Some old houses look better in winter. The summer garden at Glendon Hall is better to be appreciated in summer.

“Glen”, in Scottish Gaelic means valley. Built near the Don River, “Glendon” was built for financier Edward Rogers Wood. He was the president of Dominion Securities, the largest bond dealer in Canada at the time. 

He was also the largest investor of Vancouver Portland Cement Company, who was owned by Robert Butchart, created Butchart Garden in Victoria, B.C., one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

Glendon Hall was meant to be Wood’s retirement home. The design somewhat demonstrated that.

The green tiled grey stucco house blends effortlessly into the background. The garden takes the main stage. For a second, one may think they are in South of France.

Glendon Hall, although a university building now, harks back to a time in old Toronto, when Bayview Avenue was a country retreat, filled with great mansions of Toronto tycoons.

2275 Bayview Avenue