You can expect to find your happy place when you visit the University of Alberta Botanic Garden! Relaxation, rejuvenation, and enjoyment are only 15 minutes SW of Edmonton. At this garden in a forest, you'll discover how nature ignites your "happy hormones", while you experience a peaceful, beautiful environment. Explore cultural gardens, northern climate-hardy plant collections, and extensive natural areas, all on 240 acres. Set down a blanket and watch the sunset over the ponds and fountains while you enjoy a Twilight Picnic Experience (order ahead) - a generous box of locally sourced delights. Add a regional craft beer or wine, listen to the sounds of live music and let your cares drift away. Or, you can enjoy an ice cream or sandwich at the Patio Cafe. Stroll the Aga Khan Garden, a 4.8-hectare Mughal-inspired contemporary masterpiece. Completed in 2018, the Aga Khan Garden features secluded woodland paths, granite and limestone terraces, still pools that reflect the prairie sky, waterfalls, and streams, along with 25,000 trees, shrubs, and perennial - the northernmost Islamic garden in the world, and the largest on the continent. Other must-see features include the serene Kurimoto Japanese Garden, fascinating Indigenous Peoples' Garden, alpine garden, rose, peony, lilac, and primula collections, fruit and vegetable gardens, and much more. Not just a summer place, the Garden is open on select dates in the winter for guests to enjoy the beauties of the season. New for 2024 - dogs on leash are welcome!
