St. Albert Botanic Park

What a gorgeous place! So glad I checked it out.
Obviously Mother Nature decided autumn was going to happen TODAY, but we we still got to enjoy the rose garden. Many plants were still in bloom and the variety was stunning.
It’s such a lush and quiet beauty, I couldn’t help but falling in love with it and dreaming of next summer’s picnics there. I can’t believe how meticulously this park is maintained. There’s a lot of pride put into these gardens. I’m a little jealous of the perfection!

We spent part of Canada Day discovering the beautiful gardens at the Botanic Park, as did hundreds of others. For a $ 5 donation, they served a «Strawberry Tea» under a sheltering awning. Lovely ladies brought us cake, ice cream and strawberries, and we chose lemonade for our beverage. They had quite an organized system going for seating and serving and all were very friendly.
This organization was evident everywhere, with lots and lots of volunteers on hand to help you enjoy all the areas. Children were invited to participate in a scavenger hunt with a map to affix stickers found throughout the park — it was set up so that you wandered the entire length and could view everything. Along the way there was even a violinist in the gazebo, and benches along the paths for resting and viewing. At the completion of the hunt, kids could choose a prize and then a petunia plant to take home. I was impressed they had added a ribbon handle to each pot so wee ones could carry them safely. It was obvious a lot of thought had gone into the day.
The flowers were amazing, with so many varieties. The lily beds were especially impressive, with many of them waist high — I need to return in a few weeks when they are in full bloom.
Be sure to stop in at the gift shop. Although small, it has lovely items and you’re sure to find something your garden or home will appreciate.

Considering St. Albert is a small town, the Botanic Park is amazing!
Brought the chitlins and Gramma out today for their annual Canada Day celebrations.
We partook in strawberry shortcake, lemonade, a scavenger hunt through the whole garden, and brought home a FABULOUS glass bird bath for our garden.
I could not believe how many lilies they had! Three giant gardens! You can even buy/​order plants/​rose bushes here for your garden at home.
This would also be an absolutely smashing place for a wedding ceremony or engagement photos! There is a beautiful rose garden with a water fountain in the middle and a good sized gazebo as well!
Check out my pics :-)

The St. Albert Botanical Gardens is a completely under-​the-​radar location and perfect for an intimate, elegant wedding in their rose garden. I am particularily fond of the garden in mid-​late May, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and their sweet fragrance weighs heavy in the air. For local green-​thumbs, it is THE place to go in the spring to pick up award-​winning roses, dhalias and lillies to plant at home.

Beautiful, gorgeous, a hidden gem — is how I would describe St. Albert Botanical Park. The park is made up of several different sections to show plants grouped mainly by type — I think the prettiest part is the rose garden. For the most part the names are at the base of each plant so if you want to go home and grow it yourself you know what to get. An interesting note is that they only grow what is in our zone (meaning you actually could go home and grow the plant you saw and have a hope of watching it flourish). Don’t forget to check out the area of shade plants — it is hidden behind the trees. I also enjoy the gift shop — there is plenty of local artists that are sold here and some of them are exclusive to this location.
A very relaxing afternoon can be spent taking a stroll through the gardens, admiring nature in an organic way. Plus if you bring a book with you there are plenty of benches to sit on and spend some time outside.

Dubbed «a garden in progress,» St. Albert Botanic Park is maintained entirely by community members. Admission is free, and although the site is small, it is full of different kinds of plants and flowers. The sections for roses and lilacs stand out in particular. There are bushes, trees, and other kinds of flowers too. Open from dawn to dusk, this is a great reason for a short road trip to St. Albert.