2017 Garden Tourism Awards Program
Toronto, Canada ... Tuesday, March 17, 2015 ... Today at the North American Garden Tourism Conference, the Canadian Garden Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Canadian Garden Tourism Awards which were presented by The Honourable Peter Kent, MP, Thornhill, Ontario.
“As baby boomers age, garden tourism in Canada will be on the rise for the next decade,” predicts Dr. Richard Benfield, author of ‘Garden Tourism’, and chair of the International Garden Tourism Network.
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 were bestowed at the 2011 North American Garden Tourism Conference held in Toronto, Canada. To view past winners, visit www.gardentourismconference.com and click on the ‘media’ tab.
In the spirit of highlighting Canada’s most dynamic garden experiences and Garden Tourism’s limitless potential, in consultation with a Canadian jury network and with thanks to the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association for sponsoring the 2015 Awards Program, the Canadian Garden Council is honoured to announce the 2015 recipients of the Canadian Garden Tourism Awards.
1. Garden of the Year
Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, NS
Sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
2. Botanical Garden of the Year
Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden, NFLD
Sponsored by: VIA Rail Canada
3. New Garden Experience of the Year
UBC Botanical Garden Greenheart Canopy Walk, BC
Sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
4. Garden Destination of the Year
Niagara Falls, ON
Sponsored by: Baxter Travel Media
5. Garden Festival of the Year
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, BC
6. Flower Festival of the Year
Canadian Tulip Festival, ON
Sponsored by: VIA Rail Canada
7. Garden Event of the Year
Allan Gardens at Christmas, ON
8. Flower Event of the Year
MUN Botanical Garden’s Pink Days in Bloom, NFLD
9. Garden Exhibition of the Year
Royal Botanical Gardens’ Earth Art, ON
10. Destination Garden Centre of the Year
Rideau Woodland Ramble, ON
11. Community of the Year
Town of Boissevain, MB
Sponsored by: Communities in Bloom
13. Website of the Year
The Butchart Gardens, BC
14. Person of the Year
Brian Minter, BC
Sponsored by: Baxter Travel Media
15. Journalist of the Year
Steve Whysall, BC
Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada
16. Media of the Year
Canadian Gardening Magazine, ON
Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada
17. Honourable Mention
Fleurs Plantes Jardins Magazine – 25th Anniversary, QC
18. Honourable Mention
Halifax Public Gardens – Outstanding National Recognition
The international Garden Tourism Network, in consultation with a global jury network is pleased to announce:
1. Garden of the Year
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, South Africa
2. Garden Festival of the Year
Hokkaido Garden Show Daisetsu and Related Garden Movement of Hokkaido, Japan
3. Garden Event of the Year
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, United Kingdom
4. Flower Festival of the Year
Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Thailand
5. Flower Event of the Year
Tapis de Fleur, Visit Brussels, Belgium
6. Destination of the Year
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
7. New Garden Experience of the Year – The Moselle Award
Dubai Miracle Garden, United Arab Emirates
8. Media of the Year
GardenTours.com, The Netherlands
9. Person of the Year
Paul Redman Executive Director, Longwood Gardens, USA
The North American Garden Tourism Conference, in consultation with a North American jury is pleased to announce:
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 wellbeing of Canadians and the sustainability of our communities and to promote the joys and benefits of gardens, landscapes and green infrastructure.
The Council manages: Garden Days www.gardendays.ca, Canada’s Garden Route www.canadasgardenroute.ca, Garden Tourism Awards and North American 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.
Daniel A. Séguin Garden, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Université Royal Roads et le parc Hatley, Victoria, British Columbia
Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus, Truro, Nova Scotia
Queen Victoria Park , Niagara Falls, Ontario
Toronto Music Garden, Toronto, Ontario
The Arboretum, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Windsor Sculpture Park, Windsor, Ontario
Toronto Botanical Garden, Toronto, Ontario
Kingsbrae Garden , St Andrews, New Brunswick
Roger-Van den Hende Botanical Garden, Quebec, Quebec
Milner Gardens & Woodland, Vancouver Island University, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Jardins Devonian, Parcs de la ville de Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1814 Treaty of Ghent Rose Garden , Ottawa, Ontario
Le jardin des provinces, Ottawa, Ontario
Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Les Jardins des Jardiniers du Patrimoine de North Bay, North Bay, Ontario
Jardins botaniques royaux, Burlington, Ontario
Patterson Garden Arboretum/ Department of Plant Sciences University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Le jardin Chinois classique Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Vancouver, British Columbia
Tangled Garden, Grand Pré, Nova Scotia
Le domaine Mackenzie-King, Old Chelsea, Quebec
Tangled Garden, Grand Pré, Nova Scotia
Joan of Arc Garden, Québec, Quebec
1814 Treaty of Ghent Rose Garden, Ottawa, Ontario
Domaine Joly-De Lotbiniere, Sainte-Croix, Quebec
The Gardens at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Mackenzie King Estate, Old Chelsea, Quebec
Jardins édouardiens au Government House, Regina, Saskatchewan
Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus, Truro, Nova Scotia
Jardin botanique Devonian, Edmonton, Alberta
International Peace Garden, Boissevain, Manitoba
Arboretum Humber, Toronto, Ontario
Lieu historique national Parkwood , Oshawa, Ontario
Gardens of North Bay Heritage Gardeners, North Bay, Ontario
Garden of the Provinces, Ottawa, Ontario
Calgary Zoo Botanical Garden, Calgary, Alberta
Plant Paradise Country Gardens, Caledon, Ontario
Rideau Woodland Ramble, Merrikville, Ontario
Jardin botanique de la vallée d'Oshawa, Oshawa, Ontario
The Gardens at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, Victoria, British Columbia
VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jardin Jeanne D'Arc, Québec, Quebec
Jardins historiques d'Annapolis Royal, Annapolis Royal , Nova Scotia
Whistling Gardens Botanical Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario
Rideau Woodland Ramble, Merrickville, Ontario
Commissioners Park, Ottawa, Ontario
Jardins de Casa Loma, Toronto, Ontario
The A.M. (Mac) Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario
The Arboretum, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Parc des Commissaires, Ottawa, Ontario
Les Jardins de Metis, Grand-Metis, Quebec
Parkwood National Historic Site, Oshawa, Ontario
Milner Gardens & Woodland, Vancouver Island University, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Jardins publics d'Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Conservatoire du jardin Allan, Toronto, Ontario
Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens and Peony Festival, Oshawa, Ontario
The Gardens at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière, Sainte-Croix, Quebec
Jardin botanique et zoo de Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
Plant Paradise Country Gardens, Caledon, Ontario
Le Jardin A.M. (Mac) Cuddy, Strathroy, Ontario
Allan Gardens Conservatory, Toronto, Ontario
University of Alberta Botanic Garden, Edmonton, Alberta
Jardin botanique de la Commission des parcs du Niagara, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Jardin de rocailles Reader, Calgary, Alberta
The Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Ottawa Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jardin botanique Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario
Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse , Niagara Falls, Ontario
Windsor Sculpture Park, Windsor, Ontario
Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens , Annapolis Royal , Nova Scotia
La Seigneurie de l'Ile d'Orleans, St-Francois, Quebec
Maplelawn Garden, Ottawa, Ontario
Le jardin de Maplelawn, Ottawa, Ontario
Jardin botanique VanDusen , Vancouver, British Columbia
Toronto Music Garden , Toronto, Ontario
Jardin botanique de l'Université Memorial, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
UBC Botanical Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia
Les Jardins du Centre Horticulture du Pacifique, Victoria, British Columbia
Les Jardins Butchart, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Halifax Public Gardens, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Reford Gardens , Grand-Métis, Quebec
Jardin botanique du Nouveau-Brunswick, Edmundston (St-Jacques), New Brunswick
Casa Loma Gardens , Toronto, Ontario
Government House Edwardian Gardens, Regina, Saskatchewan
Elsie's Vegetable Garden, Grand-Metis, Quebec
Parc de la reine Victoria, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Royal Botanical Gardens , Burlington, Ontario
International Peace Garden, Boissevain, Manitoba
Jardin botanique de Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
Serre des parcs du Niagara , Niagara Falls, Ontario
Royal Roads University and Hatley Park, Victoria, British Columbia
Jardin Kingsbrae, St Andrews, New Brunswick
Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Maison Saint-Gabriel, Museum & Historic Site, Montreal, Quebec
Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
Maison Saint-Gabriel, Musée et site historique, Montréal, 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!
