When can I come to the Garden?
The Garden is beautiful year-round and there is always something to learn. Check our website for hours of operation. https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/visit/hours-directions/
Is there parking for cars or a bus?
There is paid parking available at The Garden, and limited 20 minute free parking spots for Shop In The Garden customers. There is a drop off traffic circle and bus parking.
Is there a place for lunch?
We do not have lunch facilities on site. Student groups often eat on the slope adjacent to our parking lot. We encourage a pack it in, pack it out for any waste from lunches. Supervision within the Garden is difficult for teachers who are not accustomed to a Code of Conduct within a scientifically significant collection of plants. There are no places for lunch at Nitobe Memorial Gardens. There are some outdoor benches surrounding the Asian Studies building.
What kind of themes can we explore?
Our 80-acre site contains many unique plantings, which allow a wide range of learning opportunities;
- Forest Ecosystems
- First Nations
- Rainforest Layers
- Grow Green Guide
- Biodiversity
- Climate Change
- Ecological Stewardship
- Forest Biomes
- Tree Identification
- Rainforest Ecology
- Seasonal Highlights
- Local Biodiversity
- First Nations
- Beginners Botany
- Pollinators
- Food Gardens
How do I pay for my tour?
You can pay for your tour when you arrive. Make contact with your Garden Guide to ensure the numbers of child, youth, adult, senior and chaperones are accurate. You pay at the kiosk near the entrance to the Garden, which is located in the same building as the Shop in the Garden. The Gatehouse Admissions Desk staff will process your invoice, adjust for any changes in participants, and provide a receipt. In winter, the administrators in the Campbell Building accept payment. Payment can be cash, cheque, debit or credit card.
Can we do a self-guided tour or activities?
We encourage a tour with our Garden Guides who know this place well and can guide you to relevant examples to match your curriculum. On our online booking form we encourage you to tell us about your class, camp or group and the areas of interest that brought you outside. We do not encourage unsupervised groups in the Garden due to the sensitivity of the living collection.
How long are the tours?
Each of our tours are one hour long: Garden Tour, TreeWalk Tour and Nitobe Memorial Garden Tour. The Garden and TreeWalk combination tour is 2 hours, with a switch halfway through and is an ideal experience for large groups that can divide for guided experiences.
Where are you located?
https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/visit/hours-directions/
Can we come after hours?
We recommend that you come within operating hours. Pay special attention to seasonal fluctuations, especially at Nitobe Memorial Garden.
https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/visit/hours-directions/
Can we do all three tours in one day?
The Garden and TreeWalk tour is a 2-hour experience at the Botanical Garden. Nitobe Memorial Garden is a 25-minute walk north of us. Often, tours that enjoy Nitobe Memorial Garden pair up with the nearby Museum of Anthropology if they want a full day experience. It is rare that groups do all 3 tours in one day.
Can I book a room?
We have indoor facilities with projection screens, tables and chairs. These can be booked by contacting garden.bookings@ubc.ca. If you have a conference or company function, you may want to consider our Sustainable Community Field School https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/learn/educational-programs/sustainable-communities-field-school/.
Its pouring rain, can I rebook my tour at the last minute?
Tours go ahead rain or shine. We schedule Garden Guides to accommodate your tour. Our knowledgeable volunteers and student staff are scheduled according to our tour. A cancellation fee of $60 would apply if you were to not show up on the day of your tour.
You will receive a confirmation booking the week prior to your visit. If there are significant changes, please let us know a week ahead of time so that we can prepare for your visit.
Guidelines for teachers
- Minimum 10 participants per tour
- All tour participants pay tour rates
- One contact organizer per group
- One free chaperone per 8 students
- One payment due on the day of your visit
- Tour fees include Garden Admission
- Tour rates cannot be combined with discounts
- UBC Botanical Garden reserves the right to reschedule
- We do not currently have any lunch facilities
- All groups are required to sign our Code of Conduct.