GPOD on the Road: Centennial Park Conservatory

Hi GPODers!

Yesterday we enjoyed some early blooms at Chicago Botanic Garden thanks to photos Cindy Strickland shared from a recent visit (Early Bloomers at Chicago Botanic Garden), but elsewhere in North America gardeners are still turning to indoor plantings to enjoy a taste of garden color. Leni Johnston (@leni.j.photo on Instagram), a professional photographer from Dunnville, Ontario, Canada, who recently shared her incredible indoor plant collection (Leni’s Propagations and Inherited Houseplants), made a visit to Centennial Park Conservatory in Toronto to enjoy some warmth and beauty while soaking in lots of plant and photography inspiration.

Hi again, I wanted to share some photos from a recent trip to a conservatory in Toronto, Centennial Park Conservatory. I went for the heat and humidity but was transfixed by the size of the cactus and “house plants.” My abstract photography instinct took over. It was also great to see an orchid growing as it should. It has inspired me to be more relaxed with how I take care of my own orchids. I hope you enjoy the images. The signage was a bit sporadic so I apologize for not having the names of each plant. The snow is mostly gone here in Southern Ontario and I have seen the first snowdrops. Spring fever is close.

Orchids growing as they should

A colourful bromeliad

The unusual, spiny branches of Madagascar ocotillo (Alluaudia procera, Zones 9–11) are a stark contrast to the vibrant bromeliad leaves.

A bromeliad starting to flower

An inspirational arrangement for spring

Leni obviously has an eye for color, but she also recognizes tantalizing textures and forms. Here she captures another spiky succulent: the spiny aloe (Aloe aculeata, Zones 8–10).

Lovely walkways through the space

Thank you so much for sharing your incredible photography from this awesome garden visit, Leni! It is fascinating to see what caught your eye and sparked some inspiration.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the public gardens we have been exploring this winter, but I am really eager to start getting a taste of spring on Garden Photo of the Day! The season has been slow to emerge this year in the northeast, where I am located, but I know other areas are starting to see new color emerge. If you have the early signs of spring in your garden, we would love to see it. Follow the directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!

We want to see YOUR garden!

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.

You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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