In the spirit of highlighting Canada and the world's most dynamic garden experiences and Garden Tourism's limitless potential, the Canadian Garden Council, in consultation with a Canadian and international jury network, proudly announces the 2013 recipients of the Garden Tourism Awards.
The Awards were presented at the Garden Tourism Conference, held on March 18 & 19, 2013, in Toronto, Canada.
1. Garden of the Year:
Kingsbrae Garden, St. Andrews, NB
sponsored by Rain Bird Corporation
2. Achievement of the Year:
Canadian Botanical Conservation Network
sponsored by Canadian Garden Tourism Council
3. Botanical Garden of the Year:
VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, BC
sponsored by VIA Rail Canada
4. Destination of the Year:
Montreal, QC
sponsored by VIA Rail Canada
5. Destination Garden Centre of the Year:
The Enjoy Centre, St. Albert, AB
sponsored by Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
6. Event of the Year:
Mosaiculture International de Montreal, QC
sponsored by Canadian Tourism Commission
7. Festival of the Year:
Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa, ON
sponsored by Canadian Tourism Commission
8. Honourable Mention:
Garden Voices of Ontario's Historic Gardens
9. Initiative of the Year:
St. Albert Botanical Art City, AB
sponsored by Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
10. New Garden Experience of the Year:
Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, ON
sponsored by Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
11. Promotion of the Year:
gardenroute.ca, Peterborough & Area, ON
sponsored by Baxter Travel Media
12. Person of the Year:
Dave Cowen, BC Garden Tourism Society/
The Butchart Gardens, BC
sponsored by Baxter Travel Media
1. Garden of the Year:
The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, Merano, Italy
sponsored by Rain Bird Corporation
2. Achievement of the Year:
Gardens Without Limits Conference, Moselle, France
3. Event of the Year:
Gardening World Cup, Nagasaki, Japan
4. Festival of the Year:
Ponte de Lima International Garden Festival, Portugal
5. Initiative of the Year:
Chelsea Fringe Festival, London, England
6. Promotion of the Year:
National Garden Festival, Buffalo, NY
7. Website of the Year:
gardenvisit.com
8. Person of the Year:
Richard Barley, CEO Open Gardens Australia
sponsored by Baxter Travel Media
Patrons of The Garden Tourism Awards are: Canadian Garden Council, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and Garden Tourism Conference.
The Garden Tourism Awards are supported by: Ontario and BC Garden Tourism Coalitions, Associations des jardins du Quebec, Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association (LO), Communities in Bloom and Jardins sans limites, Metz, France.
The Garden Tourism Awards are sponsored by: VIA Rail Canada, Baxter Travel Media, Canadian Tourism Commission, CNLA, Air Canada and the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific.
The Canadian Garden Council, founded in 2011, is the national umbrella body for provincial Garden Tourism Coalitions. Until it is incorporated, the Council operates as a committee of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA).
The Garden Tourism Conference takes place every other year in Toronto, Canada. In recognition of the importance of Gardens and garden experiences as tourism generators, it is the opportunity to showcase best practices of both the Garden and Tourism industries in order to grow both sectors. The next Garden Tourism Conference will take place on March 16 & 17, 2015. For more information, visit: www.gardentourismconference.com
Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) is a national federation of nine provincial green industry associations representing over 3,600 members in the landscape horticulture, retail garden centre, and nursery (primary production) sectors. www.canadanursery.com
American Public Gardens Association (APGA) Over the last six decades, the APGA has emerged as the premiere association for public gardens in North America. Today, APGA's 500 member institutions are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and seven other countries. The APGA is committed to increasing the knowledge of public garden professionals through information sharing, professional development, networking public awareness and research so they have the tools to effectively serve visitors and members. APGA's vision statement is to create a world where public gardens are indispensable. www.publicgardens.or
Commissioners Park, Ottawa, Ontario
Jardin botanique de l’Université d’Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Les Jardins des Jardiniers du Patrimoine de North Bay, North Bay, Ontario
Jardin Kingsbrae, St Andrews, New Brunswick
Milner Gardens & Woodland, Vancouver Island University, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
The Arboretum, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Jardin botanique de la Commission des parcs du Niagara, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Roger-Van den Hende Botanical Garden, Quebec, Quebec
The A.M. (Mac) Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario
Jardins publics d'Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Garden of the Provinces, Ottawa, Ontario
International Peace Garden, Boissevain, Manitoba
Halifax Public Gardens, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière, Sainte-Croix, Quebec
Tangled Garden, Grand Pré, Nova Scotia
Université Royal Roads et le parc Hatley, Victoria, British Columbia
Jardins de Casa Loma, Toronto, Ontario
Allan Gardens Conservatory, Toronto, Ontario
Parc de la reine Victoria, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Royal Roads University and Hatley Park, Victoria, British Columbia
Les Jardins du Centre Horticulture du Pacifique, Victoria, British Columbia
Government House Edwardian Gardens, Regina, Saskatchewan
Jardins historiques d'Annapolis Royal, Annapolis Royal , Nova Scotia
International Peace Garden, Boissevain, Manitoba
Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse , Niagara Falls, Ontario
Le jardin Chinois classique Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jardin botanique de Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Arboretum, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Conservatoire du jardin Allan, Toronto, Ontario
Royal Botanical Gardens , Burlington, Ontario
Jardin botanique et zoo de Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
Whistling Gardens Botanical Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario
Jardin botanique Roger-Van den Hende, Québec, Quebec
Jardin botanique de la vallée d’Oshawa et Festival des pivoines, Oshawa, Ontario
Les Jardins de Métis, Grand-Metis, Quebec
Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus, Truro, Nova Scotia
Gardens of North Bay Heritage Gardeners, North Bay, Ontario
Toronto Music Garden , Toronto, Ontario
The Gardens at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jardin botanique Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario
Elsie's Vegetable Garden, Grand-Metis, Quebec
Jardin botanique de l'Université Memorial, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Milner Gardens & Woodland, Vancouver Island University, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Le Jardin A.M. (Mac) Cuddy, Strathroy, Ontario
Le jardin de Maplelawn, Ottawa, Ontario
Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Place Nathan Phillips, Toronto, Ontario
Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
Ferme expérimentale centrale, Ottawa, Ontario
Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jardins botaniques royaux, Burlington, Ontario
Jardin Jeanne D'Arc, Québec, Quebec
The Gardens at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Les Jardins Butchart, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
The Mackenzie King Estate, Old Chelsea, Quebec
Domaine Joly-De Lotbiniere, Sainte-Croix, Quebec
Maplelawn Garden, Ottawa, Ontario
Centennial Park Conservatory, Etobicoke, Ontario
Serre du parc du Centenaire, Etobicoke, Ontario
1814 Treaty of Ghent Rose Garden, Ottawa, Ontario
Toronto Botanical Garden, Toronto, Ontario
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario
Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens , Annapolis Royal , Nova Scotia
Parc des Commissaires, Ottawa, Ontario
Tangled Garden, Grand Pré, Nova Scotia
Le domaine Mackenzie-King, Old Chelsea, Quebec
Daniel A. Séguin Garden, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Corktown Common, Toronto, Ontario
Queen Victoria Park , Niagara Falls, Ontario
The Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Kingsbrae Garden , St Andrews, New Brunswick
Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
Parc Corktown Common, Toronto, Ontario
Reford Gardens , Grand-Métis, Quebec
L’Arboretum Patterson / Université de la Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Rideau Woodland Ramble, Merrickville, Ontario
Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens and Peony Festival, Oshawa, Ontario
Jardin Daniel A. Séguin, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Joan of Arc Garden, Québec, Quebec
University of Alberta Botanic Garden, Edmonton, Alberta
The Gardens at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, Victoria, British Columbia
Rideau Woodland Ramble, Merrickville, Ontario
Serre des parcs du Niagara , Niagara Falls, Ontario
Ottawa Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario
1814 Treaty of Ghent Rose Garden , Ottawa, Ontario
Jardins édouardiens au Government House, Regina, Saskatchewan
Patterson Garden Arboretum/ Department of Plant Sciences University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Calgary Zoo Botanical Garden, Calgary, Alberta
Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus, Truro, Nova Scotia
Le jardin des provinces, Ottawa, Ontario
Casa Loma Gardens , Toronto, Ontario
Maison Saint-Gabriel, Musée et site historique, Montréal, Quebec
Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Toronto Music Garden, Toronto, Ontario
UBC Botanical Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia
Maison Saint-Gabriel, Museum & Historic Site, Montreal, Quebec
Larry Hodgson
Canada's Garden Route Spokesperson
Author of "A Garden Lover's Guide to Canada"
Bring the Kids!
Summer’s here and Canada’s public gardens are at their best. You know you want to visit them yourself – who wouldn’t want to stroll through a beautiful park filled with flowers – but maybe you feel you’re so tied up with your children or grandchildren you just can’t get away. Well, there’s an easy solution to that: bring them along!
