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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Minter Gardens - for 30 years one of the most beautiful crafted gardens from British Columbia

 Minter Gardens- British Columbia

If you are in Vancouver and you are looking for a lovely place to hang out for an afternoon, this is Minter Garden from Rosedale, British Columbia, a 13 hectare  of beautiful gardens, situated a  90-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, towards the eastern end of the fertile Fraser Valley.

Minter Gardens - for 30 years one of the most beautiful crafted gardens from British Columbia

Minter Gardens is easy to find, as it is just a few minutes from the Trans Canada highway, on the same exit that takes you to Harrison Hot Springs, at the foot of Mount Cheam.

How can you get to Minter Gardens


View Minter Gardens in a larger map


Minter Gardens - Rosedale - British Columbia
Nearest town is the City of Chilliwack, located 92 km east of Vancouver and 50 km west of Hope on the Trans-Canada Hwy 1.

The City of Chilliwack  has many tourist attractions and a very historic downtown with the municipality being the third oldest in British Columbia having the original Township incorporated in 1873.



Small house at Minter Gardens - British Columbia
This month the Minter Gardens celebrate 30 years since was created - an example of garden arts, and on their site  Brian Minter and his family have an invitation for their celebration:
" We're celebrating 30 spectacular years this season, so join us 12-4pm August 21 & 22 for birthday cake, archive displays and live musical entertainment. 







Small house at Minter Gardens - British ColumbiaI loved walking throught the peaceful gardens... and there I found lots of places to sit and relax in the shadow.

I had a feeling of peace in the smalls, private and special gardens. I enjoyed the view of  one small decorative house hidden under ivy and trees and I was climbing on the hill to sit on a bench in front of the house. 

Minter Gardens man-made structure artwork

In gardens design was combined natural settings and different terrains with truly beautiful crafted man-made structures. Fences, cement walls, trellis, garden paths, stone bridges or wood bridges were selected to look like a close part of the natural surroundings.

Minter Gardens man-made structure wood bridge and stone walls



Minter Gardens - cement WaterfallEvery turn in the garden brings something new and interesting to look at:  vivid herbs and veggies and lots of trees with variegated foliage with all kinds of fountains and waterfalls that vary by the available amount of sun and water.

Minter Gardens man-made Waterfalls


Minter Gardens - Waterfall

Additions of artwork man-made, crafted natural structures are used and I enjoyed the topiaries shaped like butterflies, peacocks or salamanders.

Minter Gardens, British Columbia - The butterflies
Minter Gardens, British Columbia - The salamander

Minter Gardens, British Columbia - The peacock



Minter-Gardens - bonsai treeAnother highlight in my visit was the collection of bonsai trees with amazing trunks, roots and foliage shapes.

Minter-Gardens - bonsai treeThese bonsai trees displayed covered an arrays of trees: coniferous, junipers, acers palmatum, and even "living fossils" like ginkgo biloba or metasequoia trees.


Minter-Gardens - bonsai treeOld  bonsai tree at Minter-Gardens



Ginkgo Biloba bonsai tree at Minter-Gardens
I enjoyed my trip at Minter Gardens - for 30 years one of the most beautiful crafted gardens from British Columbia.

Ginkgo Biloba bonsai tree at Minter-Gardens, Rosedale, British Columbia In this visit I learned many tricks about how can you design a garden using natural structures and man-made structures.
I like to spend many hours in a wonderful garden, and Minter Garden was teaching me to enhance the overall look and feel of my garden mixing plants with wood, pottery, fountains and rocks when keep in mind how to use better the special parts in your terrain. 

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