Sakura in Kariya Park

Seriously! How does this happen? 

One minute we are freezing, icing up our house windows as we stare longingly outdoors, straining to spot signs of spring...and hope...and renewal...and most importantly warmth! Then, next thing you see the trees fully laden with leaves, flowers are bursting with blooms and baby animals are scurrying around trying to catch up to mom and dad. 

This year, I somehow missed the transition period of winter to spring. And it's actually my most favourite time of year, because it has so much exciting hope wrapped up in each new bud and each sprouting stem. I too feel like I'm getting a rebirth with the transition of the seasons. Sure, I make New Year's resolution-like plans each January, but in the dark, cold months of winter those plans, as well intentioned as they may be, don't feel possible until the weather starts to change and people start getting outside more. There just feels to be so much possibility in the spring. Is it just me?

To start off my season of hope, for the last two year, I've been partaking in Hanami, which is the act of enjoying the sakura (cherry blossoms) usually with a picnic under the trees. This is a tradition from Japan that is wildly popular and with clusters of these cherry trees all over the GTA (and Canada generally) it is likewise here too. Last year I spotted some of these trees on the side of a road in Brampton and stopped by to enjoy them in my own city. The year before I went to High Park to join everyone else in seeing them there.

Like spring, the sakura are super ephemeral and disappear as quickly as they come. Kariya Park in Mississauga will already look so different from when I took these photos just a couple weeks ago.

There are enough places to enjoy sakura in Toronto and the area, that I think for the next few years I'm set for different places to go for this very brief spring happening.

Do you have a springtime ritual?

Don't miss a post! 

Sign up for email posts (found on the sidebar), like my facebook page, or follow me on bloglovin'. You can also keep up with my instagram feed and I occasionally tweet.

Let's get social

An Afternoon at the Glasgow Botanic Gardens

I've visited Glasgow several times now and been to many of the museums in the city (I've selected six of my favourite ones in the city, you can read about it here.) So when I was back visiting Glasgow in April, I wasn't really planning on hitting up any cultural institutions, then my friend suggested heading over to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens and I realized, the city still has so much more to offer that I haven't experienced yet. Good news for both potential future trips planned to Scotland and for the following day's activities. 

200 years ago Thomas Hopkirk founded the Botanic Gardens and established an eight acre garden at the western end of Sauchiehall Street, before it relocated to the West End of the city along the River Kelvin in 1842.

There are several glass structures on the premises that house flora and fauna from various regions around the globe, many of the plants and seeds which had been collected in the 19th century. The Kibble Palace is the most notable of the glass buildings and went under a major restoration in 2003 opening again in 2006.

We visited on a sunny day in early April and although things were still mostly dormant and dull outside, thankfully things inside the glass houses were lush, green and fragrant.

Hidden away in a corner of the gardens is the Botanic Gardens railway station built in 1896 to link Strathclyde Junction with Stobcross on the Glasgow Central Railway. In 1917 the station was closed temporarily due to the war, opening again in 1919, only to close again permanently in 1939.

A day out to a cultural centre just isn't the same without a visit to 'museum' cafe. The Botanic Gardens Tearooms are located in the old curator's house near the Kibble Palace with both indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy a breakfast, light lunch, refreshments or a proper afternoon tea. The setting was beautiful and the food super delicious. 

Visiting the Glasgow Botanic Gardens has reminded me just how enjoyable botanic gardens can be and I am eager to visit my local ones this summer. Stay tuned!

Which are your favourite botanic gardens?

Don't miss a post! 

Sign up for email posts (found on the sidebar), like my facebook page, or follow me on bloglovin'. You can also keep up with my instagram feed and I occasionally tweet.

Let's get social

To Market, To Market: Toronto Flower Market 2016

This past weekend marked the very first Toronto Flower Market of the 2016 season. The usual suspects were present: vendors, seasonal blooms, and hordes walking around with bouquets in arms.

The weather was warm and the flowers colourful. I'm looking forward to making this a monthly summer outing this year. There were so many great shops and restaurants in the Queen West neighbourhood, I can't wait to explore more next month.

Is it just me or are pussy willows super popular this year. Everywhere I look, there they are. Maybe they've always been a thing and I just didn't notice. If this is a new trend, I don't hate it.

The location this year is in the west end of town in Shaw Park near the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

The remaining markets of 2016 are:

June 11

July 9

August 20

September 10

October 8

PS This is the fourth year of the Toronto Flower Market, here is my trip last year to it's final market day.

Don't miss a post! 

Sign up for email posts (found on the sidebar), like my facebook page, or follow me on bloglovin'. You can also keep up with my instagram feed and I occasionally tweet.

Let's get social