2008 Vancouver Official Visitors Guide - (Page 28) See & Do Gardens Galore When it comes to botanical attractions, Vancouver is in a class by itself. Maybe it’s the mild climate, the good taste of locals or just good fortune. Whatever it is, Vancouver has a fantastic selection of gardens — both in the city and in the outlying areas. Photography (Clockwise from top left): Sculpture in VanDusen Botanical Garden; Queen Elizabeth Park; Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. ©Denise Chambers/Weaver, ©TVan/Tom ryan, ©TVan/Dr. SunYat Sen Classical Chinese Garden UBC Botanical Garden is one of the largest gardens in Vancouver. Eight separate installations — as well as the Nitobe Memorial Garden, a traditional Japanese installation thought to be one of the top gardens of its kind outside of Japan — are at their height in April and May, but the mild climate allows them to be in bloom year-round. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a quietly spectacular space where every plant, rock and pool has been perfectly placed, reflecting the Taoist concept of Yin and Yang, opposites that must be in balance to achieve harmony. Four main elements — rock, water, plant and architecture — are at play in this serene oasis. With spaces for strolling, exercising the dogs, having a picnic or a leisurely lunch at a table with views of the city centre, Queen Elizabeth Park offers something for everyone. Bloedel Floral Conservatory is a lush little garden oasis visible throughout the park with its distinctive triodetic dome. Birds fly freely through the canopy of trees inside the dome, tropical flowers enjoy the jungle-warm temperatures and humidity, and several ponds provide homes for koi. Not far from Queen Elizabeth Park is the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Open since 1975, the park offers guided walking and cart tours. Tours include visits to the Rose Garden, the Korean Pavilion, the Rhododendron Walk, the Mediterranean Garden and many others. From rose gardens to sunken gardens to a show greenhouse, Vancouver Island’s Butchart Gardens offers blooms and colors for every season. And just an hour and a half east of Vancouver are the eleven themed gardens at Minter Gardens, 32 acres of unique floral design set against a stunning mountain backdrop. Park and Tilford Gardens and Shops in North Vancouver is a smaller garden with native plants, herb collections and Asian installations as well as a festival of lights in the holiday season. 28 tourismvancouver.com http://tourismvancouver.com
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