Edwards Gardens
Encyclopedia
Edwards Gardens is a botanical garden
located on the southwest corner of Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East
in Toronto, Ontario. It is also the site of the Toronto Botanical Garden, a private not-for profit organization previously called the Civic Garden Centre.
It is a former estate garden featuring annuals, rose
s and wildflower
s and an extensive rockery. It is located on Wilket Creek, one of the tributaries of the Don River West Branch
. The estate's title was once held by Alexander Milne, a Scottish
weaver who settled here after the War of 1812
and left in 1832. The land and the woolen/saw mills was obtained by Rupert E. Edwards in 1944 and created his country home. Edwards home was left in neglect and was purchased by the Municipality of Metro Toronto in 1955 and became Edwards Gardens in 1956. The Civic Garden centre was relocated from another Milne property, the Milne home on Old Lawrence Avenue.
Edwards Gardens is one of several parks located in Toronto's ravines
, many of which are connected by hiking and cycling trails ending on the shores of Lake Ontario
. The park's manicured lawns and well kept flower beds make it a popular destination for wedding parties to take photographs.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
located on the southwest corner of Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East
Lawrence Avenue
Lawrence Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is divided into east and west portions by Yonge Street, the dividing line of east-west streets in Toronto....
in Toronto, Ontario. It is also the site of the Toronto Botanical Garden, a private not-for profit organization previously called the Civic Garden Centre.
It is a former estate garden featuring annuals, rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
s and wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
s and an extensive rockery. It is located on Wilket Creek, one of the tributaries of the Don River West Branch
Don River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
. The estate's title was once held by Alexander Milne, a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
weaver who settled here after the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and left in 1832. The land and the woolen/saw mills was obtained by Rupert E. Edwards in 1944 and created his country home. Edwards home was left in neglect and was purchased by the Municipality of Metro Toronto in 1955 and became Edwards Gardens in 1956. The Civic Garden centre was relocated from another Milne property, the Milne home on Old Lawrence Avenue.
Edwards Gardens is one of several parks located in Toronto's ravines
Toronto ravine system
The Toronto ravine system is one of the most distinctive features of the geography of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a network of deep ravines that form a large urban forest that runs throughout much of the city...
, many of which are connected by hiking and cycling trails ending on the shores of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. The park's manicured lawns and well kept flower beds make it a popular destination for wedding parties to take photographs.