Toronto's Scenic Lakefront Garden Offers Live Music, Trails, And Wildflowers

Toronto, Canada's largest city with its futuristic skyline, could seemingly put nature on the backburner. However, along the city's Lake Ontario shores are plenty of elegant greenspaces that integrate seamlessly with the surrounding skyscrapers. Within the shadow of the city's iconic CN Tower is the Toronto Music Garden, a lakefront park that offers views of that famous skyline and adds more variety to what you can do in this busy city.

What makes the Toronto Music Garden even more special is its connection to dance and classical music. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma helmed the "Inspired by Bach" film series in the 1990s, and the Toronto Music Garden was designed for the first film of the six-part series. Landscape architects designed sections of the Toronto Music Garden to serve as tributes to the Baroque dance movements that go along with Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. For example, the large swirling path is inspired by the courante dance form. But despite these deeper meanings, you definitely don't need to know dance and music pairings of the 18th century in order to enjoy the Toronto Music Garden. 

The intricate dance-inspired sections of the Toronto Music Garden each have their own types of greenery, and you can enjoy all of them thanks to flat, paved walking trails that add up to just under 1 mile. Weave through birch and Dawn Redwood trees, an intricate flower parterre, and grass steps. Given the garden's location on one of America's stunning Great Lakes, the Waterfront Trail lets you walk right along the lake with peaceful views of the boats at the Marina Quay West harbor. 

A beloved highlight of the walking trails in the Toronto Music Garden is the field of wildflowers. Find this colorful meadow along the previously mentioned swirling path in the middle of the garden. Among the multiple species of flowers here are yarrow, allium, pink and white cosmos, and black-eyed Susans. Bees, birds, and butterflies love these flowers too. If you visit from May through September, you might spot some monarch butterflies around the garden.

The Toronto Music Garden does have music, too. Summer Music in the Garden is an annual concert event series occurring twice per week from June through August. Artists are usually local, but show off the variety of cultures that call Toronto home. From Cuban to Middle Eastern to Afrocentric, you can enjoy the peaceful garden surroundings while also learning about music from other parts of the world. Check online for the official schedule.

The 19-mile Martin Goodman Trail runs along the entire northern edge of the Toronto Music Garden as well. The portion that runs through the Toronto Music Garden is called The Waterfront Trail. Follow the trail further, and you'll find a secret hidden wilderness that thrives in Toronto thanks to the largest ravine system in the world. You'll find examples of how this natural system keeps greenery so abundant along Toronto's Lake Ontario shores at the Cherry Beach Clarke Beach Park and Harbour Square Park West, both near the Toronto Music Garden. For another urban-meets-nature experience, follow the Martin Goodman Trail to the ferry to visit the nearby Toronto Island Park with beaches and lovely views. Ferries depart less than one mile from the Toronto Music Garden.