The Visitor Centre features a living roof designed to attract local pollinators and manage rainwater runoff.
The garden hosts an Elizabethan-style hedge maze composed of over 3,000 pyramidal cedars.
The collection includes the rare Wollemi Pine, a species that dates back to the dinosaur era.
The grounds were formerly a Shaughnessy Heights Golf Course before being repurposed into a botanical site in 1975.
Several sculptures and First Nations totem poles are integrated into the landscape as permanent art installations.
The garden maintains a specialized collection of rhododendrons, which bloom extensively in late spring.
VanDusen Botanical Garden is a 55-acre public garden located in Vancouver, British Columbia, featuring over 7,500 plant species from around the world. The landscape is organized into distinct collections including a Sino-Himalayan garden, a maze, and a meditative Japanese-influenced area. It serves as a living museum for global biodiversity, specifically highlighting flora from temperate and sub-tropical climates. The site is managed by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation in partnership with the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association. It includes a prominent LEED Platinum-certified Visitor Centre designed to mirror the shape of an orchid. The garden features multiple lakes and ponds that provide habitat for local wildlife. It is explicitly located within Vancouver, despite its administrative classification appearing in local databases as Richmond-adjacent. Seasonal rotation ensures that specific sections like the cherry blossom groves and laburnum walk reach peak display at different times of the year.
The elevated viewing mound near the Great Lawn which provides a panoramic view of the gardens and the Visitor Centre.
Download the digital map or pick up a paper version at the entrance to navigate the extensive trail network.
Allow extra time to explore the peripheral trails that branch off the main paved paths.
Check the garden's online bloom calendar before visiting to time your trip with specific floral displays.
Attempting to see the entire 55 acres in under an hour; ignoring the bloom map provided at the gate.
Open daily except for December 25th; holiday light displays occur annually in December.
Stay on marked paths to protect plant beds; pets, drones, and professional photography equipment requiring tripods may have specific restrictions.
