Plan ahead
Every year the Gardens of Light amazes a growing number of visitors with its three decorated gardens — so much so that tickets are now sold for scheduled time slots! You can get your tickets at either the online box office or onsite, but you’ll have to choose a specific date and time. On your chosen day, you’ll be expected at the Rose Garden Lion statue, which marks the start of the Gardens of Light pathway, at the time indicated on your ticket. Your ticket stays valid all day at the Jardin as well as at the Insectarium, so feel free to wander at your leisure.
Lights and lanterns for everyone’s delight
Every edition of Gardens of Light brings its own poetic theme, which is exhibited in the lanterns as well as in the special programming organized to animate the evenings for kids. Come see a luminous, interactive and immersive installations and participate in craft workshops, food tastings and more. Created to encourage dialogue between humans and nature, this is an experience that has the whole family in mind — but it makes a great date night idea too. (Watch for the special Halloween activities happening throughout October!)
Chinese legends brought to life
The Chinese Garden will be decked out from top to bottom in hundreds of handmade silk lanterns to tell a traditional tale, usually drawn from Chinese mythology. The story comes to life through the multicoloured creatures perched and posed everywhere you look. There’s also an immersive multimedia water show! On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays evenings, there are often special half-hour activities or workshops you can sign up for ahead of time.
A Zen tour of Japan
By contrast to that high-octane light show, the Japanese Garden is a perfect site for quiet contemplation. When night falls the garden’s unique features get washed in tranquil lights that denote each shape and texture. In a poetic homage to the changing seasons, it’s an invitation to take the time to admire the subtle or spectacular transformations of nature. Stroll through a series of scenes in this peaceful garden or take a seat on a bench and bask in the beauty.
The First Nations cycle of life
This lights in the First Nations Garden are focuses on the Sacred Tree, a giant poplar that stands as the star of this garden. The garden around it shines in a multitude of colours to represent the circle of life, the birth of seasons and nature’s perpetual transformations. The light show happens to the sounds of a heartbeat and against a projection of fire, the great unifier of earth and sky.
