With the rising temperatures, you may be daydreaming about embarking on a cross-country road trip or enjoying some leisurely day outings. But have you thought about including a public garden in your summer plans? Across Canada, unique green spaces are opening up for the season, providing visitors with a rare opportunity to relax and unwind.
These enchanting gardens not only offer a serene environment but also present a chance to discover native plants, sustainable horticulture, and the vital role of pollinators – knowledge that you can apply to your own backyard.
Explore some of the most remarkable and picturesque garden experiences in Canada. Be sure to visit their websites to check their opening dates for the season, find out about guided tours, special events, and the blooming schedule during your visit.
**British Columbia**
**The Butchart Gardens**
Location: Brentwood Bay, B.C.
Admission: Paid
The Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island attracts over a million visitors annually. This historic garden, established over 120 years ago, is famous for its vibrant blooms spread across 22 hectares. One of its popular features is the Sunken Garden, situated in a former limestone quarry, with 151 flower beds and picturesque winding paths, especially dazzling in autumn with its dahlia border.
**The Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific**
Location: Victoria
Admission: Paid
Situated just outside Victoria, this tranquil three-hectare horticulture center showcases various themed spaces. Visitors can explore the largest outdoor bonsai garden in Canada, a bridal-themed garden, a garden dedicated to birds, bees, and butterflies, and a children’s garden with interactive educational activities. In August, the gardens host an arts and music festival.
**UBC Botanical Garden**
Location: Vancouver
Admission: Paid
Established in 1916, the UBC Botanical Garden is the oldest university botanical garden in Canada. Initially focused on researching British Columbia’s native flora, it now boasts a range of gardens including a meadow, woodland garden, and a food garden featuring edible crops. The highlight is the Greenheart TreeWalk, offering suspended walkways that take visitors 20 meters above the forest floor into the coastal temperate rainforest canopy.
**Alberta**
**Muttart Conservatory**
Location: Edmonton
Admission: Paid
The Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton features four glass pyramids housing over 700 plant species, making it one of Canada’s largest indoor plant collections. Each pyramid represents a different biome – temperate, arid, tropical, and a fourth pyramid showcases rotating exhibitions. It’s a perfect retreat on days with inclement weather.
**University of Alberta Botanic Garden**
Location: Parkland County, Alta.
Admission: Paid
Just a short drive from Edmonton, this 97-hectare property is Alberta’s largest public garden. Visitors can explore various themed gardens, including the Indigenous Peoples Garden with traditional medicinal and ornamental plants. Notable attractions include the Kurimoto Japanese Garden with a teahouse and the Aga Khan Garden inspired by Islamic landscapes.
**Saskatchewan**
**Patterson Garden Arboretum**
Location: Saskatoon
Admission: Free
The Patterson Garden Arboretum at the University of Saskatchewan serves as a conservation area for Saskatchewan’s native plants. The arboretum’s location in plant hardiness zone 3b challenges woody plant species to survive extreme winter temperatures. It also houses endangered and threatened tree species from Canada and around the world.
**Manitoba**
**Assiniboine Park Conservancy**
Location: Winnipeg
Admission: Paid
Spanning 160 hectares, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Winnipeg features six main gardens and a free trolley service for visitors. Highlights include the indoor horticultural experience called The Leaf, with four different biomes to explore, including Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall.
**Ontario**
**Royal Botanical Gardens**
Location: Hamilton and Burlington
Admission: Paid (one admission to all gardens)
Covering approximately 850 hectares in Hamilton and Burlington, the Royal Botanical Gardens is Canada’s largest botanical garden. Hendrie Park, accessible through the RBG Centre, showcases a renovated rose garden, a healing garden, lily collection, and medieval garden. Other attractions include the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden featuring various perennials and conifers.
**Toronto Botanical Garden**
Location: Toronto
Admission: Free
The Toronto Botanical Garden offers 18 themed spaces to explore, designed to make you forget you’re in Canada’s largest city. Highlights include the entry garden walk with a mix of perennials, a demonstration courtyard for gardening workshops, and a range of programming like summer concerts and a weekly farmer’s market.
**Whistling Gardens**
Location: Wilsonville, Ont.
Admission: Paid
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