Wild in the City

Planted and maintained by volunteer stewards, our Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens are located at four different TTC stations across Toronto. They showcase the beauty of native species and help build Toronto’s urban forest.  They also provide an opportunity for local residents to play an active role in improving their communities.

For the second year since 2021, our demonstration gardens were awarded the Society for Organic Land Care's Greener Greenspaces recognition for their exemplary ecologically-focused land care.

 
Greener Greenspaces recognition
Greener Greenspaces recognition
 

LEAF’s Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens (UFDG) showcase the beauty and ecological benefits of native plants in urban settings. These gardens support biodiversity, inspire eco-friendly gardening practices and demonstrate how we can all contribute to a healthier urban forest.

First planted in 2010, each garden is cared for by a team of dedicated volunteers using permaculture techniques such as mulching, water conservation strategies, using organic compost, and ensuring resilience through biodiversity.

 

Help our Gardens Grow! 

urban forest demonstration gardeners

Our volunteer Garden Stewards are the heart and soul of our demonstration gardens, helping native plants thrive and inspiring a greener, healthier city!

As a Garden Steward, you’ll work with a team to care for a garden. Teams and are encouraged to take collective ownership over their garden, collaborate on decision making and recognize their garden’s needs. Whether it's planting, weeding, pruning, seed collecting, waking the gardens up for spring or tucking them in for winter, you’ll be part of every season’s story.

LEAF supports volunteers with training, equipment and guidance to help you grow your skills as much as the gardens themselves.

If you’re passionate about native plants, love learning and enjoy being outdoors, we want you on our team! To become a Garden Steward, attend a volunteer orientation!

 Sign me up!

 

Explore our Gardens 

Our Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens are located at four TTC stations across Toronto, with our LEAF Learning Garden located at Wychwood Barns Park. Each garden is a living classroom and a green oasis ready for you to explore and help grow!

 

Bathurst Garden
Bathurst Garden at TTC Bathurst Station

Size: ~162 sq. m

Location: TTC Bathurst Station (Markham St Entrance)

This garden includes 2 tree species, 13 shrub species and 29 perennials species, including:

Trees: Basswood (Tilia americana), Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)

Shrubs: Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica), Meadowsweet (Spirea alba), Smooth serviceberry (Amenlanchier laevis), 

Flowering Plants: Black-eyed Susan (Rubeckia herta), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)

LEAF Learning Garden
LEAF Learning Garden at Wychwood Barns Park

Size: ~ 202 sq. m

Location: Wychwood Barns Park (south of the dog park)

This garden includes 3 tree species, 17 shrub species and 58 perennial species, including:

Trees: Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana), Eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)

Shrubs: Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), Common Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Flowering Plants: Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), White trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), Woodland Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

Old Mill Garden
Old Mill Garden at TTC Old Mill Station

Size: ~ 81 sq. m

Location: TTC Old Mill Station

This garden includes 3 tree species, 9 shrub species and 43 perennial species, including:

Trees: Freeman maple (Acer x freemanii), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Shrubs: Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum), Pasture rose (Rose Carolina), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

Flowering Plants: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Blue Giant Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata), Hoary Vervain (Verbena Stricta), Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Spadina Garden
Spadina Garden at TTC Spadina Station (Walmer Rd. Entrance)

Location: TTC Spadina Station (Walmer Rd Entrance)

Size: ~ 30 sq. m

This garden includes 2 tree species, 7 shrub species and 23 perennial species, including:

Trees: Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)

Shrubs: Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera), Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), Purple Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)

Flowering Plants: Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis), False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), Sweet Oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides), Wild Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

St. Clair Garden
St. Clair Garden at TTC St. Clair Station (Pleasant Blvd. Entrance)

Size: ~ 63 sq. m

Location: TTC St. Clair Station (Pleasant Blvd Entrance)

This garden includes 13 shrub species and 22 perennial species, including:

Shrubs: Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa), Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)

Flowering Plants: Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus), Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), Large-leaved Aster (Eurybia macrophylla), Sweet oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides), Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

UFDG Art Projects 

Our gardens are vibrant spaces for creativity too, with some being brought to life with stunning murals, adding colour, character and a deeper connection to the natural world for volunteers and visitors. 
 

Bathurst Garden (2023)

Ojibwe Woodland artist, Thomas Sinclair, created a mural that holds significant importance to the local community. The mural celebrates values of land stewardship and reconciliation, fostering a deeper connection between the community and the natural world. Read more on our blog.

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St Clair Garden (2020)

Through the Bell Box Murals Project, artist Nick Sweetman painted a mural showcasing native plants like common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) and wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) along with a visiting masked bee, capturing the beauty and significance of a thriving urban forest ecosystem.

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Learning Garden (2014)

Artist James McLean’s whimsical mural draws in community members to explore our hidden, urban forest oasis. The inclusion of native species and make-believe creatures offer visitors a chance to use their imaginations and discover the magic that our garden has to offer.

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