Jardins de Métis

A wedding at the Jardins de Métis unfolds among some of the most storied flower beds in Canada, where blue poppies and azaleas bloom far from any city.

The gardens sit at Grand-Métis on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, roughly halfway between Rimouski and Matane. They are the northernmost gardens in eastern North America, and the gardens welcome couples who write to their dedicated wedding address.

Their story began in 1926, when Elsie Reford started turning her salmon fishing camp on the Métis River into a garden. Over about ten years she reshaped a spruce forest into a 20-acre landscape, building stone walls, moving trees and coaxing rare plants to grow in a northern climate.

Her greatest triumph was the Himalayan blue poppy, which usually flowers from mid June to the end of July and peaks in early July. The Blue Poppy Glade and the Azalea Walk are among the places guests can find them.

Estevan Lodge, the historic villa at the heart of the property, houses exhibitions and a dining room known for its tasting menu. A café, a garden buvette and picnic spots are spread across the grounds, and the pathways are adapted for guests with reduced mobility.

The International Garden Festival adds contemporary installations to the visit each season, so guests can wander well beyond the historic beds.

For couples who picture saying their vows surrounded by century-old gardens and rare blossoms beside the river, the Jardins de Métis offers a wedding steeped in history and colour.