Established in 1867 to mark Confederation, but formally opened to the public in 1875, Halifax's delightful 6.5-hectare public gardens are a fine example of Victorian horticultural planning. Stocked with lakes, statues, fountains, bridges, ponds and a huge variety of trees and formal flower beds, the gardens also have a bandstand where old-time tunes parp away on Sunday afternoons.

　　The gardens were actually created from two pre-existing gardens, the Nova Scotia Horticultural Society Garden (laid out in 1837) and an adjacent civic garden (opened in 1867). The man behind the redesign was landscape gardener Richard Power, who was hired as the park’s superintendent; the gardens still largely reflect his original design.

　　The gardens have been a National Historic Site since 1984.