COMING SOON: March 23 - May 28
Babs Asper Display House
The Emerge display in the Babs Asper Display House will inspire and motivate you to get your hands in the soil this spring and immerse yourself in nature.
Spring is around the corner, and with it we leave a period of contemplation that was explored through the Unfurl show and start taking action. The fresh scent of spring ephemerals remind us that it is time to emerge with the flowers and budding trees. We have overcome the harsh conditions of winter and undergone a period of rest. We feel revitalized and must now spring into action and prepare for the season ahead!
The Arches, adorned with flowering plants and vines, is your entry point to the spring wonderland. Next, explore the Potting Shed, a rustic set piece that will offer a peek at the pre-garden season. The shed will display dried flowers and a collection of aromatic herbs. Here, you will find inspiration to start sowing seeds of your own in preparation for the growing season! Flowering trees, shrubs, and ever changing blooms will showcase the beauty of spring.
This new display takes inspiration from Keukenhof, a botanical garden located in the Netherlands, known for its world-renowned spring show featuring tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.
Vibrant varieties of the Rex Begonia Jurassic Series will adorn the Babs Asper Display House for the new spring Emerge display. Rex Begonia is a common name applied to a group of cultivated and hybridized begonias that are grown to exhibit specific traits such as leaf colour, shape, and texture.
All Rex Begonias include the wild Begonia rex, originally from India, southern China, and Vietnam, in their parentage. The leaf colour, texture, and size range widely, as seen in the Jurassic Series featured in the Babs Asper Display House at The Leaf.
Chat with a member of our horticultural team while you explore The Leaf! In these chats, our expert gardeners will explore our connections to plants, and provide insider knowledge about the beautiful plantings within the biomes. Gardener Chats are presented by Lawn ‘N’ Order Custom Landscapes Inc.
Location: Please check the signage at The Leaf for the location of the daily Gardener Chat.
Date and Time: Daily, 10:00 am*
* Please note: Gardener Chats will take place daily at 11:00 am from March 23 - April 2.
Meet the knowledgable animal care professionals who care for beautiful butterflies at The Leaf!
Location: Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden
Date: Daily, March 23 - April 2
Time: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Join our creative team of volunteers in the Tannis M. Richardson Classroom for some hands-on crafting. We’ll use natural or recycled products to keep this activity as sustainable as possible. Crafts are appropriate for kids and families of all ages and are accessible without admission to the biomes. Space is limited in the classroom. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Location: Tannis M. Richardson Classroom
Dates: April 2, May 7, May 21
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Start your day with a little mindfulness, and hopefully a lot of peace. Can you imagine a better place to sit than the Mediterranean Biome at The Leaf? Sights, sounds, stillness. This session is open to all who wish to sit together for meditation, regardless of past experience. Advance registration required.
Thursdays, April 6 - 27 | 7:30 am - 8:15 am
Join Certified Arborist, Ken Fosty, in this hands-on workshop learning how to grow Shiitake mushrooms outdoors in your backyard. Ken will demonstrate how to inoculate cut logs with mushroom spawn and all the necessary steps to grow own Shiitake mushrooms. Advance registration required.
Sunday, April 23 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Learn to make beautiful beaded stud earrings! In this workshop, participants will bead a pair of 1-inch by 1.5-inch stud earrings, learning flat-stitch and edging techniques. This is a beginner-friendly beading workshop with a small class size to accommodate a more intimate learning experience. Advance registration required.
Sunday, April 16 | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
