Lawrence Park

Lawrence Park, located in Toronto, just minutes from the downtown core of the city, is the area I call home. One of the deciding factors in choosing to live in this area of the city before I moved was the beautiful surroundings. It's an older, established neighbourhood loaded with charm. Now that it's spring, the park across the street from my apartment is bursting at the seams with blooms and buds. I thought I'd share some of the season's early offerings.

The entrance to Lawrence Park is lined with a long row of tulips and a small, well-trimmed hedge.

The tulips are so fragrant and beautiful.

These tiny blossoms were humming with bees.

A bank of rhododendrons lines a stone staircase leading to one of many pathways.

The only one of its kind in the whole park: a towering beauty.

Holly grows in the park, too - something to remember come Christmas.... (shhhh)

A joyful, yellow vignette of tulips and forsythia.

This wigela was already packed with blooms.

A view of the park, which looks lush and inviting.

At the center of the park is a formal garden that has not yet bloomed. I'm told it will be full of peonies and roses come June and that many newlyweds have their photos taken here.

The magnolia trees in the nearby neighbourhood wasted little time in blooming.

Adjacent to the park are several older homes. Many of them are stately, unique examples of modernity. This one above reminds me of an old plantation, yet it's situtated practically downtown - a wonderful contrast of context.

Nothing says Canada like a house with a moose on the roof! This one is carved out of wood and the owner of the house has it illuminated at night with small spotlights: strange and wonderful.