Montreal Botanical Garden | Quebec, Canada

World-class botanical gardens in Quebec

When you think of botanical gardens, the one that probably springs to mind first is London’s Kew Gardens. It may be surprising to discover that next in international stature comes Montreal’s Jardin Botanique. Surprising, that is, until you see it.

Covering 73 hectares (180 acres) on Sherbrooke Street, across from Olympic Park, the Montreal Botanical Garden showcases more than 21,000 species of plants within 30 gardens and ten exhibition greenhouses.

Today’s reality is the result of the dream of Brother Marie-Victorin, who founded the Botanical Institute of the University of Montreal in 1920. Passionately inspired by nature, in 1925 he made public his dream of creating a great botanical garden for citizens of Montreal. Finally, in 1931, the Garden was founded. However, shortly after work began, money and political will declined.

In 1935, with Montreal approaching its 300thanniversary, he saw the opportunity to rekindle interest. One part of his speech illustrates his passion: “We will soon be celebrating Montreal’s 300thanniversary. You need to give a gift, a royal gift, to the City, our city. But Montreal is Ville-Marie, a woman...and you certainly can’t give her a storm sewer or a police station... It’s obvious what you must do. Give her a corsage for her lapel. Fill her arms to overflowing with all the roses and lilies of the field.”

Ahh...those French.

Some tour books advise a minimum two-and-a-half-hour stay. But this is a garden to be savored. Plan for a full day. Or two or three days to really satisfy the soul. That’s what gardens are all about.

Begin at the reception center. A computerized model of the garden and the friendly, enthusiastic staff will help you plan the best route to suit your interests. Guided tours are available at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. A free hop-on, hop-off miniature train offers bilingual commentary and makes seven stops through the park. But do remember to hop-off. Seeing the garden from a moving vehicle does not constitute the full experience.

Dream Lake Garden, the authentic Ming Dynasty gardens, is a must see. Covering 2.5 hectares (6 acres), it is the largest of its kind outside China. Among its features are a 30-foot waterfall, ornamental pond and several pavilions, including one displaying penjings (miniature trees).

Another is the Japanese Garden. Combining ponds, cascades and brooks with quiet pavilions and a Zen garden, it is designed to be a place of spiritual renewal where one can escape the hectic pace of life and find peace and harmony. The largest collection of bonsai trees outside of Japan is displayed here, some as old as 350 years..

There is a garden for virtually every taste. The Rose Garden contains 10,000 rose bushes. The Exhibition Gardens feature ten gardens done in the classical European style. The Alpine Garden displays plants from the mountain ranges of North America, Europe and Asia. The list goes on.

After browsing through the outdoor gardens, a visit to the ten exhibition greenhouses provides a tour of the world of plants. Themes range from tropical rainforest to orchids to cacti and other succulents.

The Main Exhibition Greenhouse houses seasonal floral displays. The 1997 summer’s presentation is called, “Like a Painting”. Huge copies of landscape paintings provide the backdrop for brilliantly bright flower arrangements. The exhibition beautifully demonstrates how both artists and gardeners draw their inspiration from nature and how colors evoke emotion and affect mood.

A visit to the Garden would not be complete without a tour of the Montreal Insectarium, the only museum of its kind in North America. Georges Brossard, its founder, spent several years traveling to all five continents in his search for insects. Today, it houses thousands of preserved and live specimens from around the world.

The Garden is a dynamic place. Special exhibitions, events and activities take place every day of every season. The staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. And of course, nature herself has a way of making every visit to the Montreal Botanical Garden a unique experience.

If you go to Montreal Botanical Gardens

The Montreal Botanical Garden and Insectarium, 4101 Sherbrooke Street East, Montreal, Quebec, H1X 2B2. For information, phone: (514) 872-1400.

www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/menu.htm

Author: Jeff Lukovich and Cathy Lukovich