Edwards Gardens is a favourite spot for families and wedding parties. Young and old love to walk on the garden paths and drop pennies in the wishing well. Children chase each other on the wooden arch bridges, around the waterwheel, fountains and gazebo, and clamber on the rock gardens. Up the rough-hewn stone stairs from the main grounds is a teaching garden, often deserted and peaceful.

The gardens are named after Rupert Edwards, who converted what was a 27-acre homestead farm and saw mill into a garden and golf course. The estate's title was once held by Alexander Milne, a Scottish weaver who settled here after the War of 1812 and left in 1832. Edwards purchased the property in 1944. His home fell into disrepair, was purchased by the Municipality of Metro Toronto in 1955 and became Edwards Gardens in 1956. The Civic Garden centre was relocated from another Milne property, the Milne home on Old Lawrence Avenue. Famous for rhododendrons, Edwards Gardens showcase a variety of blooms from orchids to roses and azaleas. There's an arboretum, a rockery with flaming junipers and Japanese maples and a labeled garden with hundreds of tagged herbs and other plants. Next door is the Toronto Botanical Garden, designed by Raymond Moriyama with a glass addition by David Sisam.

Wilket Creek Park is a 44-hectare natural area beloved of cyclists and joggere, though the path has never been repaved after a bad storm destroyed many sections of it around two years ago. However, the city has, at least, laid down gravel to cover the mud and even out the terrain. There are around 2 km of trails.

Alexander Milne first settled the northern end of the valley now known as Wilket Creek following the War of 1812. It was known as Milne Creek until the 1950s. Wilket Creek Park is, apparently, known for its mature coniferous and deciduous trees: Eastern Hemlock, Sugar Maple, American Beech, Red Oak and Hop Hornbeam thrive along the valley walls. The valley host diverse species, including such rare plants as Canada Sicklepod, Snakerod, and New York Fern. Some uncommon bird species have also been known to visit during seasonal migrations.

Wilket Creek and Sunnybrook Park meld into each other, offering spots for picnics or wiener roasts in the fire pits. There's nothing like sitting around the fire with crickets chirping on a summer night, getting up to play frisbee or gathering around to strum a guitar.

Within Sunnybrook park is a pedestrian-only area: the Glendon Forest, which is the object of concerted restoration efforts by conservation groups. It extends from northeast of the Bayview Avenue and Lawrence Avenue intersection to south of Glendon College. The majority of the area is mature and mature-mixed forest dominated by Sugar Maple, Red Oak and Eastern Hemlock. There's also Black Maple at the southern end of the area. The soils are moist and small wetlands are present at the base of the slopes in many places.

Apparently, other trees in Glendon Forest include American Beech, Black Cherry, American Elm; Eastern White Pine, Manitoba Maple, European Buckthorn, White Willow, Black Spruce, Eastern White Cedar, Red-Osier Dogwood, Eastern Wahoo, Hawthorne, White Ash, and Paper Birch. Herbaceous plants include Queen Anne’s Lace, Goldenrod, Common Milkweed, Common Plantain, Aster, grasses and sedges, Thistle, Clover, Chicory, Common Burdock, and Dog Strangling Vine. Other plants found here are Horsetail, White Aster, green mosses, Great St. John’s-Wort, Water-pennywort, Turtlehead, Goldenrod and Hop-Hornbeam.

Sunnybrook Park borders the hospital, which is a short bike ride to Bayview and Eglinton. South of the intersection, Bayview continues in a café-and-antiques-shops village ambiance. There are several terraces to relax and enjoy food and drink.

Photos of Edwards Gardens

Bayview South

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