Fun fact: when I was a kid, I was so obsessed with The Wizard of Oz that I watched it almost every night. There was just something so magical and mesmerizing about it, and it’s still one of my favourite movies of all time. So when I had the opportunity to follow the yellow brick road into Bloomland in Oz at the Royal Botanical Gardens, I was there faster than I could click my heels three times!
Regular readers will know I’m a bit of an RBG fangirl, and why wouldn’t I be? With over 2,400 acres of gardens, 27 kilometres of nature trails and over 235,000 plants, Canada’s largest botanical garden is a flower lover’s dream come true. Conveniently, it just so happens to be located right here in Burlington, which means I’m here a lot. Whether I’m wandering through the lilacs, admiring dazzling holiday lights or enjoying afternoon tea, there’s always something fun to do at the RBG – and of all their fabulous events, their annual floral showcase is always a must-see. Last year, I absolutely loved their Alice in Bloomland theme, inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland. When they announced the Wizard of Oz theme for this year’s showcase, I was so excited – and it exceeded every expectation!
The immersive Bloomland in Oz exhibit brings the beloved story to life through flowers – 25,000 of them, to be exact! With whimsical life-sized installations and gorgeous botanical displays featuring all your favourite scenes and characters, this enchanting showcase is magic for all ages. As soon as we saw the giant floral ‘tornado’ at the entrance, I knew we were in for a showstopping experience.
Love that the Wicked Witch of the East was wearing Louboutins!
We met all of our favourite characters…
I was in absolute awe of this ‘hot air balloon’ made entirely out of real flowers!
Trying to stay awake in the poppy field…
We followed the yellow brick road all the way into the Emerald City.
The Breezeway is one of my favourite parts of RBG Centre. With its vibrant flowers and plethora of natural sunlight, it always feels like spring here, even when it’s snowy and cold outside. Last year, the Breezeway was home to the Queen of Hearts and her card soldiers. This year, the flying monkeys had taken over.
The Breezeway leads visitors into the stunning Mediterranean Garden. This two-level greenhouse is like escaping to another world. It’s filled with palms, citrus trees, birds of paradise, and orchids… lots and LOTS of orchids.
If the Breezeway feels like springtime, the Mediterranean Garden is endless summer. (The balmy temperatures don’t hurt!)
The Mediterranean Garden is where we met the wonderful Wizard of Oz himself…
Witches of all kinds…
A little kid standing near us was loudly insisting that this was not in fact Glinda the Good Witch, but Chappell Roan. And honestly… I see it!
Your Bloomland in Oz ticket includes access to the RBG’s visual arts exhibition, Of Wonders Wild and New. This exhibit features contemporary woodworking pieces by six artists from across Canada, Six Nations, Italy and Spain, joined by members of the Ontario Wood Carvers Association.
Before heading out, we had to stop into the gift shop. The RBG Garden Shop is one of my favourite local sources for pretty and unique gifts. As you’d expect, they have a fabulous planter collection. They also have some fun Wicked and Wizard of Oz themed products right now. I love that cutting board!
If you have kids, are a kid at heart, love flowers and plants, or are just plain sick and tired of winter weather, a trip to Bloomland in Oz is just what the wizard ordered. Check out my Instagram reel here for a video tour of our experience. The exhibit runs through April 6th, and is open every day except for Monday March 23rd and Monday March 30th. Tickets are available here – you must reserve a timed-entry ticket online for guaranteed access. The RBG Centre offers free parking, but as this is a popular event and parking is limited, I recommend booking one of the earlier time slots when it’s less crowded.
Thank you to the Royal Botanical Gardens for inviting us to this gorgeous event! There’s truly no place like the RBG, and I can’t wait to see what whimsical world they recreate next year.
Our Bloomland in Oz experience was generously hosted by the RBG. As always, all opinions and thoughts are entirely my own.
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