You are about to come with me on vacation for the next few posts. I hope you’re up for a little travel. We’re going to the West Coast – to Vancouver and Victoria, B.C., and to Seattle, Washington. And we’ll be visiting a lot of gardens. Ready?

Our first stop is the Nitobe Memorial Garden – a classical Japanese garden that belongs to the UBC Botanical Garden & Centre for Plant Research, on the campus of the University of British Columbia. I’d never heard of this garden gem till it was recommended to me by a fan. It was created to honour Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933) who lead a fascinating life. A Japanese scholar and a Quaker – married to an American woman before such things were done – his goal was to act as a bridge between East and West.

But you can find out everything you need to know through the links above. For now, just enjoy this peep into a special place. For a look at a very different style of Asian garden, visit our Toronto Gardens Facebook page to see Vancouver’s Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. If you Like our page while you’re there, we won’t complain.