The Office of the Vice-President, University Operations, recently entered a Canada-wide competition, sponsored by the Canadian Garden Council, Vesey’s Bulbs, Canada Post, Niagara Parks, Via Rail and a host of other Canadian associations and companies to win one of 150 ‘150^th Celebration Gardens’ being distributed across Canada in celebration of Canada’s Sesquicentennial in 2017…and we were recently confirmed as one of the lucky recipients of 1000 red and white tulip bulbs! U of T is one of only 3 winners in Toronto, the other two being the Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Parks & Trees Foundation. We are also one of only two universities to be a part of this initiative, the other being the Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden.

As Canada prepares for this wonderful occasion, the University will join in celebrating this milestone. Our campus welcomes hundreds of visitors daily; our Front Campus is a favourite location for photographs, and a setting for momentous occasions such as graduations and weddings.  Our Celebration Garden, located on iconic King’s College Circle, will not only be a highly visible, publicly accessible and popular stop on Canada’s Garden Route, but would be a clear celebration of the University’s longstanding bond with Canada.

Over 4000 tulips (supplemented by University Operations) have now been planted and we look forward to a stunning 150th celebration Garden blossom in the spring!