Well, if you drive outside from Ottawa for around seven hours and especially when it is the start of summers; Les Quatre Vents is the beautiful garden that will welcome you. Although you might end up spending several dollars on getting your gas tank full every now and then and you might end up eating a few meals and lodging somewhere as well and some more money will get spent but the moment you visit Quatre Vents garden; all your frustration would be vanished immediately. The admission fee in the garden is like a donation that is around 30 bucks; however, once you see the beauty this garden carries, you will even pay double the amount to come back again.
Les Quatre Vents is said to be the Canada’s best secret garden there is according to the Reader’s Digest magazine. Other popular magazines and digests have reported it as the most horticulture and aesthetically satisfying place in the entire North America. You might get an idea from such compliments that this garden as received from many reputable sources. Well, I only have one thing to say; I have not seen such a beautiful and pleasing garden in my entire life. You will not stop taking photos throughout your walk in the garden. I was there with a friend of mine and it took us more then three hours to see this whole place that is spread over 15 hectare of land space. We did not really take any breaks apart from taking pictures and still it took us that long.
If you live in Quebec City then Les Quatre Vents is only about 90 minutes away from you. It is just outside Malbaie, located in Charlevoix. It is located on a hillside and you can spot a wooden frame all around the garden. Those woods are frames and beautiful trees both and usually people fail to locate that this is the magnificent garden they have heard of even when they are right beside it. I drove by several times before actual finding out that the hidden secret garden is right next to me. Les Quatre Vents is a private garden located in Canada and is the largest in the whole country; may be it is private that is why no one knows about it. Cabot is the person who actually designed this mind blowing garden and usually during summers he stays there with his family. When you walk over the path of the garden, you will go by Cabot’s pretty house as well.
This garden has about 20 different areas of divisions that are designed differently; somewhere you can find sculpted woods while at some places you will see expensive Japanese style setups. You will find unending species of plants and some of them are as old as 40 years of age. Francis Cabot wrote a book about his garden known as A Greater Perfection; one can get a clear picture of this heaven on earth by reading this book. Once you read it; you will pack up and leave for Les Quatre Vents right away.
