The top 5 indoor gardens in and around Toronto

Indoor green spaces in and around Toronto are a welcome respite from the SAD days that are in store for us come winer. These foliage filled havens offer a much needed contrast to the snowy streets of the city in the winter, but can still be enjoyed when the temperature rises above zero. If you're sad to see the leaves change or have had enough of the early cold, there's relief nearby.

Here are my picks for the top green spaces in Toronto.

Allan Gardens
Built in 1910, Allan Gardens has established itself as a landmark in the city. Inside are six green houses, each suited to the plants within - from tropical flowers to cacti. Open 365 days a year, this conservatory allows you to experience they joys of greenery even on the dreariest days. It also hosts flower shows every season, if you're looking to discover flowers outside the permanent collection.

Cloud Gardens
Cloud Gardens Conservatory, located in the heart of the Financial District, offers a much needed retreat from office towers and traffic-filled streets of downtown Toronto. Its lone greenhouse mimics the cool, moist conditions of a rainforest and houses tree ferns, palms, cacti and a waterfall.

Centennial Park Conservatory
This Etobicoke conservatory is an expansive 12,000 foot green space. Separated into two greenhouses - a tropical house and an arid house - it's fit to house everything from agave to orchids. The flora and fauna is in good company, as the conservatory is also home to turtles, birds, fish and more. Like most large-scale conservatories, they have seasonal and holiday specific flower shows.

Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory
If you want to see more than just plants, the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is where to go. While the almost 11,000 square foot tropical green house is home to dragon wing begonias, starfruit, arabian jasmine, and more, it's also home to a huge population of butterflies roaming the grounds along with a birds and insects.

Royal Botanical Gardens
The Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington are definitely worth the trip to Halton. The protected area takes up 2400 acres of land, making it exponentially larger than any Toronto conservatory. The indoor gardens house papyrus, olive trees, cork oaks, and more. If the weather isn't bad, opt to explore the expansive scenic grounds, with plenty of fountains, paths, and plants.

What did we miss? Add your favourite indoor gardens around Toronto to the comments?

What did I miss? Add your favourite indoor green space to the comments.

by Alice Prendergast via blogTO