Some Vancouverites took us to Queen Elizabeth Park Vancouver while hosting us in their home. It’s so lovely when we stay with friends as we get to see what they think is important in their town. This beautifully landscaped park, the second most visited park in Vancouver behind Stanley Park receives 6 million visitors a year, which is indicative of the garden’s appeal.
Originally called Little Mountain, the hill was extensively quarried for rock. Nowadays that quarry has been transformed into a garden of beauty, but the quarry garden is only one part of the whole garden.
The park was officially named in 1940 after King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited in 1939. But the Main Quarry Garden didn’t begin to develop until 1948 after the end of WWII.
The smaller North Quarry, a dry garden, was developed in 1962 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the incorporation of Vancouver City.
At 152 m above sea level it is the highest point in Vancouver and has great downtown and north shore views.
Session is the name given to the two following bronze sculptures. It is of a man photographing 3 people and the group sculpture was donated to the park in 1984.
In 2008 the female sculpture on the left of the group below, was stolen. Police found her in a field at Aldergrove some two months later after which she was reinstated.
The photo above shows Bloedel Conservatory on the left with Henry Moore’s Knife Edge Bronze statue in front and Dancing Fountain on right.
If you have time available, we recommend visiting the Boedel Floral Conservatory. It features indoor tropical plants with over 100 free flying birds and is a great budget option at $6.75 adults, Senior and Youth $4.55 children $3.30.
If the weather is challenging outside, make a beeline for the Conservatory and spend a blissful an hour or two.
I can’t help but smell every different coloured rose bush I come across and there were some beautifully fragrant roses in this collection. It’s interesting how the different colours have different perfumes and how some that are flamboyant colours and petals have no perfume at all.
Roses are like people – so distinct and interesting.
The Arboretum is in the north and north-western side of the park. First planted in 1949, tree species include Ponderosa, pine, spruce, douglas fir and redwood that grow into one of the biggest trees in the world.
Family Friendly. In good weather children love playing in the dancing fountains, and if the City’s notorious rain has settled in they will have fun identifying all the tropical birds in the conservatory.
Amenities include Pitch and Putt, an eighteen short 3 par golf course for all levels, 17 tennis courts, April to September Lawn Bowls, Roller Hockey, Basketball, Disc Golf, off-leash dog area and a designated picnic area.
Queen Elizabeth Park Restaurant. SEASONS IN THE PARK has beautiful city views.
Budget Friendly. Most parks and gardens are free and this one is no exception. Even the conservatory is affordable.
Queen Elizabeth Park Vancouver Hours are 9 am to 5 pm and the Conservatory 10 am to 5 pm.
Entry is free but some activities come at a cost.
Parking – Park off 37th Avenue for free parking
Time Required. Allow three hours.
Arrive.
- By Bus: No. 15 Bus from Downtown (check with Translink)
- By Bicycle: Midtown Ridgeway Bike Route or Ontario Street Bike Route
- By Vehicle: Parking $2/hour with some free on street parks
Read about Hobart Botanic Gardens in Tasmania Australia or Oamaru Public Garden in New Zealand.
Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox hosts the TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY link up, a great place to see travel photos from around the world.
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So good to hear of a Park that is so reasonable in price!! Gosh those Roses are gorgeous, I would spend my time there!
They smelt heavenly Lisa. Your kids would have a great time in this park.
I just re-read the blog post….not sure how I missed the statue information…how does one take a statue and move it 🙂 Incredible!!!
Ha ha Lisa. I miss things all the time. It is the speed reading we have to do that makes us miss things! I know, it would have been difficult to move.
Great photos 🙂
Thanks Muza-chan. 🙂
Wow, it looks beautiful and absolutely pristine. I would have been just like you ‘smelling the roses’, and not just one, but all of them!
It was pristine. I smell every flower in a rose garden because to me the smell is the most important. I do not like beautiful looking roses if they have no perfume!
i love the first photo, with a view from the city. What is the gentlemen in the statue doing with his hand? I agree that it is rather suspicious.
I think he is doing something he shouldn’t! Very quirky. The view is behind the statue group, so I guess they are being tourists.
Oh, such a lovely reminder that spring can’t be too far around the corner in the Pacific Northwest!
It is nearly there Jackie. Thanks for commenting.
I love your writing style and photos, especially the information you include at the end of the post. I feel like I’m ready to visit. 🙂
A good garden for children Karen. But then my kids loved any park when they were small 🙂
I’ve not been to Queen Elizabeth Park – will have to check it out the next time that I’m in Vancouver! Those bronze statues are so interesting – never would have though of people posing for photos as a suitable subject matter for a statue! Love the roses!!
I love quirky statues and there were other parts of this garden that we did not get to. Well worth a visit. Those roses had the most gorgeous scent.
I had a short trip to Vancouver several years ago and I regret not making it ot this park. The vista in the first photo is breathtaking. The panorama shot of the quarry garden is beautiful and refreshing and so are all the flowers. Thanks for bringing a piece of spring to not-yet-springy NYC.
I am sure we would not have ventured to this park had our friends not taken us, and it probably deserved a lot more of our time.
It’s embarrassing to admit but I NEVER made it to these gardens despite living in Vancouver for almost 10 years – perhaps because I was always working in my garden. And my hairdresser (how cliche) always raved about the restaurant. I’ll have to put it on my to do list for my next visit.
That is funny but I think a lot of us are guilty of that 🙂
The garden is restful.
I’m glad to read that those roses were not only beautiful, they were fragrant. So many people suffer from allergies, flower growers are developing fragrance-free roses and other flowering plants.
There are lots of roses that don’t have perfume, but I prefer the perfume to the visual beauty 🙂
What a fabulous view from the park in the first photo. It would be lovely to wander there and see those beautiful roses. That’s an interesting place to rest the man’s hand in the staue!
A strange statue for sure. I love the perfume of roses.
I have been to Vancouver a few times but have never made it to Queen Elizabeth Park. We always hang out at Stanley Park. This park looks great and will need to add it next time. Beautiful photos and love that bronze statue.
We went to Stanley Park first. It is great because of it’s proximity to Vancouver’s amazing waterfront.
The roses are fab! I remember visiting this park years ago, and I loved it.
The smell was fantastic. Parks are such a great budget option 🙂
Love the quirky statues. More of those… 🙂
I love finding the quirky – stay tuned 🙂
This seems like a park to visit if you get to Vancouver. It’s been a while since we’ve visited and overdue to get back. Good job on the panorama. Roses look good. I also liked the statue pictures.
Thanks Mr. TWS. Stanley Park is the go to park in Vancouver, but the Q.E. is beautiful too.