History of the Montréal Botanical Garden The birth of a great garden The Montréal Botanical Garden was born of the dream of the man with both a religious and scientific vocation, Brother Marie-Victorin. Passionately inspired by nature, he had founded the Botanical Institute of the Université de Montréal in 1920 and dreamed of creating a great botanical garden for Montrealers, a plan he made public in 1925. Six years later, after much hard work to convince both politicians and members of the local scientific community, his plan finally took shape. Brother Marie-Victorin, born Conrad Kirouack (1885-1944) When the Garden was founded in 1931, Québec was in the grips of one of the worst crises in its history. Thousands of Montrealers were out of work and, rather than simply paying these relief money, Mayor Camilien Houde came up with the idea of employing them to built the Garden. Henry Teuscher (1891-1984) With the assistance of Henry Teuscher, a renowned horticulturalist and botanist, Brother Marie-Victorin's dream finally became a reality. A man of many talents, Mr Teuscher drew up the first plan of the Garden. In 1936, he was officially appointed Superintendent and Chief Horticulturalist. He also laid out several of the exhibition greenhouses ans assembled some of the Garden's major plant collections. The two men's courage and dedication were further supported by the work of the many journalists, politicians, botanists and other individuals who not only helped bring the Garden to life, but also helped shaped what it has become today. Recommended readings: Bouchard, André, (with) Francine Hoffman, 1998. Le Jardin botanique de Montréal: Esquisse d'une histoire. Fides, Montréal, 111 p. [Available for on-site reading at the Library of the Montréal Botanical Garden.] Pemanent exhibit: Henry Teuscher Exhibition : Has the first landscape architect who designed the Botanical Garden built his ideal garden? [In French and English. On display on the fist floor of the Administrative Building. Begins across the Library.] Chronology of the Montréal Botanical Garden Mission of the Montréal Botanical Garden Information Resources for School Projects | MENU | ABOUT THE GARDEN | GARDENS AND GREENHOUSES | PLANTS AND COLLECTIONS | | EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES | SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES | HORTICULTURAL ACTIVITIES | LIBRARY | | SITE MAP | SEARCH | MAILBOX | Last updated : 2002 10 30 Credits All rights reserved Ville de Montréal