Toronto, ON . . . Friday, June 13, 2014 . . . Today, National Garden Day, the Canadian Garden Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2014 Canadian Garden Tourism Awards.
Garden Tourism Awards are presented to organizations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in the development and promotion of the garden experience as a tourism attraction. Now presented annually, the inaugural Garden Tourism Awards – the only such Awards program in the world – were bestowed at the 2011 Garden Tourism Conference held in Toronto. To view past winners, visit www.gardentourismconference.com and click on the ‘media’ tab.
“Dr. Richard Benfield, author of ‘Garden Tourism’, estimates that annually there are 6 million garden tourists in Canada,” said Alexander Reford, director of Jardins de Métis and chair of the Canadian Garden Council. “It is a great pleasure to celebrate the contributions that our Canadian gardens make to our tourism offering for both Canadians and travelers from around the world.”
In the spirit of highlighting Canada’s most dynamic garden experiences and Garden Tourism’s limitless potential, the Canadian Garden Council in consultation with a Canadian jury network is proud to announce the 2014 recipients of the Garden Tourism Awards
CANADIAN GARDEN TOURISM AWARDS
1. Garden of the Year
Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens, PQ
- sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
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8. Community of the Year
Pembroke, ON
- sponsored by: Communities in Bloom
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2. Botanical Garden of the Year
Devonian Botanic Garden, AB
- sponsored by: VIA Rail Canada
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9. Person of the Year
Gilles Vincent, Montréal Botanical Garden, PQ
- sponsored by: Baxter Travel Media
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3. New Garden Experience of the Year
Charlottetown Tulip Festival, PEI
- sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
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10. Initiative of the Year
The Ecolodge, Tofino Botanical Gardens, BC
- sponsored by: Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
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4. Garden Destination of the Year
Vancouver, BC
- sponsored by: VIA Rail Canada
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11. Promotion of the Year
Vancouver Island Garden Trail, BC
- sponsored by: Baxter Travel Media
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5. Festival of the Year
Stratford Garden Festival, ON
- sponsored by: Canadian Tourism Commission
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12. Website of the Year
ICanGarden.com, AB
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6. Event of the Year
Butchart Gardens Fireworks and Summer Music Program, BC
- sponsored by: Canadian Tourism Commission
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13. Journalist of the Year
Lorraine Flanigan, ON
- sponsored by: Enterprise Canada
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7. Garden Centre of the Year
Greenland Garden Centre, Sherwood Park, AB
- sponsored by: Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
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14. Media of the Year
Garden Making Magazine, ON
- sponsored by: Enterprise Canada
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Canadian Garden Council
The Canadian Garden Council is the national umbrella body for provincial and national garden organizations. Its vision is to champion the garden experience sector’s contributions to the well-being of Canadians and the sustainability of our communities and to promote the joys and benefits of gardens, landscapes and green infrastructure.
Its mission is to generate development and growth of the garden experience sector by: being the national platform through which garden organizations and organizers come together with common goals; developing programs, resources and services; promoting the role and benefits of Canadian gardens and gardening activities as integral components of our communities and their tourism experiences; fostering increased visitation to, and interest in, gardens and participation in gardening activities. The Council manages: Garden Days ( www.gardendays.ca ), Canada’s Garden Route ( www.canadasgardenroute.ca ), Garden Tourism Awards and Garden Tourism Conference ( www.gardentourismconference.com ) .
The Canadian Garden Council Board is comprised of members from the BC Garden Tourism Society, Ontario Garden Tourism Coalition, Associations des grands jardins du Québec, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, Communities in Bloom and representatives from public and botanical gardens in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador.
For more information (media only) please contact:
Michel Gauthier, executive director, Canadian Garden Council
Tel: 613-3014554 email: [email protected]
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