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Few gardens have been created in such difficult weather conditions. Located 300 km northeast of Quebec City, the Reford Gardens, created by Elsie Reford, is one of the most northern gardens in North America.

Few gardens have been created in such difficult weather conditions. Located 300 km northeast of Quebec City, the Reford Gardens, created by Elsie Reford, is one of the most northern gardens in North America.

DANS LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS

À la rencontre d’Elsie Reford

discover the book

ELSIE REFORD

150 Objects of Passion

Discover the book

News

Call for Proposals - RBC Residencies at la Maison d'Ariane

The International Garden Festival is pleased to launch its fourth call for proposals for the RBC Residencies at La Maison d'Ariane, in the picturesque village of Métis-sur-Mer. This call is ... (View the event)

The International Garden Festival Unveils the Projects Selected for its 25th Edition on the Theme "The Ecology of Possibility"

The International Garden Festival is pleased to announce the projects selected for its 25th edition, titled The Ecology of Possibility, which will run from June 22 to October 6, 2024. On the occasion ... (View the event)

Les Amis des Jardins de Métis Create a Pilot Project to Respond to Shoreline Erosion in Sainte-Flavie - A site damaged by the high tides of December 2010 welcomes the Jardin de bord de mer II

Sainte-Flavie, September 26, 2023. With the help of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, TELUS, the municipality of Sainte-Flavie and a group of volunteers, the Jardin de bord mer II took root recently ... (View the event)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS - 25th International Garden Festival: The Ecology of Possibility

The International Garden Festival is launching a call for proposals to select designers to create the new temporary gardens for the Festival’s 25th edition, which will open on June 21, 2024, on ... (View the event)

Fall RBC Residencies at the Maison d'Ariane

Grand-Métis, September 5, 2023 – The International Garden Festival is pleased to announce the start of the RBC autumn residences at the Maison d’Ariane in Métis-sur-Mer. The ... (View the event)

EXHIBITION OPENING | Last Light by Christine Fitzgerald

Grand-Métis, August 21, 2023 – The Reford Gardens open the temporary exhibition Dernière lueur / Last Light by photographic artist Christine Fitzgerald on Wednesday, August 23. The ... (View the event)

Opening of the 24th International Garden Festival

Grand-Métis, Quebec, June 24, 2023 – The 24th edition of the International Garden Festival, titled RACINES | ROOTS, is now open to the public. This year, È ... (View the event)

Les Jardins de Métis Celebrate the Publication of Dans les Jardins de Métis : À la Rencontre d'Elsie Reford A new book by Alexander Reford featuring the photographs of Louise Tanguay

Grand-Métis, May 1, 2023 – Les Jardins de Métis is launching a new publication that highlights the horticultural achievements and unique plant collections of Elsie Reford. Dans ... (View the event)

Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens presents En/In vogue. Elsie Reford et la mode June 3 until October 1, 2023

Grand-Métis, April 27, 2023 – Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens presents, from June 3 to October 1, 2023, an exhibition exploring the influence of fashion illustrations on the re ... (View the event)

Celebrating a Quebec Woman of Importance | Launch of Elsie Reford 150 Objects of Passion

Grand-Métis, March 6, 2023 – Les Jardins de Métis is launching a new publication that celebrates the life and contributions of Elsie Reford. The book is being launched at Montreal& ... (View the event)

The International Garden Festival Unveils the Designers Selected for its 24th Edition on the Theme ROOTS

Grand-Métis, Quebec, Canada, January 11, 2023 – The International Garden Festival is pleased to announce the projects selected for its 24th edition, titled ROOTS, which will run from June ... (View the event)

PIERRE BOURGAULT | 2022 Winner of the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts (GGArts) - Artistic Achievement Award

Grand-Métis, November 9, 2022 - The International Garden Festival congratulates sculptor Pierre Bourgault, who took part in our 2005 edition, on winning a Governor General’s Award in Visu ... (View the event)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS | RBC Residencies at La Maison d'Ariane

Métis-sur-Mer, November 8, 2022. The International Garden Festival is pleased to launch its third call for proposals for the RBC Residencies at La Maison d'Ariane, in the picturesque villag ... (View the event)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS - 24th INTERNATIONAL GARDEN FESTIVAL: ROOTS

Grand-Métis, Québec, Canada, October 3, 2022 – The International Garden Festival is launching a call for proposals to select designers to create the new temporary gardens for the F ... (View the event)

Camille Paré-Poirier and Geneviève Marois-Lefebvre: artists of the RBC fall residencies at the Maison d'Ariane

Grand-Métis, September 21, 2022 - The International Garden Festival of the Reford Gardens welcomes, from September 5 to October 2, 2022, actress and playwright Camille Paré-Poirier and v ... (View the event)

The International Garden Festival announces the appointment of Ms. Ève De Garie-Lamanque as artistic director

Grand-Métis, September 8, 2022 - Ms. Lise Gagné and Mr. Alexander Reford, respectively Chair of the Board of Directors and Executive Director of the International Garden Festival of the ... (View the event)

After a Century of Silence, Elsie's Violon to Play Elsie, by Composer Mathieu David Gagnon

Grand-Métis, August 28, 2022 - Silent for a century, Elsie Reford’s violin will be played for the first time at a concert on Sunday, August 28 at 1.30 pm at Les Jardins de Métis. C ... (View the event)

Chef Ricardo Performs Shares his Culinary Magic at the Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens

Grand-Métis, August 11, 2022 – Celebrity chef Ricardo Larrivée will be at Les Jardins de Métis on Wednesday, August 17 to share his culinary magic. To celebrate Queen Elizab ... (View the event)

The Reford Gardens Unveil a Celebration of Salmon

Grand-Métis, July 13, 2022 – The Reford Gardens invite you to join us for several special events and exhibitions to celebrate the Atlantic salmon, part of the Elsie 150 celebrations Disco ... (View the event)

Inauguration of the 23rd International Garden Festival of Les Jardins de Métis

Grand-Métis, June 23, 2022. The five new gardens of the International Garden Festival, presented at the Jardins de Métis from June 24 to October 2, are inspired by the theme "Adaptation" ... (View the event)

A New Book about the Reford Gardens

Grand-Métis, June 20, 2022 – Les Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens is pleased to announce the publication of a new book by photographer Louise Tanguay. Published by Flammarion Qu&e ... (View the event)

Fantastic Gardens

Created from 1926 to 1958 by pioneering horticulturist Elsie Reford, the Reford Gardens are a National Historic Site of Canada. Some 3,000 species and varieties of plants, including the famous Himalayan blue poppy, are spread over fifteen gardens.

Explore our gardens

A Fascinating Story

It’s in the summer of 1926 that Elsie Reford (1872-1967) began transforming her fishing camp on the Metis River into a garden. Hundreds of miles from the nearest nursery, Elsie Reford is faced with challenges that would be difficult to imagine today. Where experienced specialists had failed, she succeeded in turning her spruce forest into a gigantic garden that would become one of the largest plant collections of its time. Elsie hired and trained people from the region like farmers and fishing guides in order to turn them into master gardeners. Over three decades, they’ve built a magnificent garden together.

Arts of All Kinds

An innovative cultural space, the Reford Gardens welcome a large number of artists each year and present an array of exhibitions scattered throughout the gardens and beyond its grounds.

Browse our exhibits

The Collection

The Amis des Jardins collection is based on memories and physical traces gathered by the estate owners throughout their lives, as well as on the development of a collection of contemporary works related to the historic and contemporary gardens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gw13PjVHM8&t=

Our Activities

Well established in its community, the Reford Gardens are a cultural hub in the region. Literary teas, outdoor concerts, lectures, training sessions, happy hours, culinary events, outdoor hikes, environmental chores… in short, a program for all tastes.

Our Restaurants

Rooted in history, but definitely looking to the future, the restaurant and the Bistro feature inspired local cuisine. Our chef Frédérick Boucher and his brigade work with our gardeners to develop innovative dishes that evolve with the harvest.

Discover our restaurants
THE NUMBERS

THE GARDENS
SINCE 1962

550+

Outdoor
installations

3500+

variety of
plants and species

30+

historical and contemporary
gardens

5M+

millions of
visitors

Blooming Calendar

End of August

Hosta-Hosta
Rosier hybride- Hybrid Rose
Héliopsis- Heliopsis
Sidalcée- Prairie Mallow
Orpin- Stonecrop
Aconit- Monkshood
Aster japonais- Japanese Aster
Hydrangée- Hydrangea
Scabieuse- Pincushion Flower
Phlox -Perennial Phlox
Gentiane- Gentian
Monarde- Bergamot
Échinops- Globe Thistle
Hémérocalle- Day Lily

Click on the picture to enlarge it

RECENT ARTICLES

Pierre Fauteux – Mentor and Museology Consultant

A Notebook by Charlotte Garneau

Discover a fantastic ally of the Reford Gardens – Pierre and his firm Umanium, a pillar for the Gardens’ museology department.

Hommage to Fernand Lavoie

A Notebook by Alexander Reford

We celebrate here the passing of M. Lavoie, the first director of the Reford Gardens when it was open to the public. 

2022 in Pictures

A Notebook by Charlotte Garneau

Day in and day out, we get photos from visitors or see them posted and shared on social media. Now it is our turn to show off a few photos of our own.