Down the Rabbit Hole: Alice in Bloomland at the RBG

An impressive floral display, a vibrant fusion of flowers and fantasy at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Mar 01, 2025

Looking to shake off the winter blues, I headed to the Royal Botanical Gardens with my partner, Hayley, to explore their floral display, Alice in Bloomland, where the entire garden had been transformed into the magical world of Alice in Wonderland.

The display had taken over every inch of the gardens. Even the entrance, normally just a set of sliding glass doors, was now decorated with floral hearts and playing cards, immediately drawing you into the experience.

I invite you to join us on this adventure down the rabbit hole into the world of Alice in Bloomland at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

As we moved further inside toward the admissions desk, we were greeted with more beautiful florals all based on Wonderland.

We then met a Cheshire Cat, who explained that everyone was a little mad here, and suggested we see the March Hare. So, we ventured down the rabbit hole in search of the March Hare.

We couldn’t find the March Hare, but we did find the White Rabbit. He explained that he was terribly late and running behind. And with that, he dashed off without delay.

Onward we went, deeper into the world of Bloomland. Along the way, we spotted some peculiar-looking treats labeled “Eat Me” and “Drink Me,” but we couldn’t help feeling a little suspicious of them.

We weren’t sure which way to go next, but a directional sign reading “We’re all mad here” reassured us that we were headed in the right direction.

We soon met the condescending Blue Caterpillar, who sat atop a mushroom. He peered down at us, took a long, slow breath, and asked, “Whooo are youuu?”

We answered "Just some curious adventurers, exploring Bloomland!"

After our encounter with the Blue Caterpillar, we stumbled upon a beautiful tea party!

Some mice were even spotted happily enjoying the spread!

The Cheshire Cat reappeared to us in a mirror, grinning slyly as he sent us in the direction of the Queen of Hearts. Before vanishing once again.

Along we went, to the place where wild roses were being painted red!

We soon encountered some of the Queen of Hearts’ guards, watching over us as we made our way toward the Queen.

Playing cards, teacups, pots, and even flamingos were scattered across the grounds outside the Queen’s castle.

We even found a friendly hedgehog along the way.

We then walked up to the Queen of Hearts' castle and were greeted by some impressive florals.

We finally arrived at the Queen of Hearts' castle, where the Queen and King of Hearts sat upon their thrones. No sooner had we stepped forward than the Queen of Hearts shouted, "Off with their heads!" so off we ran to escape.

The Cheshire Cat appeared again, quickly guiding us toward the exit. Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he vanished again.

Having narrowly escaped, we looked back on our time in Bloomland, it had been quite the adventure. From tea parties to royal encounters, every turn was filled with wonder and surprise. As we stepped back into reality, we couldn't help but wonder… had it all been just a dream?

If you happen to be local to Ontario, I would highly recommend checking out Alice in Bloomland if you have the time.

I hope you all enjoyed this photo essay. Here is a gallery of other photos taken that weren’t included in the article.

Until the next post!
-Greg