(Clockwise from top) Sunset
at Wreck Beach. The Nitobe
Memorial Garden boasts
beautiful blooms. Panoramic
views at the UBC Rose Garden
Nature 101
Escape the city and fill your lungs with the
freshest air the West Coast has to offer. Stroll,
bike or ride a horse through more than 763 ha
(3 sq mi) of densely packed temperate rainforest
at Pacific Spirit Regional Park (page 78), where
bald eagles, barred owls and woodpeckers make
their homes. Looking for a dramatic backdrop
for your holiday photos? UBC’s beloved rose
garden sits on the northwest edge of campus,
with stunning views of the Salish Sea and Coast
Mountains. Revel in fantastic flora at the UBC
Botanical Garden (page 79), which was originally
built to educate doctors and apothecaries but
has since grown into a sprawling collection of
gardens featuring everything from edible crops
to international alpine plants. Get a thrilling view
from the top of the Greenheart TreeWalk, an
aerial trail system 20 m (67 ft) above the forest
floor. Find your bliss by the reflecting pond full
of koi at Nitobe Memorial Garden—one of the
top five Japanese gardens outside Japan—then
breathe in the fragrant air of its authentic tea
garden before visiting the ceremonial teahouse.
Free-spirited nature lovers make their way to
Trail 6, which leads down almost 500 steps to
gorgeous Wreck Beach. Clothing is optional,
and warm community vibes abound—stay for
sunset, when everyone gathers at the water’s
edge to cheer and applaud as the sun dips below
the horizon.
June 2017
where.ca
17