I’ve lived in the GTA area for over a decade but hadn’t heard of the Allan Gardens Conservatory until last year. (I know, which Toronto have I been in?!) I visited for the very first time earlier this week with my friend Alex, of Young Hearts. We were doing a location scout as Alex is shooting a wedding there next weekend.

I’m not really the flora aficionado (does anyone else find this to be a funny word? no?) in the family, my mom is. Though I’ve been known to occasionally geek out at their beauty, so I was quite surprised by the 6 greenhouses at the conservatory and found myself marvelling at all the plants. Each of the greenhouses hosts a permanent collection with different temperate environments. My personal favourites were the Palm House, and the Cool Temperate House. The architecture itself is, well, vintage-y for lack of a better word to describe it. It reminded me of the Grand Palais in Paris, which was built just 10 years before the Allan Gardens, in 1910.

Here are some photos from our scout, I think an Allan Gardens wedding is great especially if you love plants & flowers ;) It’s a lovely and intimate location for a ceremony or just for some wedding photos.

P.S. this is totally unrelated, but according to Wikitionary, the etymology of “aficionado” is Spanish, meaning to inspire affection.

The only Banana Tree in Toronto in the Palm House; Right is the grapefruit-sized lemons that I’m pretty sure came from Sorrento, Italy

Alex in the photo on the right. 

Grand Palais of Toronto? It’s the glass domes. 

Something a little different.