The history of botanical gardens in Vancouver reflects the region’s deep connection to nature and plant science. One of the earliest efforts in botanical cultivation in all of Canada began at Essondale (now Riverview Hospital) in Coquitlam, where renowned botanist John Davidson, British Columbia’s first provincial botanist, established an arboretum and botanical gardens in the early 20th century as part of a therapeutic landscape for mental health patients. Davidson’s passion for botany later led to the founding of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Botanical Garden in 1916, making it the oldest continuously operating botanical garden at a Canadian university. These gardens have played a foundational role in plant conservation, education, and public engagement in the Lower Mainland, shaping Vancouver’s botanical legacy. Add in the relatively newer VanDusen Botanical Garden, the Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, and the Park and Tilford Gardens and you quickly see that Vancouver’s botanical legacy, started more than a century ago by John Davidson, is still alive and well.
For similar stories, please see these previous posts including Old Photographs from the Coquitlam Area, Vintage Photographs of Parks from Around Vancouver, and Vintage Photographs from Stanley Park.
The photos above were collected from the City of Vancouver Archives. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for each photograph on their website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from Vancouver, British Columbia, and across Western Canada. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
