By Christine March, Master Gardener, SCMG
In the heart of beautiful Vancouver, BC – a city known for its spectacular natural setting – you’ll find one of Canada’s great gardens: VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Once the home of the Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club, The VanDusen Botanical Garden came about thanks to the efforts of The Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association, created in 1966 by a group of gardening enthusiasts who lobbied for the creation of a landmark urban garden.
After the Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club relocated to another location in the early 1960s CP Rail, the owners of the land, tried to sell it. Negotiations were at an impasse until BC forestry magnate and philanthropist W.J. VanDusen anonymously donated $1 million. VanDusen’s generosity prevented the land from being purchased by a real estate development firm and allowed the conversion of the former golf course into what would become VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
Following four years of development, the new gardens opened on August 30, 1975. Roy Forster was the garden’s curator from 1977-1996. During his tenure, Forster oversaw the planting of 12,000 trees, flowers and shrubs representing 3,072 species spread over the gardens’ 22 hectares (55 acres). In recognition of his groundbreaking work, Forster was named to The Order of Canada in 1998.
Today VanDusen showcases 70 distinct plant collections comprising over 8,000 plant species and varieties from around the world and is regarded as a living classroom for its thousands of annual visitors.
VanDusen is a four-season delight for visitors of all ages. Let’s explore some of the seasonal highlights:
Spring
Nothing says spring like cherry blossoms and springtime in Vancouver is synonymous with cherry blossoms. But beyond these beautiful, delicate blooms spring at VanDusen also means rhododendrons, camellias, and a variety of magnolias. Late Spring also features one of VanDusen’s most popular and photographed visual displays: the spectacular Laburnum Walk.
Summer
Colour and fragrance are the signatures of the summer gardens. Look for 700 varieties of roses (including BC’s six native rose species), Japanese dogwoods, the Alma VanDusen Meadow Garden, and many flowering shrubs and annuals.
Fall
Fall at VanDusen enchants with the rich elegant tones of late-blooming perennials, the changing leaves of trees and shrubs, and the soft sway of ornamental grasses.
Winter
Beautiful berries, stately evergreens, and winter-blooming viburnum and jasmine are amongst the many joys of the winter gardens.
Winter also sees VanDusen transform into a magical Winter Wonderland with their Festival of Lights. From late November to early January, the garden sparkles with thousands of twinkle lights, seasonal music, tasty treats, and themed areas.
Year-Round
The Elizabethan Maze is VanDusen’s most popular attraction. Created from 3000 pyramidal cedars – Thuja occidentalis ‘Fastigiata’ – the maze delights visitors of all ages. For the less adventurous, a nearby observation terrace lets guests watch from a safe distance. Moreover, special events attract specialty plant enthusiasts, bird lovers, and art lovers. Children – our future gardeners – enjoy numerous programmes throughout the year.
Self-guided tours and downloadable Bloom Calendars, ensure visitors enjoy all that VanDusen has to offer, throughout the seasons.
The VanDusen Botanical Gardens continues to be operated jointly by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Assoc, not to mention countless volunteers. It is deservedly one of Vancouver’s top tourist attractions and, in this Year of the Garden, VanDusen should be high on every garden lover’s list of Gardens Not To Be Missed.
