Tofino Botanical Gardens are twelve acres of gardens, forest, and shoreline that explore the relationship between culture and nature. Tofino Botanical Gardens Foundation, a non-profit registered Canadian charity operates educational programs and provides information about temperate rainforest conservation.

A network of paths and boardwalks will take you from the Café and Gift shop around the flower, herb and kitchen gardens, the duck pond, and Children’s Garden into the forest, where clearings have been transformed into a series of pocket gardens, art installations and garden buildings.

Some of the pocket gardens display plants that once thrived in other coastal temperate rainforests around the world. Garden buildings include the “historic” Bernardo O’Higgins homestead, the storytelling hut made by acclaimed local artist, Jan Janzen and two bird blinds overlooking the Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area. The art installations are all made to survive or weather in the rain, and provide a cultural counterpoint to the surrounding natural beauty.

Each year the Foundation supports different initiatives surrounding community, youth, arts, culture and environment.

In 2014, the Tofino Botanical Gardens Foundation and Aeriosa Dance Society are excited to have the opportunity to partner on a a project that will engage community and our natural environment in a summer on professional dance internship and public performance.  The Foundation will work on this project in hopes that it will continue to grow over the years to provide a sustainable, creative place for dancers to excel in education and exploration.

In addition to project, the Tofino Botanical Gardens is celebrating 2014 as the year of sculpture in the Gardens.  TBG is dedicated to the on-going restoration work of the sculptures that visitors continue to enjoy in the Gardens, as well as introducing two new exhibits this year.  In addition, we will have a sculptor in residence this spring so that visitors can engage in the artists process of creation.  We are also updating our guide books and signage to improve visitor’s experience in the Gardens.   This unique place carved out of the rainforest is where garden meets art. Here, people work with nature without diminishing it. They know that the “garden is about the place.”  And visitors come here to learn, stroll, contemplate, observe, listen  – and set their hearts free.”