It may still be officially winter, but our neighbors to the north have changing seasons on their minds. Canada Blooms springs forth March 16 through 25, 2012, in the Direct Energy Centre, 100 Princes’ Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Canada Blooms, the country’s largest flower and garden festival, is co-locating with The National Home Show, to create North America’s largest home and garden event. It includes six acres of gardens plus more than 200 hours of lectures, gardening demonstrations and talks.

This year’s theme is ‘CityCulture’. As the organizers explain it: “Culture stems from the latin word ‘cultura’, to cultivate and educate. Within the Canada Blooms context, culture will refer to not only HORTIculture, GARDENculture, but also to the liberal arts in general, and to the cultural and ethnic groups that make up our urban mosaic. Culture transforms towns and cities. Culture makes lives richer.”

One place that Road Trips Gardeners might want to consider staying in while visiting Canada Blooms is the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Of course they’ve got a special package for the event — but, beyond that, the hotel is one of pioneers in urban rooftop gardening (covering 4000 square feet) and claims to be the first to establish a hotel rooftop apiary.

The Executive Chef and his kitchen brigade nurture over 20 herbs and vegetables in 17 beds, including organic basil, parsley, sage, tarragon, chocolate mint, peppermint, spearmint, chives, lemon balm, marjoram hot peppers and cayenne pepper plants.

(Photo courtesy of Canada Blooms)