Montreal Botanical Garden - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Montreal Botanical Garden
Montreal Botanical Garden
4.5
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Recognized as one of the world’s finest, the Montréal Botanical Garden is a true living museum featuring plants from every part of the globe. This jewel in the city’s crown, founded in 1931, covers 75 hectares and features some 20 thematic gardens, a vast arboretum, the Frédéric Back Tree Pavilion and 3 exceptional cultural gardens: the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden and First Nations Garden. Enjoy a colourful program of events, exhibitions and activities all year long.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie
Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie has one of Canada's most prominent Italian communities, with Little Italy concentrated along the convivial bends of Saint-Lawrence Boulevard. Known for its fantastic bars and authentic Italian fare, the domain includes the Jean-Talon Market, the largest public market in North America. Open year-round, sunny months see fruit and vegetable stalls set up outside the main chalet, while blustery weather draws crowds indoors to meat and cheese sellers, spices and truffles stalls, and for regional delicacies such as rare Charlevoix lamb. While the market dictates what's fresh for local restaurateurs, visitors can please more than their palates, taking in the Renaissance architecture and frescos of Madonna della Difesa, the picturesque Rue Saint-Rominique with its cheerful homes and splendid gardens, or the ornamented thoroughfare of Plaza Saint-Hubert.
How to get there
  • Pie-IX • 6 min walk
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See what travellers are saying
  • Mia Andrea
    Los Angeles, California23 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous garden but under construction for Summer season at the moment
    An easy place to spend half a day. A bit outside the main city but worth the metro trip. I caught them right before the summer season so things were under construction, a lot of the gardens just had dirt or dead plants, many of the ponds didn't have water and the main building was under construction. Nonetheless, the gardens that weren't under construction were gorgeous. I still would recommend going to check it out. Especially if you're a plant lover.
    Visited May 2023
    Written May 12, 2023
  • Janet Marie & m’Archibald
    Michigan3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The perfect day outdoors
    A year ago in Paris we visited the Jardin Botanique, to that point in my life, the most impressive collection of plant life I’d ever seen. Our visit to the Botanical Gardens here in Montréal blew that experience out of the water. Don’t get me wrong, Paris is no slouch in the flora department, but the range and diversity of the Montréal collection, paired with the presentation in really authentic habitats really changed the game. Not to mention the gorgeous architecture of the China gardens, tea ceremonies and taiko drummers in the Japanese Gardens, and the largest and most aromatic collection of lilac trees and bushes anywhere—it was delightful. Cap that with a collection of mostly locally sourced and expertly prepared lunch selections—it was an incomparable day.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written May 21, 2023
  • ScottEP
    El Paso, Texas581 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Relaxing and destressing in Montreal
    Beautiful and relaxing diversion in Montreal. Recommend strolling the various interesting gardens while taking your time away from the tourist bustle. Take 1 hour or 3. Easy subway access.
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 25, 2023
  • Lynne1153
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom886 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful
    What a beautiful place to visit! Stunning, peaceful gardens with lots to suit all different ages. The outdoor cafe was a bit disappointing- big queues, not a huge menu and pricey so probably wouldn’t eat there again. We loved sitting in the yellow chairs and watching the world go by!
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written July 9, 2023
  • Ashley J
    Dallas, Texas49 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place - needs more refreshments and path markers
    we visited in July and the botanical garden entrance was under some construction. We took the metro to station Pie IX on the green line. To reach the area, it was a short walk from there, although there was a big hill. Once inside, we really enjoyed all of the plants and the way they were grouped into little worlds. The China Garden was the most memorable and so photogenic. Fans of Epcot will surely love it. I will say it would have been nice to have more refreshments throughout the park. It was only 74° but humid when we went, and we never saw any water other than right after we purchased our tickets. I also thought it was odd that they sold glass water containers in a park. Although there certainly were shaded areas, some of the main arteries of the park are in full sun. Some of the signs were misleading regarding where they pointed, and we definitely spent way more time walking because of it. They provide maps but it would be so helpful to have named or labelled pathways and direction markers so you can confirm your location. One thing that stood out to me as different from other botanical gardens, such as Dallas and Cincinnati, is that this one did not have hard surfaces like bricks or pavers or asphalt. Everything was pea gravel and compacted soil pathways. This makes for a more natural experience, however, if it has rained recently, there are some muddy parts, and I almost slipped couple of times. My favorite part was the irisis and lilies around a big pond with lily pads. The area was like a Van Gough painting and so peaceful. They had adairondak chairs along the edge and I could have spent the whole day reading. Nearby fast food to refuel: La Belle Province - diagonal from the entrance. Note: insectarium is very nearby and shown on the maps but admission is not included.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written July 17, 2023
  • William Kim
    London, Canada100 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must see in Montreal
    The Montreal Botanical Gardens are seriously amazing. I wasn't so sure what to expect when my friend recommended I come here with him and some of his other friends, but I am so glad that I trusted their recommendations. The botanical gardens are composed of so many great places to see while here, from Chinese and Japanese gardens to butterfly conservatories and arboretums, and being here makes you feel like you've been transported into a calm, serene, perfect world with no problems. Seriously, this is probably one of the best botanical gardens I've been to! Everywhere you go is filled with plants, flowers and details of all kinds, but all well maintained and chosen accordingly to catch your attention as you stroll through the gardens. You could easily spend hours here looking around and not even realize it. There is such a quiet, serene feeling here that is quite unique given how this garden is located within a major city in Canada. There are also student discounts available, so students in the area should definitely take advantage of that. Also, plan on spending an entire day here. When I was here, there was not enough time for me to see everything here as I was visiting from Ontario, and only had so much time to do things. Seriously - Montreal has one of the best botanical gardens I have EVER been to! This city is very lucky to have this gem here. I’ll be back for sure.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written July 21, 2023
  • Tobias Rud
    Aarhus, Denmark8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A beautiful botanical garden
    A beautiful, large and diverse botanical garden that's undoubtedly worth visiting for anyone in Montreal. We particularly enjoyed the Chinese Garden and the lakes. Very scenic and interesting even for those without an interest in everything botanical.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written July 31, 2023
  • eskdunning
    Hermitage, Tennessee287 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful gardens
    What a delightful way to enjoy a gorgeous day in Montreal. We spent approximately 3 hours at the botanical gardens. While we felt we'd done justice to the gardens, we didn't enter any of the indoor exhibits. The outdoor spa e is divided into smaller themed gardens. Our favorites were the Chinese, Japanese, and Alpine gardens. If you enjoy nature, I highly recommend these gardens.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written August 2, 2023
  • fm0072018
    Canterbury, United Kingdom157 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful gardens
    Really beautiful gardens especially the China garden. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to wander around but what we did see was gorgeous. We had bought an annual ticket which included the garden, the Biodome, the Insectarium and the Planetarium which are all on the same complex. You can get to the garden from the Viau metro station on the green line.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written August 7, 2023
  • Anne P
    Sudbury, Canada2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Botanical Garden
    Great staff at ticket booth. Should have more staff around the property for questions. Not all pictures provided online are available to view as they no longer have some stuff. It’s a beautiful place very nice to see all the cultures. I loved my visit with my son and loved that he was able to have free access with his status card. Highly recommend if you haven’t visit beautiful place
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written August 11, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
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Ted M
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
This write-up is very inaccurate, the Gardens are nowhere near the the little Italy neighborhood or the jean Talon marker, both are 45mins away via metro (train). Might as well say the Gardens are close to downtown lol .
Written April 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

moremanoi
Montreal189 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Solo
I am a local who visits the gardens a few times a week all year round.

Currently (April 2024) the greenhouses are closed to investigate the structure following a broken window which occurred in January. No reopening date has been shared.

The outdoor gardens are open but not at their peak for another few weeks.

I’m surprised by some of the negative reviews. Folks, the gardens are outdoors in Montreal. As I write this in April there is snow on the ground. We get our first frost in early October. If you’d like to see greenery and flowers and fish outdoors you need to plan… peak time is late May to mid September.

Personally, I’ve never had a disappointing visit no matter how many times I go, but I really miss the greenhouses right now!
Written April 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Granew17
2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
When we visited the official website of the botanical garden we saw some very beautiful photos, which encouraged us to visit it. But to our surprise those photos were from approximately ten years ago. Something we only knew when we had already paid and were inside.
Even knowing that it was not high season, we expected a wonderful garden because even in autumn there are very beautiful flowers.

The only areas that had anything was the Chinese garden, and the greenhouse. Everything else was like walking through any other park or even worse. We had visited nicer public parks without paying.

We complained to the manager Patrick , his response was that it was the end of the season. Since that being the case we should pay less. Because it is not what we expected, it is what they offer.
Unfortunately the price is too high for what there was.
Most of the reviews on the internet are from local guides, it is normal for them to say that it is very beautiful and worth visiting.

Sorry, it was very disappointing.
Written January 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kirsty
Toronto, Canada5 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Friends
Greenhouses were amazing. However, I wish I had gone in the summer as the full experience requires the gardens.
Written November 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

md1mm
Sheffield, UK1,611 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
I visited in November 2023, and I did not really enjoy the experience as I was expecting more. As a green adea to walk around it is OK but as a botanical garden, less so. The Chinese garden was very sad with no water in the lake which was just mud.
I expect it is much better in the spring.
Entry into the gardens is free, but there is a fee to enter the greenhouses.
Written November 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

cati
Montreal, Canada2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Very very beautiful every thing. We enjoyed a lot with the kids…. They have a lot of fun. Very nice to spend the weekend with your loving family..
Written November 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

M. D
Saint Albans, VT124 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
Wonderful outdoor activity, lots of walking with lovely spots to stop and reflect. The city noise and bustle melts away. There are many spaces and there is art exhibits interspersed. The bids there are an added treat.
Written October 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gordon S
Guelph, Canada701 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Visiting various parts of the gardens was worth the entrance fee. The various aspects were enthralling, esp. the Japanese gardens
Worth a visit if you are inMontreal
Written October 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Di
London, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
Easy to get to by metro and 5 mins walk.
On entry we headd towards the back of the site and worked our way to the front. Nice clear signage to the various areas. As it was hot, we stayed outside all the time but managed to see it in just under two hours. We needed to get back into town for another booking but didn't feel we were rushing our visit.
Such a peaceful and beautiful place and perfect after a couple of days of busy sightseeing!
Written October 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen O
Cairns, Australia14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
I simply love wandering the Montreal Botanic Gardens every year on my annual visit to family.
When exploring the evocative network of paths and tracks, there's alway a breath-taking view or an interesting new plant or tree to grab your attention.
If resting quietly on one of the many comfortable benches or colourful chairs there's a multitude of birds, squirrels and chipmunks to watch. Or a captivating chance to watch a fox hunting!
Above all else the gardens epitomize peacefulness and beauty.Despite being lovingly set out in attractive displays with evidence of constant maintenance, the vast expanse somehow manages to project an aura of wilderness in the midst of a large bustling city.
Without doubt it is one of my favourite places in the world.
Written October 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Montreal Botanical Garden - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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