Vancouver's VanDusen Botanical Garden features one of the most extensive arrays of ornamental plants in Canada spread over 55 acres. VanDusen Botanical Garden had his beginnings in 1910 on an isolated acreage of stumps and bush. Initially the land was owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and leased by the Shaughnessy Golf Club until 1960. In 1966, with the help of the VanDusen Botanical Garden Association, which assisted the Vancouver Park Board the site was saved. The land was purchased through shared funding from the City of Vancouver, the Government of British Columbia and the Vancouver Foundation with a donation by W. J. VanDusen, after whom the Garden was named. The development of the gardens started in 1971 but the gardens were not official opened to the public until August 31, 1975.
The land has been transformed into an exquisite botanical garden. A series of stone pathways crisscross the gardens. Wooden bridges ramble through various ecological zones. There are over 7,500 different kinds of plants assembled from six continents. Careful planning went into developing specific areas of the garden to illustrate various botanical relationships as they relate to their geographical origins, as shown in the Sino Himalayan Garden or the Mediterranean Garden . The Van Dusen Botanical Garden is set amidst rolling lawns, tranquil lakes and dramatic rockwork with vistas of the mountains and Vancouver cityscape. Special exhibits include a children's garden with an Elizabethan-style hedge maze, a sculptured topiary, which will delight them. The collection of rhododendron, heathers and hollies are another outstanding feature within the gardens.
Throughout VanDusen Botanical Garden you will see the artistry of several local and international artists. Eleven pieces of stone sculpture were created on site during the summer of 1975 at the International Stone Sculpture Symposium.
The VanDusen Botanical Garden belongs to a network of gardens, which share the objectives of collecting and conserving plants, teaching botanical science and serving as a place where interesting aspects of horticulture and landscape design may be seen. The Garden plays an important role in promoting the preservation of rare plants from depletion or extinction and to give us a new appreciation of nature.
The garden is open every day of the year except Christmas Day. The Garden opens at 10 a.m., closing hours are around dusk and vary from season to season.
Location:
Oak Street at West 37th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 878-9274
Wheelchair accessible
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