How many palm trees, orchids and cacti?
Had a very agreeable time flaneusering in Toronto with
trouble, whom I had encountered at the Berks but never had ample time to engage in conversation, so was v glad of having this day free to foregather with.
Among the things we did was visit the the Allan Gardens Conservatory, Allan Gardens being very near where I am staying.
At first sight it looks like a dinky little knock-off of the Palm House at Kew, possibly a poor relation dispatched to The Colonies, but it's much larger inside than it looks from the front aspect as it goes back quite a long way and you keep finding doors into new sections.
There are palm trees! and orchids! and cacti!
There are also ponds! one of which has a waterwheel! and turtles, quite a lot of TURTLES, as well as goldfish. (We do not mention the one with the rather naff statue of Leda and her feathered friend.)
What is rather bizarre though also delightful, is that, instead of going full-on with the tropical rain-forest/arid desert experience with the planting around the base of the palms, etc, in many cases they are standing within beds of the kinds of flowers that would not be out of place In An English Country Gaaaaaarden.*
Click to view*I find it really ironic that this bit of twee-ery is the composition by which most people remember Percy Grainger.
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