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Bloomland in Oz at Royal Botanical Gardens is a feast for the senses
Summary
Bloomland in Oz at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington features around 25,000 orchids, tropical plants and theatrical recreations inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and runs Tuesdays to Sundays through April 6, 2026.
Content
Bloomland in Oz is a seasonal floral exhibition at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. The display pairs scenes from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with waves of tropical plants and a large orchid presence. Visitors are led from a muted Kansas scene through a floral tornado into vibrant Oz settings, including an Emerald City installation in the McQuesten Theatre. The showcase also includes a companion visual arts exhibit that interprets Oz themes through contemporary woodworking.
Key details:
- The exhibition features about 25,000 orchid flowers alongside bromeliads, orange trees and other tropicals.
- Set pieces recreate moments from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, including Kansas, a floral tornado transition and the Emerald City.
- RBG's director of horticulture said tropicals were grown at the gardens and orchids were sourced from local Niagara growers, and that roughly 85 staff and volunteers supported the project.
- Designer Brookelyn Archer said the team drew heavily from the original book for visual cues rather than recent film adaptations.
- The visual arts component, Of Wonders Wild and New, presents woodworking by artists from Canada, Six Nations, Italy and Spain, with contributions from the Ontario Wood Carver's Association.
Summary:
The exhibition brings colourful tropical plantings and narrative floral displays into the winter season at RBG while highlighting local horticultural work and collaborative design. RBG has announced that parts of the exhibit will change during the run, including a breezeway transition to fragrant forest bulbs. The showcase runs Tuesdays to Sundays and continues through April 6, 2026.
