Botanical Garden - Insectarium, Montreal

4 more images

The Chinese gardens are the most elaborate and the highlight of the Jardin Botanique. There are so much more than just a garden of Chinese plants. The exhibit includes a small rice exhibit, numerous examples of Chinese architecture and even live performances from Chinese traditional artists.

4 more images

The magic of lanterns

at the botanical garden of Montréal

Since over 20 years during september and october, the chinese garden, in the botanical garden

offers the wonderful experience of MAGIE DES LANTERNES.

This year, 2011, about 900 lanternes expressed the parade of the first (out of 400) chinese

emperor.

4 more images

The color and variety on these grounds was amazing. It is hard to believe they can grow all these varieties in Montreal's climate. It was divided into four sections: Chinese, Japanese, Alpine and First Nations (Canadian plants). All were gorgeous but the Chinese was my favorite.

We purchased tickets to the botanical garden and the butterflies go free at the same time we bought tickets to the biodome. Butterflies Go Free is located in the botancial garden, which is right next to Olympic Park. They offer tours of the garden, but the lady who was doing them the day we went only did them in French (not sure if she's the only one or not), but we weren't really there to see the garden anyway. The butterflies is really a beautiful exhibit-butterflies flying everywhere, they have fruit down on plates where butterflies land so you can get a really upclose view. The exhibit wasn't huge, you basically just walk around and look at the butterflies. There are places to sit if you want to draw, or just relax a bit and wach the butterflies flying around your head. You may even be able to see butterflies hatching in one part. There was a lot of little kids and families there.

We didn't really walk around the botanical garden except to get to the butterflies and back-we weren't really too interested in the flowers.

4 more images

Beautiful bug park with a lot to see. Make sure when you visit the park also visit the Biodôme and
Olympic Park. It will cost around $12 for a full day walking around the park. Also pets like dogs
and cats are not allowed unless they are guide dogs.

The park is divided into many sectors, there is The Japanese park, The Chinese park, The Alpine
Garden and The First Nations Garden.

2 more images

You absolutely can not visit Montreal and not see the Botanical Gardens or Jardin Botanique de Montreal. It is one of the largest I have ever seen. To quickly walk through and snap some photos will take you about 4 hours, but if you want to stop and enjoy the plants and read the descriptions, allow another 4 hours.
The Jardin Botanique de Montreal is made up of several smaller gardens. To name a few: Rose, City, Chinese, Japanese, Edible Plants, Toxic Plants, Vertical Gardens and The Rockies. I found the Japanese and Chinese gardens of particular interest. If you go during operating hours, you have to pay an admission, but you can have access to the inside displays. After hours, you can still look at the plants outside.
If you are a photographer, this place is a photographer's dream!
To see a lot more photos:
Alpine and Rockies gardens: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578388370aHwMOc
City gardens: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578388749fUPqlu
Crevice and Vertical gardens: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578381640UysGFI
Chinese garden: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578378856NKpVFK
First Nations display: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578395981sERNCM
Japanese garden: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578385114BAxQWk
Medical and Edible plants: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578391815YOWcxC
Monastary garden: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578393706nBDpJU
Toxic plants: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578388381nQDPjf
General photos: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578385146RXvnbz

This past weekend we had some not so nice weather. Seeing as in June Friends of the Biodome enter free to the Botanical gardens and the Insectarium we decided to head over there and check it out. You can spend a whole day wandering in the gardens. They are well maintained and are worth the entry fee. You can walk through the Gardens to get to the Insectarium. Outside there are games for kids, with interesting fun facts along the way.
Inside it is rather small if you compare it to the Biodome. But we took 1 hour to look at all the bugsm and that is with a 2 ½ year old. Even at his age he was interested. He really liked the Ants and Bees. He also likes the HUGE cockroaches, Mommy not so much! LOL

We have the family yearly pass to the Biodome so we have free entry to the Botanical Gardens and the Insectarium in June; as well as the Planetarium in November. I would suggest getting the pass to the Biodome and go for free in June to the gardens and Bugs, as you can go to the Biodome many times over the year, but the Bugs would get boring after the 2nd visit.

4 more images

Most of us fail to appreciate the importance of insects--which pollinate our crops, and prey upon each other. Most animal species on this earth are insects. The Insectarium will educate you on what they are and what they do. It's not only educational, but very entertaining. Ever since it opened in 1990, the Insectarium has impressed visitors with its displays of insects and their activities.

4 more images

With gardens representing cultures and habitats from all over the world, these gardens rate second only to the Royal Botanical Gardens as a must-see for the green thumb. It has over 22,000 plant species and 30 themed gardens. There are also school and gardening programs, plus children's activities. You'll need a few hours to see everything here.

4 more images

After walking all the way around the Olympic Stadium, we finally reach the insectarium. If you exit the Pie-IX station instead of going west, go east and it's much easier to find. So, we happen upon what looks like not such a very big building and wondered how much of attraction could this be. Well, it was extremely interesting. I was really surprised with how many live bugs they actually had! The horned beetles were my favorite. They are quite large and colorful. I so glad we don't have bugs like that in SoCal. You don't get to touch the bugs but you can get very close to them. They also have a vast display of dead bugs. Some of them the size of birds! You shouldn't miss this!

Please see my travelog for more Insectarium photos!