It was such a treat to visit this Vancouver gem, and it was the perfect weather for a field trip! We really didn’t need the visitor map as the walks are well laid out and one of our members knew them by heart!

The entrance cleverly displays many of the flowers currently in bloom, as each season shows off an amazing array of plants.

As we waited for all to arrive, we visited the “Pollinators” learning area. (Note: no one took on the challenge to “dress up like a pollinator”! Lol!) Stepping outside the first vista is a lake, water fountain, and a charming bronze statue amidst a seating area. There are multiple water features along the way: waterfalls, ponds, fountains. Funny note: after taking a photo of two bronze herons, we turned on the path to see… a live heron fishing amongst the waterlilies! We did not see any other birds, which seemed odd, but the number of different bees and insects was astounding! One insect we were glad NOT to see was the European fire ant, which merited a “warning sign” along one of the paths!

Every planting bed was a mass of eye candy… what a riot of colours and shapes! For example, there were collections of roses, azaleas, carnivorous plants, ferns, heathers, as well as areas devoted to different themes, such as Woodlands, Mediterranean, African, Australian and tree groupings of maples, conifers, dogwoods. The hydrangea groupings were spectacular, and of note was a “mophead hydrangea” with little flowers shaped like stars. That was a new one for us! The paths are landscaped with magnificent trees and thick bushes, which add to the ambience of the gardens. A surprise was the “Snake Branch Spruce;” it seemed almost alien! A fun spot was the learning center with raised beds displaying plants for “Botanical Drinks,” “Dye Making,” and Pizza! This brings me to “The Maze”! Wow! Those of us “who dared enter” had a good long hunt and more than a few wrong turns before we managed to escape! We also had a bit of a chuckle at the “Rock Garden” …no watering necessary there!

A light lunch at the Truffles Café capped off the day, and we all agreed it would be worthwhile returning in different seasons!

 

Here is a PDF with a lot more photos!

VanDusan_Garden

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Van Dusan Gardens
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VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Map

What to see and do at Van Dusan
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