Over 90 delegates from 40 gardens and 12 countries joined us in Victoria BC from 1-4 November to seize the moment. These gardens alone host more than 17 million (ticketed) visitors each year and growing. Thank you for your participation and inspiring stories, looking forward to the next conference in 2025!
This innovating event revolves around the theme “Seizing the Moment,” recognizing the abundant possibilities for gardens and the tourism sector to collaborate to enhance the appeal of gardens as well as destinations, especially post-pandemic, thereby attracting more visitors.
We are delighted to announce the first line-up of speakers who will join our conference this fall. This list will be updated on a regular basis as we move closer to August when we finalise the detailed programme and topics. We expect to announce a total of 20 speakers from the Gardens and Tourism industry.
This conference will be all about the destination development and promotion of your garden. The main topics and presentations titles are listed in the schedule below. More details will be added on a continuing basis towards July.
Please collect your conference badge and schedule at the conference desk at the Victoria Conference Centre
Delegates are welcome to visit the famous Butchart Gardens for a tour and welcome reception & buffet. Departure from the Doubletree Hotel at 14:00
Social gathering at Bartholomew’s (downstairs of the Doubletree Hotel)
Please collect your conference badge and schedule at the conference desk at the Victoria Convention Center
Welcome and conference warm up speeches.
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
In the conference hall
A key-note by Richard Benfield, acclaimed international researcher and author on Garden Tourism.
Lunch will be served at the conference center
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
Coffee and refreshments will be served in the lobby
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
Enjoy an evening with fine food, people and awards at Victoria's Union Club.
Social gathering at Bartholomew’s (downstairs of the Doubletree Hotel)
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
Key Note Presentation
Served in the conference hall
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
During this lunch we will recognise gardens across North America for their destination development and promotion accomplishments.
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
Coffee and refreshments will be served in the lobby
Panel sessions consist of 2-3 speaker presentations followed by a discussion
Explore Victoria's dining scene together with old and new friends from the international gardens. You can select any of these fine restaurants: 1) The Courtney Room - https://thecourtneyroom.com/menu 2) 10 Acres Restaurant (The Bistro) - https://10acres.ca/bistro-restaurant 3) Milestones - https://milestonesrestaurants.com/locations/victoria 4) Fathom (Hotel Grand Pacific) - https://www.fathomvictoria.com/dinner-menu 5) Bard and Banker - https://www.bardandbanker.com/dinner-menu
From the conference hotel we will take a leisurely walk through several gardens in the nearby Parliamentary Precinct, then start wending our way through the James Bay neighbourhood, the oldest in the city. Here we will walk past well-preserved heritage houses on tree-lined streets (including the birthplace of Emily Carr). Along the way, we have made arrangements to visit some of the small private gardens that showcase many different styles of home gardens: a forest garden, a heritage garden, an urban farm, and a secluded, hidden shade garden (a true gem). On the return route to the hotel, our path will take us through the main garden features in Beacon Hill Park, with its artificial lakes, bridges and formal landscapes, as well as through the park's beautiful natural areas. The restored grounds of St. Ann's Academy, an 1871 convent now a National Historic Site, will be the last stop before we return to the hotel.
Stop 1 – Abkhazi Garden Website : https://www.abkhaziteahouse.com/abkhazi-garden The Abkhazi Garden is an exquisite heritage home and garden Prince and Princess Abkhazi began creating their garden in 1946. They immediately began to develop their one-acre property, and continued to maintain and improve the garden throughout their lives together. Stop 2 - Hatley Park Gardens Website : https://hatleypark.ca/visit-us/hatley-park-gardens The gardens at Hatley Park Historic Site, home to Royal Roads University, are among the finest Edwardian gardens in Canada. The extensive grounds include a magnificent forest of old growth Douglas Fir. The Japanese, Italian, and rose formal gardens have existed for more than a century on the shores of Esquimalt Lagoon. Stop 3 – Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP) Website : https://hcp.ca/visit/gardens/ The Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP), home to the Pacific Horticulture College, presents a year-round garden experience that all can enjoy. The HCP is recognized as a welcoming place that inspires a love of gardens and nature, shares horticultural knowledge and experience with everyone, produces certified horticultural professionals, and demonstrates environmental stewardship fur future generations.
Farewell reception at Bartholomew’s (downstairs of the Doubletree Hotel)