Hi friend,
While researching in preparation for the #ExperienceTO: Leslieville Historical Tour, I've been thinking about a man whose work still touches Toronto in a surprisingly practical way: George Leslie Sr., the namesake of Leslieville.
George Leslie was born in 1804 in Scotland.
He immigrated to Upper Canada (now Ontario) with his family, with sources commonly pointing to 1824 or 1825, and they settled first in what is now Streetsville in Mississauga.
A couple of years later, he made his way to York, the growing town that would become Toronto.
Before he built anything of his own, George learned to serve through his craft.
He worked as a gardener for prominent residents in Upper Canada, including Bishop John Strachan and Chief Justice William Campbell.
That detail matters because it shows something we often forget: many meaningful legacies begin with faithful work that looks ordinary.
Day by day, skill by skill, reputation is formed.
Then George started building.
In 1834, he helped found the Toronto Horticultural Society.
A few years later, he opened a store in Toronto, and it became known for being the first shop in the city lit by gas, which drew curious visitors.
In other words, he combined service with initiative.
He did not just do good work.
He also found ways to do it creatively.
But his most city-shaping work began east of the young city.
In 1842, Leslie leased about 20 acres of land from Charles Coxwell Small for a 21-year term.
This was in the Ashbridge’s Bay area, and it became the foundation of what would grow into the Toronto Nurseries.
By 1845, he established the Toronto Nurseries in the area we now associate with Leslieville.
This was not a tiny garden.
Heritage Toronto notes that his greenhouses and extensive fields produced everything from flowers to ornamental shrubs and trees, and that by the 1870s the Toronto Nurseries advertised itself as the largest business of its kind in Canada.
The nursery grew to roughly 150 acres in some accounts.
The larger story is clear either way: he built something substantial, rooted in the real needs of a growing region.
He also helped scale what he built through systems that feel surprisingly modern.
The Leslieville Historical Society documents how the nursery’s operations included catalogues, mail order, and later the use of rail connections to distribute trees more efficiently across Canada, with farmers placing large orders that could be delivered quickly.
Even today, when you see a business that grows beyond its immediate neighbourhood, you are often seeing the fruit of distribution, logistics, and trust.
And then the neighbourhood took on the family name.
The Leslieville Historical Society timeline notes that in 1862, George Leslie Jr. became postmaster, the post office became known as the “Leslie Post Office,” and the area around it became known as “Leslieville.”
A place name is a kind of legacy; it tells you whose presence once carried weight in the community.
His legacy is still visible, not just in words on a map, but in living things.
Leslie’s trees were transplanted to provide shade in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in Allan Gardens, and along some Toronto streets.
So in a very literal way, George Leslie helped shape the physical environment of Toronto.
He planted beauty that other people would enjoy.
That brings me to the life lesson: plant what will outlive you.
Planting is a picture of how life works.
Seeds go into the ground quietly, growth takes time, and the harvest is often delayed.
In the same way, many of the most meaningful outcomes in our lives are not instant.
They come through patient faithfulness.
Do not grow weary in doing good.
Keep planting.
Keep building.
Keep serving.
Your impact won't be immediately visible, but it will become evident in time.
George Leslie’s story is not only about horticulture; it is about stewardship.
He took what he knew, he served faithfully, he built with intention, and he left something behind that benefited neighbours he would never meet.
Three suggested action items:
- Plant something this week that someone else will benefit from later
It can be literal: a small plant, a tree, or a garden box. Or it can be relational: an encouraging note, a mentorship invitation, a consistent act of service. Choose one seed and commit to tending it for 30 days.
- Go on a “Leslie legacy walk”
Sometime in the coming weeks, visit a Toronto green space and slow down. Consider Allan Gardens or Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and reflect on the kind of long-term contribution you want to make in your city.
- Join the #ExperienceTO: Leslieville Historical Tour
If you would like to hear more of Leslieville’s story in person, I would love to see you on the #ExperienceTO: Leslieville Historical Tour, scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., starting at the Toronto Public Library’s Jones Branch.
Thank you for being part of this community of people who learn, reflect, and grow together every week.
Until next time,
Alex Rășcanu
P.S. If you ever feel like what you are doing is too small to matter, remember: cities are shaped by quiet faithfulness, repeated over time.
P.P.S. If you have a friend who loves Toronto history, encourage your friend to join you on one of the upcoming monthly #ExperienceTO historical tours.
