is US$30 per adult? While Longwood is spectacular, it appears to have been designed with different objectives when compared with Edwards Gardens. Dinky pathways may be the best we can do with the budget available.
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Of course - but perhaps one should also consider why they can charge $30 for it. It sure wasn't because they are mediocre.

AoD
 
Montreal's Botanical Garden is—similar t0 Longwood—pricey. I'm not suggesting that we charge likewise here: Edwards's Gardens is simply too small. Meanwhile, west of us, the RBG is slowly but surely upgrading its various gardens in Hamilton, and it costs, but I'd say they need a bigger splash there too.

42
 
interchange42 said:
Montreal's Botanical Garden is—similar t0 Longwood—pricey. I'm not suggesting that we charge likewise here: Edwards's Gardens is simply too small. Meanwhile, west of us, the RBG is slowly but surely upgrading its various gardens in Hamilton, and it costs, but I'd say they need a bigger splash there too.

42
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The Rock Garden, which recently re-opened, is amazing, though small. We visited three of the RBG sites last Spring, and it was well worth the visit. Admission was quite reasonable, and there's a shuttle, included in admission, that circulates between the sites.
 
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