As much as I love my adopted city of Montreal, every once in a while the country girl in me needs a healthy dose of green. On those occasions, I whisk myself away to the Botanical Gardens in Montreal’s East end. Although the splendid 185-acre space is at its most lush in the summer and early fall (the garden boasts over 22,000 plant species and cultivars), verdant greenery can also be found year-round in the 10 exhibition greenhouses.

The Gardens are also one of my favourite date spots; especially during the Magic of Lanterns exhibit (see below). Added bonus: they’re just ten minutes away from downtown by metro (the Pie-XI station on the green line).

Night Light

Every fall, the Botanical Gardens hold the supremely romantic Magic of Lanterns exhibit, in which the extensive Chinese Gardens are hung with hundreds of colourful silk lanterns. The soft lights float amidst the tree branches and reflect on the surface of the pond, giving the entire space an ethereal feel. As outdoor dates go, you can’t get much dreamier than this.

The theme for the 2010 exhibit (open from September 11th to October 31st), “Like a Painting,” pays homage to the famous panoramic painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," which is often referred to as the “Chinese Mona Lisa”.

The 5.25 metre-long silk painting, which was created during the Song Dynasty (in 1127, to be exact), depicts daily life during that period, both in the rural fields and in the city streets. Some 200 new lanterns, inspired by the characters in the painting, have been created by artists in Shanghai expressly for this exhibit.

Down the Garden Path

Of the Botanical Gardens’ 30 thematic gardens, my favourite are the Asian gardens. The authentic Chinese Garden (which was apparently inspired by the private gardens of the southern Yangzi River region during the Ming dynasty), has lovely winding paths and water features. The contemplative Japanese Garden includes a koi pond, a traditional tea garden, bonsai trees and a zen garden.

I’m also a sucker for the Rose Garden, but then what girl isn’t?

Visitors to Canada might be more taken by the gardens that feature species native to Canada. In the First Nations Garden, guests will find more than 300 of these (including majestic maple, birch and pine trees), and on rocky slopes and streambeds of the Alpine Garden, they will discover delicate alpine and subalpine plants from the Arctic.


Winter Getaway

In winter, the ground may freeze but the Botanical Gardens are as active as ever. Embrace the cold by using the Gardens’ 18 km of free groomed cross-country ski trails, open from sunrise to sunset. Or forget that it’s winter by wandering through the Gardens’ 10 steamy exhibition greenhouses, which feature foliage from around the world.

Float Like a Butterfly

Tickets to the Botanical Gardens also get you free access to the Insectarium, which, from February to April, hosts its popular “Butterflies Go Free” exhibit. Visitors wander through the balmy greenhouse amidst thousands of fluttering butterflies representing roughly 50 different species.

According to the Insecterium, the best time to visit is in the morning, on sunny days, and when there is a sudden change in atmospheric pressure, because this is when the butterflies are most active.