There are two things I learned about visiting the extravagant temporary exhibit at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario called Bloomland in Oz. First, don’t leave your visit to the last holiday weekend (if you’re not fond of kids and crowds). But it closed April 6, 2026, and I didn’t want to miss out.

Second, Bloomland in Oz is an orchid show – a spectacular orchid exhibition that invited endless photographs and introduced novices like me to the plethora of orchid variations and varieties. For the flower aficionados, Phalaenopsis was the featured orchid, including all its colour varieties.

And, fun fact … April 16 is National Orchid Day.

This post contains links from affiliates such as Amazon and/or Chewy online pet supply store.

However, the theme was the draw for most visitors. The original Wizard of Oz film (affiliate link) was the inspiration for this dreamlike floral exhibition, and conveniently, Wicked 2’s (affiliate link) theatre release coincided with the opening of this event.

Bloomland in Oz

The fantasy journey through Bloomland in Oz starts in the RBG Centre’s entrance, where we’re greeted by a Kansas farm cow, then vignettes of flying furniture reminding participants that the story starts with a tornado. Then the dream begins and one by one you meet the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and moss-like Cowardly Lion looking very brave.

The wizard is a green shrub-like head with animatronic eyes wedged among plants and orchids. The flying monkeys (the most terrifying movie character, in my opinion) loom large in the greenhouse of spring blooms, filling the zone a fragrance that’s almost eye-watering.

Otherwise, Wizard of Oz characters are subtly referenced throughout: Wicked Witch legs stuck under a house, Munchkins’ shoes dot clusters of orchids, and most importantly, Toto is sort of there. Yes, I spent an unreasonable amount of time wandering through the RBG Centre searching for Toto.

Where is Toto?

Toto is represented in Bloomland in Oz in spirit only, and finding references to him is a scavenger hunt. I found two places where paw prints suggest the terrier’s presence and one sparkly ruby red dog collar with a dog tag sporting one word: Toto. And that’s it.

Personally, I think a giant floral Cairn Terrier might have made this exhibition, but thousands of orchids in so many colours, varieties, and species, made up for the lack of puppy representation. And created so many photo ops.

History of Royal Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) is likely the most recommended sight-to-see in the Hamilton, Ontario, and acts as a natural oasis surrounded by Canada’s largest urban environment. Modelled after Kew Gardens in the UK, the RBG adopted the ‘Royal’ moniker in 1930, shortly after it opened, and is still the only botanical garden in Canada to do so.

The RBG features the following:

• 4 cultivated garden areas, covering 130 acres
• 2000 acres of nature sanctuaries
• 50+ species at risk
• 27 km of nature trails, ideal for dog walking

Is the RBG pet dog-friendly?

The indoor centre which housed Bloomland in Oz is not pet dog friendly, so my pup didn’t get to explore the land of Dorothy and Toto with me. However, the rest of the RBG is pet dog-friendly. You can enter the RBG Centre to access Hendrie Park with your pup, which is the site of cultivated gardens and dog-friendly during regular hours, but not during special events.

All 27 km of trails at the RBG, along with the Rock Gardens located about a three-minute drive from the RBG Centre, are pet dog-friendly, on leash and cleanup is necessary, naturally.

If you go…

Location: The Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) Centre is located at 680 Plains Road West, Burlington, Ontario. The Rock Garden is located at 1185 York Road, Hamilton. The Arboretum is located at 16 Old Guelph Road, Hamilton, where you can access the trails in Cootes Paradise.

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.

Admission: $10 to $25 for adults

Special exhibitions staged about once a year, like Bloomland in Oz, require timed tickets. Otherwise, the spring blooms and gardens are open regular hours, Tuesday to Sunday, and tickets can be purchased on-site. The spring exhibition following the Oz event will focus on the local floral and flowering bulbs the RBG is well-known for cultivating. Leashed pet dogs are welcome in the outdoor gardens and trails.

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria.Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!