The twenty conceptual gardens presented at the 16^th International Garden Festival at the Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens in the Gaspésie region of Québec will create a real “buzz” in 2015. The 16^th edition of the Festival will be held from June 27 to September 27, 2015.

In a beautiful forested setting on the banks of the majestic St. Lawrence River, visitors will be invited to enter a universe buzzing with ideas. Visitors will be intrigued, enraptured and perhaps even seduced by the innovative garden installations on display. The announcement of the new gardens chosen for the 2015 competition will be made shortly. The competition ends on November 17.

The most popular gardens of the 2014 edition of the Festival are returning to be exhibited again next summer. These remarkable installations captivated visitors. An orange secret, a white-walled courtyard courtesy of nature, mirrored glass on triangular walls, circles leading the eye to the horizon, the right tree positioned in the right place, a garden folly rising through a forest of poplars, a garden unfolding from behind the frost fence, a black rotunda reflecting the sky, a charred forest rising from the ashes and dozens of windows opening onto the St. Lawrence River – these are some of the conceptual gardens by more than 50 architects, landscape architects and visual artists from around the world that intrigued and entranced all summer long.

About the International Garden Festival

The International Garden Festival is recognized as one of the most important events of its kind in North America and one of the leading garden festivals in the world. Since 2000, 1 million visitors have discovered more than 150 contemporary and ephemeral gardens created by designers from 15 countries.

This artistic and tourism event also gives visitors a chance to discover inspiring spaces that weave together the visual arts, architecture, design, landscape and the environment. The Festival provides an annual rendez-vous for admirers of contemporary gardens and design as well as offering a unique space for those involved in the renewal of this art form. The Festival celebrates contemporary design and culture and hosts a series of culinary, cultural and musical events, workshops and master classes. 

The International Garden Festival is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Emploi-Québec, the ministère du Tourisme and the Conférence régionale des éluEs du Bas-Saint-Laurent. Hydro-Québec has been a major partner of the Reford Gardens since 1999.

About Les Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens

Les Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens are located on the shores of the St. Lawrence and Mitis rivers in Québec, Canada. Created from 1926 to 1958 by avid gardener and plant collector, Elsie Reford, the gardens are a national historic site. The gardens and heritage buildings were designated by the government of Québec in 2013. Les Jardins de Métis are considered one of the premier gardens in North America and an obligatory stop for all those visiting Eastern Québec. The Gardens host a range of events and activities throughout the summer and will be open every day from May 30 to September 27, 2015. Children 13 and under are admitted free of charge.

For more images or more information please contact: Pénélope Fortin,[email protected]