Breathing in some fresh air and admiring some of nature’s best works is one of the most effective ways to relax and destress. With the best Calgary gardens, you’ll be able to take peaceful walks along bushes, trees, and flowers native to Western Canada.
If you want to take some time off by enjoying nature, especially flowers, then read this list of the best Calgary gardens to know where to go.
Table of Contents
1. Devonian Gardens
| BEST FOR | Indoor Garden |
| PRODUCTS | Garden, Events Venue |
| WEBSITE | https://www.calgary.ca/csps/parks/locations/downtown-parks/devonian-gardens.html |
| ADDRESS | CORE Shopping Centre, 333 7 Ave SW 4th floor, Calgary, AB T2P 1B5 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: 403-268-2489 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Saturday, 11:00am–6:00pm
Sunday, 12:00pm–5:00pm |
Not all of the best Calgary gardens are outside. With Devonian Gardens, you can enjoy a breath of fresh air while strolling the CORE Shopping Centre.
It has around 550 trees and 50 varieties of plants in a 2.5-acre glass-enclosed space. Devonian Gardens also has a koi pond, a living wall, and multiple fountains to complete a natural look.
You can even enjoy this beautiful view when going through a meeting because they have function rooms overlooking the garden. The garden also has a piano for live performances.
Highlights
- Wheelchair accessibility and braille signages
- 5 acres garden with plants and a pond
- Live piano music
- Function hall rental
Customer Reviews
You should be able to stroll in the best Calgary gardens, and Devonian Garden can give you the perfect ambience. Read up on these reviews to know what to expect when visiting the indoor garden.
“Beautiful indoor nature haven in the middle of the concrete jungle. Lovely plants, nice ponds and water features, plenty of seating. The public piano can be both a great or “less great” thing depending on the performer’s skill. What a great place to spend a few minutes during the work day!”—Phil Morin
“ Little oasis in the heart of busy core downtown. Great for a short stop or a study session. Can become very busy and can get rented out for private events. Washrooms are clean and well maintained. Grand piano available for anyone to play- a nice touch!”—Micah Lozares
2. Reader Rock Garden
| BEST FOR | Plant Diversity |
| PRODUCTS | Garden, Venue Rental, Cafe |
| WEBSITE | https://www.calgary.ca/csps/parks/locations/se-parks/reader-rock-garden.html |
| ADDRESS | 325 25 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 268-2489 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Wednesday–Friday, 10:30am–3:00pm
Saturday–Sunday, 9:30am–3:00pm |
Reader Rock Garden is not just one of the best Calgary gardens: it is also a Provincial Historic Resource. The garden has over 4,000 plant species, as planned by the original owner, Roland Reader.
Besides admiring the beauty and fresh air, you can also conduct your photoshoots and event gatherings in the garden. Just make sure you’re following their strict protocols to take care of this natural landscape.
You can also enjoy food in the Reader Rock Garden Cafe when hungry. If you plan to visit this place, try going there between mid-March and mid-November to see the plants in full bloom.
Highlights
- Function hall rentals
- Cafe
- 4,000 plant species
- Free parking
Customer Reviews
With the garden’s diverse plants and serene environment, you can enjoy almost anything in Reader Rock Garden. Here are reviews to help you know more about what people usually do when visiting the garden.
“Cool garden to explore. Lots of varieties of flowers to see and just a nice place to chill near the city. I saw people picnicking in a few areas and some reading books on the benches in a peaceful environment. This place would be nice for yoga too if want to be surrounded by nice plants.”—Tommy H
“Park in the city centre offering a quiet space for walks, reading, and small group hang out. This garden is surprisingly not as busy considering strategic location and beauty it has to offer, not to mention the parking currently made available to visitors at no cost. The variety of plants you can see is huge. The history of the garden is worth reading.”—Daniel A
3. Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs
| BEST FOR | Variety of Garden Areas |
| PRODUCTS | Gardens |
| WEBSITE | https://www.bgss.ca/ |
| ADDRESS | 37 Silver Springs Dr NW, Calgary, AB T3B 4N3 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | E-mail: [email protected] |
| OPERATING HOURS | MondaySunday, 5:00am–11:00pm |
You can find the best Calgary gardens in this one big venue: the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs. There are a total of 14 gardens featuring the beautiful flora of Calgary.
If you’re looking for a specific garden to visit, go to their Shakespearean Garden because it is one-of-a-kind in the entire Western Canada. They also have the largest outdoor labyrinth in Canada.
Although the admission to the garden is free, visitors are encouraged to donate. This act will be of great help because the garden is run entirely by volunteers, and their funding comes from grants and donations.
Highlights
- Volunteer efforts
- Off-leash area
- Variety of unique gardens
Customer Reviews
With their numerous gardens and various plants, you can surely see something new every time you visit. Read these reviews to know more.
“This is a beautifully designed gardens right in the city of Calgary, that’s developed and maintained by volunteers and the city of Calgary. It’s very good for walks, awesome for ? because of its unleash zones, great for plant enthusiast, and definitely a hidden treasure for garden and plant lovers. I am a huge fan of Shakespeare, so I was blown away by its Shakespeare themed garden”Lord Griff
“I want to thank you all the volunteers that upkeep this garden. What a beautiful and well maintained garden. I have to say this is the best outdoor garden I’ve visited in Calgary! It take a good hour to explore this garden.”Trang Tran
4. Beaulieu Gardens
| BEST FOR | Historical Garden |
| PRODUCTS | Garden, Restaurant |
| WEBSITE | https://www.lougheedhouse.com/beaulieu-gardens/ |
| ADDRESS | 707 13 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1H9 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | — |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 5:00am–11:00pm |
Beaulieu Gardens is a part of the historical Lougheed house complex. It is a terrace garden with 0.4 acres of fresh trees and flowers.
You can enjoy the garden by strolling around or simply relaxing on their side benches. You can also dine in at the nearby restaurant inside the Lougheed house.
And if you want to know more about why the venue is historic, visit the Lougheed house and learn more about this unique sandstone house’s heritage.
Highlights
- Historical relevance
- Nearby restaurant
- Walkways and biking lanes
Customer Reviews
Beaulieu Gardens may be smaller than most gardens, but you can still find enough space to enjoy nature in it. Read these reviews from their regular garden-goers for more information.
“Beautiful gardens with lots of open space. Great location for photography”
“An absolutely beautiful place. Great for a picnic. My girlfriend and I visit at least once a week, usually to walk our cats or lizard. Very highly recommended, but please respect the grounds and clean up after yourselves/your pets if you do choose to visit.”
5. Lawrey Gardens
| BEST FOR | Hiking, Native Plants and Wildlife |
| PRODUCTS | Gardens, Trails |
| WEBSITE | https://www.calgary.ca/csps/parks/locations/nw-parks/riley-park.html |
| ADDRESS | Bow River Pathway, Calgary |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 268-2489 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 5:00am–11:00pm |
Lawrey Gardens is a part of the Edworthy Park located near the Bow River. It is the perfect garden when you’re looking for a place to hike and admire native wild plants.
What makes it one of the best Calgary gardens is its collection of native grasslands. You can also find different native wildflowers such as round-leaved orchids and animals such as wood frogs.
Aside from the unique plants, Lawrey Gardens also has an off-leash area for you and your furry friends to enjoy.
Highlights
- Off-leash area
- Native grasslands and wildflowers
- Wild animals
Customer Reviews
The native grasslands and diverse wildlife provide a calming environment perfect for some alone-time or strolls. Here are the customer reviews speaking highly of the garden.
“Beautiful place to go for a walk in Calgary”—Janet Clarke Bell
“Great place to explore . The Lawrey Gardens park is an off leash dog park with the Bow River on on side and the train tracks on the other. It’s a great loop to walk. It can be accessed from the top of the hill from end of the East end of the Douglas Fir Trail or from the end of 10th Ave along the Bow River Pathway (but very little parking to be found at that entrance!!!)”—Christine Maurette
6. Wildwood Community Garden
| BEST FOR | Open Space for Family Bonding |
| PRODUCTS | Community Garden |
| WEBSITE | https://mywildwood.ca/community/community-garden/ |
| ADDRESS | Calgary, AB T3C 3B1, Canada |
| CONTACT DETAILS | [email protected] | (403) 246-3514 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Contact for more details |
The Wildwood Community Garden exists to provide a welcoming space for the residents of Wildwood to garden together – to create a shared vision, to work collaboratively, and to cultivate a place for individuals, families and friends to learn about and to experience the rewards of gardening and community.
Their vision is to foster an environment of beauty and community, where people of all ages can share in the great contentment of gardening. They will follow the permaculture ethics of care of the earth, care of people, and fair share. It’s a place for learning healthy, sustainable ways of producing food and flowers in cooperation with others. This garden is an asset to the community.
Highlights
- Virtual Harvest Festival
- Supporting vendors online
Customer Reviews
Here’s what people have to say about them:
“`A cute little community garden. You will find all kind of vegetables here. A nice place to have a photo shoot. Of course summer is the best time to visit..!!”
After visiting these best Calgary gardens, you may be inspired to have a garden of your own. The best lawn caretakers in Calgary can help you improve your yard and make your place look just like a professional garden, if you need help!
