The Cathedral Gardens are currently in the design and development phases. You can visit the future location of the gardens at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, 31, rue des Jardins in Quebec City. Tax-deductible donations for the creation of the gardens are most welcome and appreciated. Access to the gardens – which are being developed with the help of the cathedral and secular partners – will be free and open to the public, bringing beauty to one of Old Quebec’s most prominent locations.
Rooted in history
The street name rue des Jardins dates back to the 18th century, when the street was bordered by the large gardens of three founding religious communities: the Ursulines, the Jesuits, and the Récollets. The land where the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity now stands once belonged to the Récollets friars. Here they grew vegetables, healing herbs and flowers.
Growing into the future
Today ancient trees still surround the Cathedral, but the magnificent gardens are a distant memory, replaced by a parking lot. We wish to restore the spirit of the Récollet gardens by transforming the Cathedral Close into an informal garden. It will have flower beds, vegetable plots, and areas for play and meditation. We wish to create a place of health and peace, a meeting place where people of all origins and beliefs will be welcome for generations to come.
Vision statement
The new Cathedral Gardens will:
- Be informal and widely known as welcoming to all.
- Offer an oasis of natural beauty all year round.
- Foster people’s physical and spiritual health.
- Restore our relationship with nature.
- Build and bridge communities through conversation, food and fun.