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VanDusen Botanical Garden – Vancouver, British Columbia
A city energized by cultural diversity, Vancouver is a superb destination in every way. VanDusen Botanical Garden – one of the city’s gems – is a hilly 55-acre setting that I like to approach on the No. 17 city bus from my downtown hotel. A Spring visit to VanDusen will remain in the minds-eye long after the experience. During the period of late May through early June, cascading golden panicles tumble from archways over the Laburnum Walk in a medley of ground-covering bluebells and alliums.
 - Late Summer – Canadian Heritage Pond
Boasting a collection of contemporary sculpture, an Elizabethan maze, and year-round blooming displays, VanDusen Botanical Garden has been invigorated by a new entry area: The Phylllis Bentall Garden, with paved terrace, pool, and mixed borders, invites you to explore VanDusen’s glorious magnolias.
Photos: Courtesy VanDusen Botanical Garden
 - Maze VanDusen
Month by month the landscape turns heads as Himalayan blue poppies progress to a sea of wildflowers blanketing meadows followed by fiery fall color. Seasonal stars include alliances of heathers, hollies and hellebores. To contemplate VanDusen’s charms, ramble along to the Cypress Pond, Heron Lake, or the restored Korean Pavilion, intricately carved with floral patterning in burnished tones.
 - Van Dusen Azaleas
The Spring season provides eye-catching swathes of narcissi, advancing to a pathway replete with rhododendrons and scented azaleas. The hedge maze (pictured above) is comprised of 3,000 plants of Thuja occidentalis ‘Fastigiata’ – cedars of a pyramidal form.
Books on Gardens Worldwide
A much anticipated annual garden event…
…the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Sakura Matsuri cherry blossom festival takes place May 1 & 2 this year: Visit the BBG web site for details.
 Springtime Vista - Brooklyn Botanic Garden (ALICE JOYCE photo) The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an especially alluring destination in Spring, when the green haven of the 2-acre Native Flora Garden captivates the senses with arrays of Trillium species, Clematis, bellworts (Uvularia) and shooting stars, among the woodlanders emerging in April and May.
The Garden is positively aglow in the Cherry Esplanade, Japanese Garden, and Daffodil Hill area while avenues of cherry trees are blooming. I enjoyed a ramble through the gardens with Scot Medbury, President of the BBG and former director of the San Francisco Botanical Garden/Conservatory of Flowers, and was delighted to be introduced to Uli Lorimer, curator of the Native Flora collection.
The botanically inclined will find fetching displays decorating the gardens, like the sight of fallen petals floating on the pond, as captivating to the eyes as the bounteous, blowsy blossoms themselves. At this tine of year, there are fragrant lilacs, exuberant azaleas, and a cacophony of frilly peonies, along with a wisteria-draped pergola that signals the coming to life of the Cranford Rose Garden. Plan a summer visit and you’ll be swept away by the fragrance that envelops you in this classic, formal setting.
Slipper Orchid - Cypripedium – below (Alice Joyce photo)
Click on the Brooklyn Botanic Garden map to see the garden’s layout, plant collections, and design features.
 Botanic Gardens, Valencia, Spain (ALICE JOYCE photo) Valencia, Spain .. a city of tantalizing contrasts! Stroll the vibrant town center amid ancient Roman ruins, and you may find yourself surprised by elements of 21st century garden artistry. There’s a newfound panache to this city which extends to its port, an elegantly rejuvenated area where the America’s Cup competition has been held. The seafront commands attention with an array of chic restaurants, glittery hotels, and broad promenades giving rise to atmospheric displays of palm trees and lavish flower beds.
 Botanic Garden Shade House, Valencia, Spain (ALICE JOYCE photo) In the days ahead I’ll share my impressions of this coastal destination - Spain’s third largest city, where I was drawn, in large part because of Santiago Calatrava. Architect and native son, Calatrava has created buildings and bridges that garner praise and spark controversy worldwide. And he has been instrumental in putting Valencia on-the-map with his recently completed buildings that make up the City of Arts and Sciences. Stay tuned for in-depth coverage of this must-see complex, and Valencia’s TURIA GARDENS. Just as architect Frank Gehry brought Bilbao, Spain to life when his design for the Guggenheim Museum began attracting pilgrims among the cognoscenti of art and architecture, Calatrava has put his mark on Valencia!
A bit off the beaten path, outside the ancient city center on Calle de Quart is the Jardí Botànic - the University of Valencia’s Botanic Garden. The garden’s motto - Science – Culture – Nature - sums up the setting and the visitor experience. Dating back to 1567 for the study of medicinal plants, the current garden and research buildings emerge on the site of a 17th century orchard. Established in this location in 1802, the garden offers an architectural standout in the iron and brickwork umbracle (shade house). Plant collections, too, are exceptional: palms, Mediterranean and regional species; succulents and tropical specimens are highlights displayed in an open-air layout and greenhouses. I highly recommend taking a virtual tour!
 Succulent Bloom, University of Valencia Botanic Garden (ALICE JOYCE PHOTO)
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