International Garden Festival

The International Garden Festival is held on the site of the Reford Gardens in Grand-Métis, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, midway between Rimouski and Matane.

Getting there by car:
Driving from the west: Take Highway 20 until it ends at Cacouna, then head east on Route 132. Continue on Highway 20 until you reach the end of this highway, then pick up Route 132 again and follow the tourist signs for “Jardins de Métis” (Reford Gardens).

Driving from the east: From Percé, take Route 132 along the St. Lawrence River. After Matane, follow the tourist signs for “Jardins de Métis” (Reford Gardens).

Driving from the south: From Campbellton, take Route 132 West. After Mont-Joli, follow the tourist signs for “Jardins de Métis” (Reford Gardens).

Getting there by bus:
A bus departs daily from Québec City and Montréal (with stops in Rimouski and Rivière-du-Loup) to Mont-Joli. For more information, contact Orléans Express (www.orleansexpress.com) at 1-888-999-3977.

Getting there by train:
Trains run from Montréal and Halifax to Mont-Joli six times a week. Contact Via Rail (www.viarail.ca) at 1-800-361-5390 or 1-888-VIA-RAIL for more information.

Getting there by plane:
The Reford Gardens are a 10-minute drive from the Mont-Joli airport. Air Canada (Air Canada Jazz) flies into the airport daily. Contact Air Canada (www.aircanada.ca) at 1-888-247-2262 for more information.

Getting there by ferry:
Four (4) ferries link the two shores, making the Reford Gardens easily accessible for travellers coming from the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.

Matane–Baie-Comeau–Godbout
Phone: 418-562-2500 (Matane)
Phone: 418-294-8593 (Baie-Comeau)
Phone: 418-568-7575 (Godbout)
Website: www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca

Forestville–Rimouski
Phone: 418-725-2725
Fax: 418-722-3699
Website: www.traversier.com

Trois-Pistoles–Les Escoumins
Téléphone: 1-877-851-4677
Site Internet: www.traversiercnb.ca

Saint-Siméon–Rivière-du-Loup
Phone: 418-862-9545
Rates: 418-862-5094
Website: www.travrdlstsim.com

Affiliations
Tourisme Gaspésie
Tourisme Mitis
Québec Gardens' Association

Distinctions

2010
5 Blooms and a Special Mention for Excellence in Horticultural Design and Maintenance
Awarded by Communities in Bloom

2009
Frederick Todd Award
Awarded to Alexander Reford by the Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec (Québec association of landscape architects)

Henry Teuscher Award
Awarded to Elsie Reford (posthumously) and Alexander Reford by the Montreal Botanical Garden

5 Blooms and a Special Mention for Leadership in Horticulture Promotion and Awareness
Awarded by Communities in Bloom

Certified Quality Tourism Gaspésie

2008
Québec Tourism Award (Grand Prix du tourisme québécois)
Awarded in the “Restaurant – Tourism Development” category

Best of Québec: Québec’s most beautiful gardens
Selected by Reader’s Digest (June 2008)

One of the top design shows in 2008: International Garden Festival
Named by Gardens Illustrated (February 2008), with the Cornerstone Festival of Gardens (Sonoma, CA, US), the International Garden Festival (Chaumont, France), the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (London, UK), Bilbao Jardín (Spain) and Casa FOA (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

2007
Hector-Fabre Award
Awarded to the International Garden Festival in recognition of its outstanding achievement in promoting the region and Québec internationally by the Québec Ministry of International Relations

One of Québec’s eight monumental works
Named by La Presse (June 16, 2007), with Manic-5 (Côte-Nord), the Olympic Stadium (Montréal), the Canadian Museum of Civilization (Outaouais), the Cité de l’énergie (Shawinigan), the Château Frontenac (Québec City), the lighthouses of Gaspésie and Notre-Dame Basilica (Montréal)

One of the 23 Canadian gardens to see before you die
Mentioned in the book 1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die edited by Rae Spencer-Jones

Top of the list of “10 best contemporary gardens in Canada”
According to the Ottawa Citizen (December 29, 2007)

2005
One of the Top 100 Events in North America: International Garden Festival
Selected as by the American Bus Association

Canada Blooms Award for the Most Innovative Garden Design
Awarded to the A Sea of Ideas garden designed by NIPpaysage

2004
Solutia International Design Award
Awarded to the Coloured Reflections garden designed by Hal Ingberg for innovative use of laminated glass

2003
Coup d’Éclat Award
Awarded for the quality of its printed materials by the SATQ (Québec association of tourist attractions) and Festival et Événements Québec

Award of Excellence from the Québec Order of Architects
Awarded to the Jardin territoire (Territorial Garden) designed by Pierre Thibault

National Post Design Exchange Award and Institute of Design Montréal Award
Awarded to the Catimini garden designed by Mousse Architecture de Paysage

Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Award and Institute of Design Montréal Award
Awarded to the À propos du blanc (About White) garden designed by Espace DRAR

2002
National Attractions Canada Award
Awarded in the “Outdoor Landscaped Site (annual operating budget under $1 million)” category

National bronze Québec Tourism Award
Awarded in the “Tourist Attraction over 100,000 Visitors” category

Silver People’s Choice Award at the Québec Tourism Awards
For the first time, the public was invited to vote online for their favourite among the regional winners

Institute of Design Montréal Award
Awarded for the In vitro garden designed by NIPpaysage in the “Landscape Architecture” category

2001
Attractions Canada Award for Québec
Awarded to the International Garden Festival in the “Cultural Event” category

National Honour Award of Excellence
Awarded for Claude Cormier’s Blue Stick Garden by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects

2000
One of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40
Awarded to Alexander Reford

National gold Québec Tourism Award
Awarded in the “Tourist Attraction under 100,000 Visitors” category