The Hanging Garden - Exploration of Oakville Municipal Greenhouse

One of the weekend activities we started last year to help beat the winter blahs and blues was regular trips to local greenhouses.  Greenhouses provide a warm, picturesque, and bright space to enjoy on even the darkest and gloomiest days.

Shortly after the Christmas break we went to enjoy the holiday display at Centennial Park Conservatory, and plan to return again in early February when their new display is arranged and "in full bloom".

Photo from the 2015 holiday display at Centennial Park Conservatory

This has become one of the minions, particularly Molly's, favourite winter activities.  They love to explore the facilities, show us the displays, features, and flowers they like best.  This past weekend we decided to explore outside of the city and visit the Oakville Municipal Greenhouse.

The space is beautiful, but small.  It was a pleasant, but short visit for us because there wasn't very much square footage of greenhouse to explore.  I would recommend this space to anyone with an infant, who lives in the area, or who wants a quiet retreat with a cup of warm tea.  While pretty, this is not the place to expect a lengthy explore with four year olds.  I would also say that, unfortunately, the staff was far less welcoming, and acted inconvenienced by our presence, compared with other facilities we've visited in the past, despite the greenhouse being a public space and the minions being on their best behaviour. The Oakville Municipal Greenhouse is open daily from 9AM-3PM and there is free parking for visitors.

 Turtle in the pond.

 Exploring the bridge

 Taking a look at the waterfall display.

 Molly showing me the purple flowers, the ones she liked best. 

While I'm glad we visited, I don't think we'd return unless we had another activity planned in the immediate area.  Since the minions were expecting a little more greenhouse time we took a 10 minute drive over to Sheridan Nurseries, while much more commercial compared to a public greenhouse, was a welcome place to look at their plant displays, enjoy their indoor pond, and purchase a daffodil for Molly and cactus for Jack.

The pond display at Sheridan Nursery

To read about our visit to Allen Gardens Greenhouse last winter, click here.

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Gates to the Garden

It snowed a lot the other day and even though the snow is beautiful and Jack keeps offering, "To eat all the snow, nom nom nom" so we don't have to shovel it, the throes of winter are getting to all of us. Inspired by our trip to Allen Gardens, we packed up the kids on Sunday and let them run around Centennial Park's Conservatory.  The Greenhouse is open 365 days a year from 10am-5pm.  There is no cost to visit, but they have a donation box if you feel inclined.  This is a great meeting place to grab a coffee (bring your own coffee), relax with a small snack or enjoy while your little ones run off some energy.

The conservatory is located in west Etobicoke, has free parking or is a short walk away from the Elmcrest Stop on the 48 Rathburn Bus.

 Tropical Paradise.  

Fortunately there were less debates over not touching or picking the flowers this time.

 Checking out the fish.

 Angel the white parrot was Jack and Molly's favourite part of the visit.  They particularly liked it when he bobbed up and down and did the "hot dog dance". 

Donkey Planter.

 Some sizable carp in the fish pond.

The visit entertained the minions for about 45 minutes and made us forget, for a little while, that the Groundhog still says there's going to be six more weeks of winter.

To view our photos and "review" of Allen Gardens click here.

For 9 tobogganning tips with toddlers click here.

What do you do to beat the winter blues?

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