Toronto’s Allan Gardens is worth a visit over the holidays. As you can see from the above collage, the theme this year is musical. There’s someone playing a piano and to the right, there’s another musician with a bass instrument. “During the Victorian Christmas Show, the conservatory is decorated and filled with thousands of flowering plants and over 40 different varieties of poinsettias. The opening on the first Sunday in December features Christmas carollers, horse and wagon rides, hot apple cider and freshly baked cookies. The show runs until the end of December and the conservatory is opened late on weekends and can be viewed by candlelight.” (Wikipedia)
On the opposite side of the musicians in the first collage were these ladies who I want to believe were the singers. Christmas carolling and music is a big part of Christmas celebrations everywhere. This is my interpretation of the display I saw there as there weren’t any handouts about what the gardeners/artists actually had in mind. As you can see from the pictures, their attire was florally beautiful. “In Victorian England there was a tradition in which groups of singers traveled from house to house, singing carols or songs, for which they were often rewarded with money, mince pies, or a glass of a warm drink. Often money was collected and given to charity. Earlier Christmas caroling was known as wassailing.” (Victoriana.com)
The other way to view this part of the display is to think that this is a fine Concert Hall and that this musical group is putting on a Christmas Concert. They are certainly dressed for the part, don’t you think?
On the same side with the ladies and behind them was a male performer. This collage also gives glimpses of other parts of the Conservatory. There were poinsettias of all species and colors intermingled with the other greenhouse plants, as well as hanging baskets. It was a riot of Christmas colour.
Decorating at home
One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course they were teased by other children when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers and so we see them today.
(just4kidsmagazine.com)
At home, I love decorating with poinsettias too. If you don’t put up any other decorations for Christmas, a few poinsettias will bring joy and the feeling of Christmas into your heart and home. The small poinsettia arrangement above is my own. A few branches fell off some plants we bought and I put them in a small container with a few pieces of Christmas greenery. They made me so happy!
All three carollers/performers are together in this collage and lots of greenery and red bows are draped around the windows and doors. There’s even a Christmas tree draped with red. It was a good time.
This collage shows a part of the Allan Gardens Conservatory. “Allan Gardens (founded in 1858) is one of the oldest parks in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It has a conservatory (greenhouse), a playground and two fenced off-leash areas for dogs. It is operated by Toronto Parks who also run Centennial Park Conservatory. It is open every day of the year and is free.” (Wikipedia)
Hope you enjoyed your visit to Allan Gardens with me! Merry Christmas!
