Edwards Gardens (Toronto Botanical Garden)
The beautiful Toronto Botancal Garden is free to visit and boasts a wide range of natural and manicured gardens
Edwards Gardens, home to the Toronto Botanical Garden features a stunning collection of themed gardens and is open year round from dawn to dusk. This former estate garden owned by wealthy businessman Rupert Edwards was sold to the City of Toronto to be preserved as a park and first opened to the public in 1956. Consider it a bonus that there is no admission charge to see these lovely gardens.
Located on a ravine North of Downtown Toronto, Edwards Gardens features perennial and rose gardens in the upper area and rhododendrons, wildflowers and a rockery in the valley portion. The natural and manicured backdrops provided by the Gardens make it a very popular location for wedding photography.
You can enjoy a leisurely walk along the pathway leading out of the park that follows the ravine south into Wilket Creek Park, Serena Gundy Park and Ernest Thompson Seton Park. This path also passes by the Ontario Science Centre, so you may want to consider a visit to that attraction while in the area.
It is easy to get to these beautiful gardens by public transit.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoEdwards Gardens Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Address: 755 Lawrence Ave E, North York, ON M3C 1P2, Canada
Phone: (416) 392-8188
Official Website: Edwards Gardens
Edwards Gardens Reviews
Rated out of 5![]()
The gardens were part of private estate of Rupert Edwards who has created the whole ensemble of rockery, waterfalls, bridges and later sold it to the city to become a public park. Toronto Botanical garden is operating 1.8 hectare portion of Edwards gardens. The place is not that large but has nice themed gardens and arboretum. There is an ample parking lot as well as cafe on-premises.
Mike Z - in the last week
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stunning garden! The vibrant colours of the flowers and the well-manicured landscapes create such a serene atmosphere. It's a perfect spot for a peaceful stroll or a picnic with friends and family. The variety of plants and the overall design were impressive, making it a photographer's dream.
I also appreciated the little seating areas scattered throughout the garden, perfect for taking a moment to simply enjoy the beauty around you.
If you're looking for a lovely escape from the hustle and bustle, I highly recommend visiting this garden. I can't wait to go back in different seasons to see how the scenery changes!
Anastasia N. - 2 months ago
Edwards Gardens is an easy-on-the-eyes patch of calm tucked just north of the city, and it’s free to enter.
We rolled up on a sunny Friday and parked for the maximum $8 for the day. Right as you enter, you’re met with a spread of botanical blooms that make you feel like you’ve accidentally wandered into a very well-maintained dream. And from there, the trails begin.
There’s a good mix of paved paths for stroller-pushers, flip-flop wearers, and cyclists, but also enough off-the-beaten-track paths to make you feel like you earned your ice cream after.
We clocked a casual 4 km without even noticing. The scenery keeps changing. One minute you’re looking at a quiet stream, the next you’re dodging squirrels who clearly run the place.
Birds chirping, chipmunks doing chipmunk things, and more wildflowers than I could count all woven into a trail that feels miles away from the honking of city life. Nature really popped off here.
Overall, Edwards Gardens isn’t flashy or overly curated (at least not a the time we visited), but it leads to wonderful trails into nature for a peaceful, slow walking kind of day.
Jo Go - a month ago
A beautiful garden for hiking, walking and enjoying fresh weather or even meeting friends. It is a great spot for photo-shooting from spring to the end of fall! It has many beautiful plants and flowers during spring and summer. The park does not have any admission fee but you need to pay for parking.
Shiva Shabro - a month ago
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Directions
| TTC Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yonge-University-Spadina | Eglinton Station | 1 Minute |
How to get to Edwards Gardens by TTC Subway
Take the #54, #54A, or 54B Lawrence East or the #51 Leslie to Steeles bus eastbound from Eglington Station on the Yonge-University-Spadina line.
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Accommodations near Edwards Gardens:
Photo Gallery
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A water feature meandering through the Gardens cc licensed photo by *Muhammad* -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Bill Badzo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: mpardo.photo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Arbron - cc license via Flickr

