A sweet scent fills the air the minute you enter the eastern gates of Rosetta McClain Gardens, perched atop the Scarborough Bluffs in Birch Cliff.
It’s the unmistakable smell of roses in their full June glory.
Rosetta McClain is one of only a few public rose gardens remaining in Toronto. Their numbers are dwindling in part because rose gardens are considered by some to be “out of style”, but also due to the pesticide ban implemented by the city in 2004.
Regular visitors to the rose garden may notice that many of the hybrid tea roses have been replaced by smaller-bloomed varieties that are more hardy in winter and also disease-resistant. Many of the new roses come from Kordes, a German grower that concentrates on hardy hybrids.
Still beautiful though — enjoy the photos! (You can click on each one for a description.)
