Kingsbrae Gardens – A garden paradise in St. Andrews by-the-Sea
In 2011, the Garden Tourism Conference selected Kingsbrae Gardens in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea among the top five gardens in North America worth visiting. Kingsbrae Gardens in New Brunswick manage to fascinate countless visitors every year. And just a year earlier, Steve Jermanok, travel blogger for the renowned US newspaper Boston Globe, even ranked the park among the best in the world. Although I've been traveling to Canada and the Atlantic provinces for years, I hadn't heard of this park before our trip to New Brunswick. And so, this claim piqued my interest.
What makes Kingsbrae Gardens in New Brunswick so special?
So we included Kingsbrae Gardens in New Brunswick on our itinerary for our trip through the Atlantic provinces. Kingsbrae Gardens are one of the main attractions of the small resort town of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea in New Brunswick. The gardens are located not far from the border with the US state of Maine. We had set aside half a day to visit these gardens. This gave us plenty of time to truly enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Perfect for a break: culinary delights and a café in the garden
And that was a good thing: we first stop for lunch at the park café, whose terrace overlooks manicured lawns. Here we sit in the shade of parasols and under the dense foliage of deciduous trees. This protects us from the direct sunlight. We wait for our ordered food to the musical accompaniment of a guitarist entertaining the guests with rhythmic jazz pieces. We need patience, as it takes quite a while for our food to be served. If you're in a hurry, I recommend a lunch break in one of the local restaurants. We use the waiting time to sunbathe. We also watch a family of ducks quacking as they waddle across the lawn: a parent bird at the front of the flock, followed by its bustling young, and finally the second parent bringing up the rear.
Discover themed gardens: Inspiration for garden lovers
After our leisurely lunch break, we set out to explore the gardens—and there are quite a few of them at Kingsbrae Gardens: the Sculpture Gardens with their witty sculptures, which don't shy away from poking fun at the Queen of England. She's depicted gleefully pouring herself a glass of champagne. Does the Queen actually do this herself? Standing so crookedly, it seems she's already drunk a bit more than is good for her. And there are actually flying pigs, twisting in the wind. It's fun to watch these examples of Canadian humor.
An experience for all the senses – art, nature and animals in harmony
The other gardens in this park are more traditional: there's a rose garden and a knot garden with shrubs trimmed in intricate patterns. There's also a hardy garden, an orchard, and a labyrinth. The butterfly and bird garden is located by one of the park's ponds. Adjoining these is a patch of ornamental grasses. Beyond this, visitors can choose a path through a stand of trees, giving them a glimpse into what the region's original woodlands looked like. They can follow the path past lush hydrangeas and rhododendrons to the windmill. Beyond this, visitors can indulge their senses in the Scents & Sensitivity Garden. Finally, the Container Garden and the Heath Garden lead back to the park entrance.
We repeatedly take advantage of the inviting seating areas for a relaxing break. We watch butterflies choosing the brightest flowers. We also observe bees and bumblebees gathering nectar. We see a family of geese swimming across one of the ponds. And we laugh at a cat stretching in the sun in front of the Dutch windmill.
Conclusion: Why a visit to Kingsbrae Gardens in New Brunswick is really worth it
So we spend a truly relaxing and peaceful afternoon in an atmospheric park. It never fails to delight with new surprises. I finally even figure out why I hadn't heard of Kingsbrae Gardens before. They only opened in 1998. John and Lucinda Flemer, the original owners of the property, donated the property and their gardens to the public. The parks were created in their current form over two years. And our verdict? Well, I wouldn't go quite as far as Steve Jermanok and list them among the most beautiful gardens in the world. But Kingsbrae Gardens are without a doubt among the most beautiful gardens in Canada and North America. They are definitely worth a visit.
Current information can be found on the Kingsbrae Gardens website.
Travel Arrangements:
Parking at the airport
Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.
Getting to Kingsbrae Gardens in New Brunswick:
Air Canada, Condor and Icelandair fly from Germany to various airports in eastern Canada.
Car Rentals:
You can book a rental car here.
Hotels near Kingsbrae Gardens in New Brunswick:
Hotels in around St. Andrews-by-the-Sea* You can book not far from Cape Enrage, for example, through our partner booking.com.
Do you also know:
Further Slow Travel Destinations you can find it here, for example. Discover Gardens and parks as well as others Cities in Canada.
Source: Own on-site research. We sincerely thank Tourism New Brunswick and the Canadian Tourism Commission for their kind support. However, our opinions remain, as always, our own.
Text: © Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
