The International Garden Festival presents innovative contemporary gardens designed by world-renowned landscape architects, architects and artists. The Festival gives visitors the opportunity to experience contemporary art and offers children a giant playground in which to explore fun and interactive installations. A program of family activities and special events is offered throughout the summer.

Inaugurated in 2000, the International Garden Festival takes place every year at the Reford Gardens, which were declared a national historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1995. Among others, the goals of the Festival are to stimulate contemporary creation in garden art, to introduce the general public and the horticultural industry to the latest trends in garden design and to contribute to economic growth and tourism development in Eastern Québec.

The International Garden Festival is held on the site of the Reford Gardens in Grand-Métis, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary, midway between Rimouski and Matane.

By car

Driving from the west: Take Highway 20 until it ends at Cacouna, then head east on Route 132. Continue on Highway 20 until you reach the end of this highway, then pick up Route 132 again and follow the tourist signs for “Jardins de Métis” (Reford Gardens).

Driving from the east: From Percé, take Route 132 along the St. Lawrence Estuary. After Matane, follow the tourist signs for “Jardins de Métis” (Reford Gardens).

Driving from the south: From Campbellton, take Route 132 West. After Mont-Joli, follow the tourist signs for “Jardins de Métis” (Reford Gardens).

By bus

A bus departs daily from Québec City and Montréal (with stops in Rimouski and Rivière-du-Loup) to Mont-Joli.

Orléans Express: www.orleansexpress.com or 1-888-999-3977

By train

Trains run from Montréal and Halifax to Mont-Joli.

Via Rail: www.viarail.ca or 1-800-361-5390 / 1-888-VIA-RAIL

Affiliations

• Tourisme Gaspésie
• Must-See Attractions Gaspésie
• Tourisme Mitis
• Québec Gardens’ Association
• Canada’s Garden Route

Distinctions

2018

• Gold University of Guelph Good Food Innovation Award – awarded to the chef of the Estevan Lodge restaurant
• 5 Blooms awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom
• Senate of Canada 150th Anniversary Medal – awarded to the Reford Gardens
• Finalist for the Attractions Prize (SATQ) for the 2018 Tourism Excellence Awards in the “Innovation and Development” category

2015

• LEED® Platinum and Novoclimat 2.0 certification – awarded to the ERE 132 Eco Home
• 5 Blooms and a Special Mention for Sustainable Garden Iniatives – awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom

2014

• 5 Blooms for Excellence in Marketing and Horticultural Communication – awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom
• Bronze Québec Tourism Award – awarded in the “Tourism Human Resources” category to Pierre-Olivier Ferry, Chef and Coordinator of Restaurant Services
• Gold University of Guelph Good Food Innovation Award – awarded to the Estevan Lodge Restaurant
• Garden of the Year, Canadian Garden Tourism Awards – awarded by the Canadian Garden Council

2013

• 5 Blooms and a Special Mention for Exceptional Floral Diversity – awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom

2012

• Production and Processing Award – awarded for the Reford Gardens’ gourmet products at the La Mitis Business Gala
• Most Imaginative Garden Design Award – awarded for asensio_mah’s Surface Deep garden by Canada Blooms in Toronto
• Named a Bas-Saint-Laurent Wonder and the 11th Wonder of Québec – according to a Léger Marketing / Journal de Montréal – Journal de Québec survey
• 5 Blooms and a Special Mention for Excellence in Horticultural Design and Maintenance – awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom

2011

• Gaïa Award for Excellence in Food Packaging – awarded in the “Gourmet Products” category to the Reford Gardens marinades, designed by Émulsion Stratégie Marketing
• 5 Blooms and a Special Mention for the Integration of Art and Sculptures – awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom
• Outstanding Creativity Prize – awarded for Deborah Nagan’s How Green Is the Garden? installation by Canada Blooms in Toronto
• Garden Tourism Person of the Year (Canadian Garden Tourism Awards) – awarded to Alexander Reford for his work promoting gardens as a tourism attraction by Canada’s Garden Tourism Conference

2010

• Coalition BOIS Québec Prize (Cecobois Excellence Awards) – awarded to the Reford Gardens for their strong commitment to supporting greater use of wood in non-residential construction
• 5 Blooms and a Special Mention for Excellence in Horticultural Design and Maintenance – awarded in the “Special Attractions” category (national edition) by Communities in Bloom
• Bas-Saint-Laurent Heritage Prize (La Mitis region) – awarded in the “Preservation, Restoration and Conservation” category for the quality of the gardens and their impact on the local environment