When was the last time you went out to the Island? This weekend, I was there for the Terry Fox walk and found it such a spiritual holiday that I made a pact with a friend to do it again; at least once a season.

The open-topped ride to Ward’s Island is the skooter version of the island ferries – more nimble and wind-in-your-face than the enclosed models. The harbour itself is a great water feature for one of Toronto’s great garden getaways.

I’d brought my camera. So, as we walked from Ward’s Island to Hanlan’s Point, I kept excusing myself to catch the natural photo ops. A late season monarch butterfly turning goldenrod into a sippycup. A great blue heron wading between lilypads in the trout pond. The ornamental gardens in their autumn best.

On the way back, we strolled through the cottages on Ward’s to sneak peeks of the tiny gardens. It’s too late for me to dream of owning one of these miniparadises. Perhaps I can hold out hope one day for my children’s luck. Meanwhile, I make do with being a nosy (but hopefully polite) neighbour.

All of it is right there, just a 10-minute ferry ride from the concrete and asphalt at the foot of Bay Street. Coming back to the ferry docks, one of the world’s more photogenic skylines zooms in for its closeup, and the Itty Bitty City shows one of its best profiles.

I’ll try to be back this winter to see the ice gardens on the lake.