Stanley Park Gardens

We are introducing a brand new series of Photo Essays! Have a look at amazing Photo Sets all shot by talented photographers. Explore the vibe of the city, its hidden treasures, explore Vancouver! This time, let's have a look at Vancouver through the lens of Kevin Eng!

Beautiful and Romantic Stanley Park Gardens: In Full Bloom

The green jewel of Vancouver, Stanley Park, is a 1,001-acre public park and rainforest that borders downtown and is almost entirely surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. It's the second largest urban forest in Canada, created in 1888. Well known for its magnificent cedars and Douglas firs, much of the park is made up of forest that was already here in the late 19th century. Some of the trees stand as tall as 76 metres and are up to hundreds of years old. But there's not just the wild forest to explore at Stanley Park. The gorgeously landscaped gardens within offer an abundance of blooming flowers that make a beautiful place for walks.

For great views of the city, climb the highest point in the park, Prospect Point. As this year marks the 125th anniversary of Stanley Park, there's a flower bed here to remind visitors of the occasion with a large, colourful "125."

Stanley Park is one of the loveliest rose gardens you'll ever visit. More than 3,500 rose plants and large floral displays including beds of perennials, annuals, and bulbs will take your breath away with their beauty all year round. Enjoy Stanley Park's Rose Garden (which the Kiwanis Club opened in 1920) in its peak bloom from June to October or during late March. The stylish arbor supporting a combination of climbing roses and clematis is a frequent location for wedding photography, as beautiful and romantic as it is. The colourful floral beds slope down all the way to the Stanley Park Pavillion. Stanley Park's Miniature Railway is a small steam locomotive that pulls passenger cars on tour into the woods. Stanley Park regularly hosts a test garden for All-America Rose Selections.

The Ted and Mary Greig Rhododendron Garden features a collection of more than 4,500 rhododendron and azalea plants. This collection is quite extraordinary, as the donation of the plants in the 1960s came from the owners of Royston nursery, Ted and Mary, who were keen rhododendron collectors that experimented with new hybrids of the flowers. Another themed garden is the Shakespeare Garden, with the trees mentioned in the bard's plays and poems. These trees all have plaques with relevant Shakespeare quotes. Can you think of a better place to take a book and read for a while?

You can also find the very first public garden in Vancouver here. The Stanley Park Rock Garden is the work of the master gardener John Montgomery, who established the garden in 1911. The boulders he used in the landscaping come from the building site of the park pavillion. The former glory of the garden in its early years was brought back only in 2006, when it was restored to its original beauty. To honour its significance in the city's history, the garden was added to the Vancouver Heritage Register as an important landscape resource.

Stanley Park Pavillion is nestled between the Stanley Park Rose Gardens. This historical home with the rustic charm of a mountain chalet sitting in the charming gardens of Stanley Park has hosted some large events for such honourable and famous quests as Queen Elizabeth II and Arnold Schwarzenegger. You'll be pleased to learn that you can book the pavillion for private functions and weddings.

Have you ever visited the gardens? Share your experience with us. Or tell us your favourite urban garden escape in Vancouver.

Stanley Park Gardens's flower bed celebrates the 125th anniversary of the park

Take the miniature railway around the gardens

The Stanley Park Rose Garden

The Theatre Under The Stars

Stanley Park Pavillion with the rustic charm of a mountain chalet

The bus stops right in front of the gardens

Klahowya Village and its Gift Shops

All visual content is licensed by Creative Commons - you may use individual photos but you need to link them back to this page.

Meet the Photographer

Kevin Eng

Kevin's passion for photography has encouraged others to see the splendor and beauty of nature right at their doorstep, as he captures the sights of the day, and colors and mystery of world while it sleeps. Many of the subjects of his work are based locally in his hometown in Vancouver, B.C, where he first discovered his fascination with night photography. Kevin is a currently working as a music teacher, music director for his church, and landscape photographer.

KE00JA