This summer, Québec will be hosting a prestigious event, the fourth International Garden Festival, to be held in the renowned Reford Gardens, on the St. Lawrence River in the Gaspé peninsula. The festival, a celebration of contemporary art in gardens, will showcase the creations of some of today’s best designers, from Québec and elsewhere.

Québec is a land of contrasts, where we have learned over the centuries to reconcile the harsh demands of nature with the refined art of gardening.

Gardens in Québec are a glorious blend of French and English traditions, striking just the right balance between reason and nature, and proudly displaying their heritage. From carefully planned classic formality to joyous informal abundance, they all explore the inexhaustible universe of flowers. And while they showcase specimens drawn from the four corners of the globe, plants native to Québec play a starring role.

Blanketed under a thick snowy mantle all winter long, our parks and gardens come alive again each summer, paying eloquent tribute to the skills of their designers–passionate, dedicated artists who offer a unique look at the rich palette of Québec landscapes.

Natural splendours

Here you will find some twenty gardens, as colourful and varied as a fresh-picked bunch of wildflowers. The Montréal Botanical Garden, one of the largest of its kind in the world, tops the must-see list. Founded in 1931, it today covers more than 75 ha [185 acres]. It features 10 exhibition greenhouses and some 30 outdoor thematic gardens, including an impressive Rose Garden (10,000 rose bushes). Among its jewels are the Chinese Garden–the largest outside of Asia–the Japanese Garden, the Arboretum (40 ha/100 acres) and Tree House and the Insectarium.

Québec City, with its citadel and university, was home over the centuries to large numbers of dignitaries and wealthy families, who built splendid estates here, some of which are still standing. Many of the gardens and parks in and around the capital testify to its glorious past and its residents’ boundless zest for life. Take a look at the Bois-de-Coulonge and National Battlefields parks, Domaine Cataraqui and the Roger-Van Den Hende Garden, attached to Université Laval.

Another magical site is the Jardins de Métis, nestled at the confluence of the Mitis and St. Lawrence Rivers, 355 km [220 mi] from Québec City. With their unique microclimate, the 17-ha [42-acre] gardens are home to 2,000 species and varieties of native and exotic plants. A brook leads visitors past luxurious flowers to the primrose and blue poppy gardens, for which the Jardins de Métis are famous. Other gardens extend right to the St. Lawrence, over 50 km [35 mi] wide at this point.

Don’t be afraid to strike out off the beaten track as well, where you’ll discover some of our best-kept secrets.