Did you know that the first botanical garden was built for science, education, and medicine in 1545? They built them to grow medicinal plants for research inside a university campus.
Now, almost 500 years later, botanical gardens around the world nourish the flora that call them home. These gardens aren’t just practical anymore either. They’re meticulously designed to be visually stunning, and Vancouver has plenty of them!
Does being surrounded by hundreds of plants, trees, and flowers sound like your kind of thing? Let’s explore the best gardens and botanical centers the city has to offer!
Bloedel Floral Conservatory
Address: 4600 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2M4, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 257 8584
Tickets:
- $7.40 for adults
- $5.20 for senior citizens and children from 13 to 18 years old
- $3.70 for kids 5 to 12 years old
- Free for kids 4 years old and under
Hours: Everyday from 10 am to 4 pm
The Bloedel Floral Conservatory is an indoor botanical garden that’s covered by an iconic glass and steel dome. This green haven opened its doors in 1969 and now has more than 500 plants and flowers and 100 birds and koi fish within the enclosure.
The conservatory houses three distinct climatic zones – Tropical, Subtropical, and Desert. Each zone plays host to plants and animal life that calls each one their home. The temperature-controlled environment ensures they grow naturally.
You can walk through tropical rainforest habitats, orchid gardens with orchid oasis, banyan and fig trees, and exotic flowers. There are also palm trees, exotic fruit trees like banana, coconut, and papaya.
Pro Tip:
If you’re less inclined towards humid conditions and the chance of a bird flying over you, we recommend you spend the most time in the Desert Area which has a variety of cacti and succulents inside including agave, alow, dragon trees, and century plants.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Address: 578 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 662 3207
Tickets:
- $12 for students
- $13 for senior citizens
- $16 for adults
- $32 for families with 2 parents and 2 children
Hours:
- Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 4 pm
- Monday and Tuesday: Closed
The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a half-museum half-garden home with elements from 15th century China. Spread across a modest yet meticulously designed space, this garden has many winding paths that take you around.
It showcases regional plants totalling over 160 species imported from across China, with some local ones too. The scent of the pine, cypress, and bamboo trees that thrive here infuses the air, while ancient penjing trees still stand after surviving 2 centuries.
There are lily ponds, rock gardens, Asian pavilions, and pagodas that pay homage to Chinese design and culture. The garden also allows for strolls along its courtyard vistas and corridors. Koi ponds, waterfalls, and bamboo bridges complete the scene.
Pro Tip:
To truly immerse yourself in the garden’s cultural significance, attend the annual Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebrations where you get to participate and learn about the practices done in these Chinese holidays.
Nitobe Memorial Garden
Address: 1895 Lower Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 822 6038
Tickets:
- $9 for adults
- $7 for senior citizens and kids from 13 to 17 years old
- $5 for kids 6 to 12 years old
- Free for kids under 5 years old
Hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm
- Monday: Closed
Ranked among the top Japanese gardens in North America, the Nitobe Memorial Garden on the grounds of the University of British Columbia is one of the most well executed botanical gardens in the city.
The design of the garden stays true to Japanese aesthetics all across 2.5 acres of space. The gardens is the home of more than 400 species of plants and trees, both local to Vancouver and some from Japan itself.
You’ll find alpine and rainforest plants, as well as purple irises, fiery maples and even cherry blossoms. But, this garden is more than just a collection of plants. It also features a ceremonial teahouse, koi ponds, waterfalls, and stone lanterns.
Pro Tip:
You can try to plan your visit during different seasons! In spring you can witness the bloom of cherry blossoms, irises dominate the summers and the red and orange of maple leaves color autumn.
Park and Tilford Gardens
Address: 333 Brooksbank Ave, North Vancouver, BC V7J 3S8, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 513 8880
Hours: Everyday from 9:30 am to 5:15 pm
Tucked away in what used to be the distilleries of its namesake, the Park and Tilford Gardens defy all expectations with a burst of vibrant colors and diverse landscapes right in the heart of the bustling city.
Established in 1969 as a community project, this garden has evolved into a local sanctuary. While it may only span 3 acres, it offers eight distinct themed areas.
The Display Garden is definitely our favorite as it dazzles with a huge explosion of colors in the form of over 200 species of flowering plants. The Herb Garden is another crowd pleaser especially to those who like to grow their own at home.
The other areas include the Japanese themed Oriental Garden, the White Garden, the Rock Pool, the Native Garden, and the Colonade Garden!
Pro Tip:
For wildlife lovers, the Native Garden is the place to be. There are trees there that hold nests for different varieties of local birds. There are also specially made bird feeding spots to attract even more wildlife for you to watch.
Queen Elizabeth Park
Address: 4600 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 2Z1, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 873 7000
Tickets: Free entry
Hours: Everyday from 6 am to 10 pm
Queen Elizabeth Park offers amazing views of the city and is one of the best botanical destinations. As you enter the park, the Quarry Garden welcomes you with its collection of shrubs and trees. There are also lots of perennials, bulbs, and annuals there.
A short walk away is the North Quarry Garden which comes complete with native plants from oriental countries like Japan, China, and Korea and a small bridge over an Asian inspired stream.
Further North inside the park, you’ll find the country’s oldest civic arboretum with the very first seeds planted way back in 1949. You’ll find timber trees here from Douglas fir to pine and spruce. Most trees are over half a century old including coast redwood.
As a tribute to Canada’s centennial, a rose garden was planted in the south west portion of the park in 1967 and now holds over 50 kinds of roses. Some of the rarer ones are the Parkland and Explorer species which were specially bred for the Rose Garden.
Pro Tip:
If you want to make sure that you tick off all of the gardens and botanical areas inside the Queen Elizabeth Park, we suggest you get there as early as possible. Since entrance is free, you can also decide to cut up your visit into a few short ones!
Stanley Park Rose Garden
Address: Stanley Park, 610 Pipeline Rd, Vancouver, BC V6G 3E2, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 873 7000
Hours: Everyday from 6 am to 10 pm
Within the popular Stanley Park, you’ll find the Stanley Park Rose Garden. Established in the 1920s, this rose garden has been delighting locals for over a century with the collection of roses there that just gets bigger and more diverse each year.
To date, the rose garden is home to over 3,500 rose bushes, including arbors for climbing roses and clematis. You can wander through the carefully manicured rose beds that typically bloom fully in the months from March to May.
The Shakespeare Garden is also a must visit while you’re at the park. It serves as an homage to the artist and as an arboretum of trees he has depicted in his works. More than 45 trees are here including Western Red Cedars, Maple Trees and Douglas Firs.
Pro Tip:
If you happen to visit during the spring, don’t leave without dropping by the Ted and Mary Greig Rhododendron Garden just next to the Rose Garden which offers an extensive collection of hybrid rhododendron and azalea plants.
UBC Botanical Gardens
Address: 6804 SW Marine Dr, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 822 4208
Tickets: Free entry
Hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm
- Monday: Closed
The University of British Columbia (UBC) Botanical Garden is Vancouver’s oldest standing botanical garden. Founded in 1916, this botanical haven has evolved into one of the country’s best!
With over 15 gardens, including an arbor, Asian, and alpine garden, the collection of green spades will not leave you wanting for more! There’s even a food garden filled with edible plants from vegetables and fruits to herbs and root crops.
The North American Gardens feature 4 sections dedicated to plants from the rainforests, Carolinian forests, woodlands, and the Pacific.
You’ll also find magnolias, maples, and ferns among the dozens of trees, plants, and flowers that call this place their home. Climbing plants, vascular plants from rainforests, and species of bamboo add an exotic flair to the gardens.
For the adventurous, the Greenheart TreeWalk eco-adventure offers a unique perspective, suspending you high above the forest floor on walkways and platforms. This gives you a panoramic view of the gardens from amidst the branches of tall trees.
Pro Tip:
We suggest you attend one of the regular workshops or events, like the popular apple festival in fall or the Biodiversity Month which is held in May
VanDusen Botanical Garden
Address: 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1, Canada
Phone Number: +1 604 257 8463
Hours:
- Morning Hours: Everyday from 10 am to 3 pm
- Afternoon/Evening Hours: Everyday from 4 pm to 10 pm
The world-renowned VanDusen Gardens is a 22 acre green space dedicated to the design, construction, and maintenance of botanical gardens. Since its establishment in 1970, this garden has accumulated a variety of plants with over 7,500 varieties.
You’ll find areas that seemingly transport you from the Himalayas to the Mediterranean, and from the Louisiana swamps to the Pacific Northwest. Each one contains its own collection of plants.
The fragrance garden, cypress pond, vegetable garden, collection of towering sequoia trees, and the hedge maze are just a few of the captivating features of this garden. There are also ponds, waterfalls, sculptures, art installations, and small garden nooks.
Pro Tip:
Try to visit during winter to experience the Festival of Lights. This event transforms the VanDusen Botanical Gardens into a visually stunning scene (more than it already is) with twinkle lights installed in key and strategic areas amongst the plants.