Established as part of the Garden’s broader commitment to research, conservation, and education, the North American Gardens were designed to highlight the extraordinary botanical diversity found across North America within a 350-metre journey.
Within a short walk, visitors move through four distinct garden areas representing the biogeographical and floristic communities of North America: the BC Rainforest Garden, the Pacific Slope Garden, the Garry Oak Meadow and Woodland Garden, and the Carolinian Forest Garden. Together, these landscapes showcase the extraordinary ecological diversity found across the continent.
The journey begins in the BC Rainforest Garden, reflecting Vancouver’s temperate rainforest climate, moderated by the Pacific Ocean and characterized by high annual rainfall. This garden represents locally adapted rainforest plant communities and offers visitors a rare opportunity to experience functioning local ecology within the city.
From there, the Pacific Slope Garden highlights the western-facing slopes of the Coast and Cascade mountain ranges, a region globally significant for its conifer diversity. This developing garden focuses on conservation, particularly in light of climate change and the future suitability of coastal British Columbia for these species.
The Garry Oak Meadow and Woodland Garden represents one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems. Open, sunny, and remarkably biodiverse, these meadows support numerous plant species of national conservation concern. With only a small fraction of intact meadows remaining, this garden plays a vital role in education, restoration, and species conservation.
The journey concludes in the Carolinian Forest Garden, representing a forest system found primarily in southern Ontario. Though limited in Canadian range, this ecosystem contains over half of Canada’s tree and vascular plant biodiversity. Here, visitors encounter species abundant farther south but rare nationally, reinforcing themes of range limits, conservation, and human impact on landscapes.