The Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens are beautiful, serene, and stimulating – perfect for a contemplative walk in nature, a field trip or a tour.

The Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens consist of nine Acadian Forest Region habitats as well as a Medicinal and Food Garden, Walled Garden, Herbaceous Border, Experimental Garden, and a public Conservatory, all on six acres. Together, they embody the importance of conservation, the value of research, and the aesthetic possibilities of native plants. Importantly, the gardens constitute a living gene bank for the native flora of the Acadian Forest Region, supporting researchers dedicated to the recovery and protection of endangered plant species.

Come enjoy the Gardens and:

• Take a casual stroll along the pathways.
• Have a picnic (there are no litter bins, pack out what you pack in.)
• Play, sit and cartwheel on the lawns.
• Relax on the benches.
• Take a note pad and camera to record observations.
• Admire the wildflowers, leaving them undisturbed for others to enjoy.

LOCATION:

Proudly located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq People, the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens are located at Acadia University, 32 University Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada. The entrance to the Gardens is located off University Avenue, to the far left of the main entrance of the building. Look for the cast iron archway featuring the name of the Gardens.

HOURS:

Conservatory: All indoor facilities including the greenhouses are open to the public from 8am – 10pm. Masks are required when indoors on the Acadia campus.

Gardens: Open daily from dawn until dusk (weather permitting.) The gardens are closed when the winds exceed 50 km/hour or when conditions are unsafe. 

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessibility: Wherever possible, the layout and routing of the pathways provides gentle grades for comfortable pedestrian and wheelchair access; however, in some areas, steps do exist. 

Group Bookings: We welcome group visits with advanced reservations. Please call (902) 585-2665 to schedule your visit.

GUIDED TOURS:

Explore the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens and learn about the unique flora native to the Wapna’ki/Acadian Forest Region planted on 6 acres. This 1.5-hour tour will lead you through 9 distinct habitats including a bog, marsh and sand barren. You will also be introduced to what happens behind the scenes in our glasshouses and plant research facilities. Special requests can be made to visit our herbarium, seed bank and environmental research laboratories. 

Fee: $60 for a group of 20 or less. Costing increases by $30 for each additional 20 participants. Maximum group size is 80 per booking.  Each group of 20 will be assigned 1 tour guide. 

Guided tours for school groups are free of charge. Parent volunteers and teachers must be present to meet appropriate student/adult ratios. High school classes are encouraged to also book a campus tour to learn more about Acadia University.  Please call (902) 585-2665 or email reservations@acadiau.ca to schedule your visit.

WOODLAND TRAILS:

While visiting the Gardens, you can also hike the nearby trails created by Arthur Irving. This 1.5km hike through the woods follows an old brook and takes you through a variety of forest habitats. There are two shorter loops you can take if you don’t have enough time for the whole trail. Learn more about the woodland trails here.

PARKING:

Acadia University is a busy campus so parking can be hard to find during the academic year. We offer metered parking on Crowell Drive, free parking east of Crowell Tower and free parking on the lower end of Westwood Avenue. We also encourage visitors to park for free in Downtown Wolfville (where there are a variety of wonderful shops and places to eat) and walk up through our beautiful treed campus. Campus Map with Parking