Stream Garden

A Garden Shaped by Nature—and by Generations of Gardeners

Some gardens begin with an idea. Others grow from the landscape itself. At les Jardins de Métis, the Stream Garden was born from a brook. Page’s Brook has flowed through the property since long before Elsie Reford arrived. A rushing torrent in spring and a gentle stream by late summer, it shaped both the land and the gardens that grew around it. Rather than forcing the landscape, Elsie Reford chose to work with it. To work with the site’s natural topography, low stone walls were built to stabilize the banks and create planting areas that follow the natural shape of the land. This area became known as the High Bank, one of the most iconic areas of les Jardins de Métis. Throughout the seasons, the stream area reveals a succession of blooms featuring martagon lilies, astilbes, bloodroot, saxifrages, and crabapples. Some of the plants, such as the double-flowered bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis multiplex), are still the very ones Elsie planted nearly a century ago. These flowers were given to Elsie by Henry Teuscher, curator of the Montreal Botanical Garden, during his visit to the Gardens in the summer of 1941. Among the very first to bloom in the spring, they reveal their beauty for only a few days. Only the earliest visitors of the season are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of their last petals!

A Living Garden

But what few visitors know is that these low walls did not survive a century without effort. In the early 2000s, a major restoration project was undertaken to restore the High Bank to its original character. Stone by stone, by hand. The large blocks were moved, repositioned, and reassembled to rebuild the stone retaining walls in keeping with the spirit of the historic garden. For nearly 15 years, the entire horticultural team devoted about two weeks each season to this colossal undertaking.

Restoration of the Stream Garden, 2002–2003. Photograph : Patricia Gallant / Les Amis des Jardins de Métis Collection

Today, as you walk along the pathways of the High Bank, it’s hard to imagine the thousands of hours of work that went into preserving this landscape. Yet every stone tells a story of the skill, patience, and determination of several generations of gardeners. Today, Rachel Weisnaghel tends to the Stream Garden, the High Bank, and the Primrose Garden. Like the horticulturist who came before her, she knows its paths, trees, and perennials. She follows the rhythm of the seasons, divides plants, renews plantings where needed, and works to preserve the spirit envisioned by Elsie Reford while meeting the challenges of a living, breathing garden.

High Bank and Stream Garden, 2026. Picture : Frédérique Martin

The theme of Reford Gardens’ 100th anniversary is “100 Years of Work. 100 Years of Beauty.” This area embodies that spirit beautifully. Behind the beauty of the blooms lies a century of patient effort, repeated year after year by generations of gardeners.

Come and meet Rachel

This summer, we invite you to discover this area in a whole new way. During this small-group guided tour, Rachel will take you through the Stream Garden, the High Bank, and the Primrose Garden, sharing her perspective as a gardener. You’ll learn about the history of these places, the plants that give each garden its character, the challenges of maintaining them and the many details that often go unnoticed on a first visit. After all, no one is better suited to tell a garden’s story than the person who cares for it every day.

Reservations required — rain or shine Limited spots available

THE GARDENER’S JOURNAL Which plant is closest to your heart? That’s a tough one! There are several that I love. I really like Primula laurentiana, a beautiful native primrose that we introduced to the gardens in the 2010s. I also have a soft spot for Clematis integrifolia, a bushy, creeping clematis rather than a climbing one. And then there’s the Atlantic poppy. It’s so delicate, and it blooms all season long! In your opinion, what’s the most beautiful time of year in your gardens? Definitely early July to see the peonies, primroses, and saxifrage! What’s something visitors rarely notice? It’s funny, but I often see people doing things they think no one will notice. Did you step on my flower bed? Throw away a tissue? Or—heaven forbid—pick a flower? Trust me—I always notice! What do you hope visitors take away from their visit? I want people to feel at peace and in awe of nature, its diversity, and the beauty of the world as seen through the garden. I also want them to realize that it’s not just the flowers that are beautiful—the foliage, the texture, the shape of the plant… Nothing makes me happier than hearing someone say, “I’m going to try that plant at home.”