For more details about activities and events at the Gardens, please refer to the Events Calendar.

International Garden Festival | Mitis River Park | Musical Events |
Literary Teas | Lectures | Culinary Activities

International Garden Festival

The The International Garden Festival features temporary gardens created by designers from Québec, Canada and around the world. A showcase for innovation and experimentation, the Festival offers visitors an opportunity to discover new gardens by some of the world’s leading designers working in the fields of landscape architecture, architecture and the visual arts. A program of family activities and special events will take place from June 20 to July 20. The contemporary gardens will be on display until October 5 on the same schedule as the gardens.

Mitis River Park

Just minutes away from the historic delights of the Reford Gardens and the avant-garde showcase of the International Garden Festival, come enjoy the charms and splendours of nature and the magnificent landscapes of the Mitis River . The walking trails through the park also offer superb vistas of the vast St. Lawrence. Through guided tours and interactive activities conducted by a team of naturalists, you can learn about local ecosystems.

Visitors can enjoy remarkable, refreshing and enriching experiences in the Park, all without ever leaving a trace. They can also discover the ecosystems (the river, forest and estuary) in the company of naturalists.

Located at the confluence of the Mitis and St. Lawrence Rivers, like the Reford Gardens across the way, the Park is also designed as a simple but powerful way of immersing oneself in the Métis landscape. A varied program of activities and lectures is offered throughout the season. New in 2008, 10 campsites for campers and sea-kayakers overlooking the Mitis Bay. The Park is open every day from June 21 to August 31 2008, from 9 am to 5 pm. Visit our website!

Literary Teas (in French):

The Gardens organize a series of literary teas in collaboration with the Carrefour de la littérature, des arts et de la culture, featuring local writers and well-known authors from around Québec. Literary Teas allow you to discover the beauty of the written word surrounded by the delights of nature.

Lectures

The Gardens have played host to public lectures on gardens and garden history since 1997. Local gardeners and tourists can take advantage of the presence of garden experts to hone their skills and deepen their knowledge. Again this year, the gardens will play host to lectures on a variety of themes.

Culinary Activities

Gourmet Evenings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday teas and Sunday brunches will take place in Estevan Lodge throughout the summer. The Fondation des Jardins de Métis will hold its annual tasting and fund-raising event to benefit the International Garden Festival in the company of one of Quebec’s best-known chefs, Normand Laprise, and his team from Montréal’s Toqué! restaurant.