Our Ontario Trip
plus
Communities in Bloom Symposium
2003
From
there we headed to our hotel for the night, the Fairmont Royal York. This
hotel is truly a landmark in Toronto. If you get the chance to see the
rooftop gardens, you will not only enjoy seeing this sea of green but if you
look up at the hotel you will see wonderful architecture and the distinctive
copper green roof that is not visible from the street below. Not only is the
hotel grand with it’s very classy rooms, but take a look at the lobby
ceiling – hand painted and 176 feet long…it truly is a work of art. The
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts are also involved in ‘Green Partnership Program’
which has been called “the most comprehensive environmental program in the
North American Hotel Industry”
This hotel was built in 1929 and it just so happens that there is an exhibit
at the Royal Ontario Museum called ‘Art Deco 1910-1939’ and the two groups
have put together a promotion. You will find it listed on their site. Take
it in! I guarantee you will enjoy both and the exhibit is direct from the
Victoria & Albert Museum in London, England and this is the only venue in
Canada that the exhibit will be.
I
have included four pictures of our hotel room plus the roof top garden – it
was raining so you see mist in the background…also see the top of the hotel
from this vantage point … isn’t that a wonderful rooftop garden and it’s
September. You can just imagine how bountiful it is in the summer. To view a
layout of the rooftop garden - click here
(you will need Adobe .pdf Reader to view this file)
click for hotel site
Thank
you to Siobhan Flanagan and Melanie Coates, The Fairmont Royal York, for
providing us with this wonderful start to our week in Ontario.
Next
morning we got on our way early because we were heading up to Deerhurst
Resort a landmark resort since 1896. I had heard a lot about this place, but
again had never visited. Deerhurst Resort is in Muskoka, and the drive was
so pretty with the trees starting to turn autumn colors. We arrived there
around 3 p.m. and after settling in to our room in the main pavilion, we
were met by Dave Bolus Grounds Manager, Nick and Brenda. Nick showed us
around the place because it really is huge! Just our luck that Chrysler was
having a promotion going on at the resort and Nick had a Pacifica that he
could use to show us around in. The resort has two golf courses, one around
the resort called Lakeside and another higher up called Highlands. We took a
picture of their signature hole at # 10 showing you the elevated tee of the
Highlands course just to give you an idea of how splendid this course is for
golfers.
They
include a wonderful history on their site
http://www.deerhurstresort.com/
plus booking information, everything you need to know. We met Dave and his
wife Angela for dinner that evening in the Eclipse Restaurant. Then after
dinner we were treated to their dazzling new show – Impact! Now, take this
show in if you are staying here … it truly is a wonderfully happy show and
the performers are great! A hidden gem waiting to be seen. I don’t think
there was one song that I didn’t sing along to, including Chicago.
A
special thank you to Dave, Angela, Brenda, Nick and Heather – it was such an
experience. I can see why so many people go there. Heather by the way works
with Dave on the grounds and they are beautiful. We met Heather in Stratford
as well at the symposium and the last time I saw her, she was having her
picture taken at the Festival Theatre, where the ‘King and I’ is being
performed.
A
good selection of pictures showing you the entry, one of the Chef’s gardens,
a beautiful hand painted wall in the pavilion, the fabulous new Crossfire
from Chrysler with the Pacifica behind it, the log building (this is the pro
shop for the Highlands Golf course and the Steamers Restaurant), you golfers
will enjoy the shot of #10, then a couple of pictures of the original
buildings and lake view, and the last is of Dave, Angela and myself sitting
in the Eclipse Room for dinner.
Up
the next morning, breakfast overlooking the golf course and lake and trees,
then off to Hamilton and the RBG.
I
felt it was time that I had visited Canada’s largest botanical garden. Can
you believe that I hadn’t until now? We arranged to meet Roger Wheelock and
David Galbraith for lunch…well two hours later at least, we finally finished
lunch and think we had better see some of the gardens before we head to St.
Catherines. David showed us around the building including the library that
where Louise Notley gave us a brief but good tour of what they have and
where they want to go with it. Then we were off to see some of the gardens.
It is a huge place so we limited ourselves to Hendrie Park and Laking Garden
this time.
A
special thank you to Roger, David and Louise for taking time to show us a
bit of this beautiful resource and thank you to Sarah, Communications
Coordinator for setting it all in place.
http://www.rbg.ca/index.html
p.s. try the apple tart at the Café – it is simply delicious!
I
have included pictures of some of the gardens as well as a picture of Roger,
David and Louise in the library. The fall colours were beautiful – the
Russian Sage, Sedums, kale and grasses were beautiful
|
