Jardins de Métis, Historic gardens in Grand-Métis, Canada

Jardins de Métis is a historic garden site in Grand-Métis where distinct garden sections contain thousands of plant varieties arranged along the Métis River. The grounds include specialized collections of rhododendrons, lilies, and primulas, as well as Estevan Lodge, a residential building from the 19th century that hosts exhibitions.

Elsie Reford inherited the fishing lodge from her uncle George Stephen and, while recovering from surgery, took up gardening on her doctor's advice. Between 1926 and 1958 she turned the camp into a botanical garden. She gave the estate to her son Bruce in 1954; he sold it to the Quebec government in 1961, and it opened to the public in 1962. It became a national historic site in 1995 and a Quebec heritage site in 2013.

Elsie Reford named the gardens after the Mitis River, and the site keeps her summer rituals alive: Villa Estevan, built in 1887, hosts musical brunches, literary teas and open-air concerts. Since 2000 the International Garden Festival has invited landscape architects and artists to build contemporary gardens each year, and contemporary artworks stand along the historic paths.

The grounds are easily walkable with winding paths connecting the various garden sections and clear signage for navigation. Comfortable shoes are recommended since paths cross the entire terrain, and visitors should allow time to explore each collection at a leisurely pace.

The gardens contain Himalayan blue poppies and other plants that thrive here but rarely grow elsewhere in Canada due to the river's cooling effect. This northern location provides unusual growing conditions that mirror more distant mountain environments.