45th Anniversary of Jardins Du Grand-Portage: Art in the Garden

I visited the Jardins du Grand-Portage with my father some twenty years ago. It was his birthday present to me, as he could see how interested I was in organic farming. Strangely enough, it wasn’t the vegetable garden that impressed me, but the Zen garden, which was unique in that it replaced sand with ground-covering plants that changed place over time. It was the first time I realized that a garden could evolve over time. This discovery had a profound influence on my work as a designer, encouraging me to appreciate plants that move and the changing seasons. To this day, I often think back on that experience.

Combining the Ornamental With the Edible

Their interest in ornamental gardens really took off after Yves and Diane entered a gardening competition organized by Harrowsmith in 1984. The competition, which focused on organic gardens and, above all, vegetable gardens, offered as first prize a trip to Europe for two people. Yves and Diane, who hadn’t traveled since settling in Saint-Didace due to lack of funds, decided to try their luck. We went all out,” Yves tells me. We made the most beautiful garden we’d ever made, and took photos all summer long. I wrote a text, and Diane translated it because she’s an English teacher, so she could translate it properly. Then we sent our entry to Harrowsmith and, against all odds, we won first prize.”

The trip to Europe was a revelation, especially their visit to the gardens of England, such as Great Comp, a private garden in Kent created by a hard-working couple, which was a major source of inspiration. “And with both feet planted in that English garden, we said to ourselves, “This is what we’re going to do.” That was really the trigger.”

On their return, Yves and Diane began incorporating elements of English and Oriental gardens into their own. They created winding paths and English-style flowerbeds, influenced by the Eastern philosophy of detachment and letting go.

Since 1985, they have been developing both vegetable and ornamental production. They continue to grow vegetables, but have also specialized in seed production and the integration of medicinal plants, one of Diane’s passions.

Author and Educator

When talking about his work as an author, Yves explains that it fits in with his many activities. Indeed, despite his busy schedule as a seed grower and gardener, he has also found time to be an educator and author. “Well, I’ll tell you, when November came and I’d left the garden, the tools were oiled and put away. Then I’d find myself faced with a void, you know, with nothing to do. I’m hyperactive. If you’re hyperactive and you’re faced with a void, it’s not good. I was developing brain problems in the sense that, in my family, there’s a genetic problem of hypertension. My father had high blood pressure, my grandfather had high blood pressure. When I’m active, my blood seems to be flowing. But when I find myself with nothing to do, I’m not fine at all. My blood pressure was rising, and I had a headache. I was physiologically obliged to develop projects.”

In 1984, Yves gave his first gardening classes, organized by the school board’s popular training program. The interest aroused by these courses prompted him to structure his knowledge and write his first book, Introduction au jardinage écologique. “Against all odds, it was a bestseller, and within 3 years I had sold 10,000 copies.

This success led him to give professional training in ecological market gardening at Mirabel, which in turn led him to deepen his knowledge, particularly of soils, thanks to European works such as those by Dominique Soltner. He published a second book in 1990, La culture écologique pour petite et grande surface, which sold 14,000 copies.

This success filled a need in Quebec, which was suffering from a void in this field. Yves continued to write and publish, becoming an indispensable reference for market gardeners and ecological gardeners. His books were widely used, particularly in the early 2000s, when he was one of the few Quebec authors to write on these subjects.

Opening the Gardens to the Public

Thanks to his books, Yves was also in great demand by horticultural societies to give lectures. The idea of opening the Jardins du Grand-Portage to the public grew out of the first group visits, often following slide presentations on the gardens at conferences. At first, everything was informal: groups arrived by bus, and Yves toured the garden. Interest quickly grew. So much so that, in 1990, the gardens were officially opened to the public, allowing visits throughout the summer, from early July to mid-September. These tours continue to this day.

Visitors often asked where to eat after their visit, but local options were limited. So, in 1992-1993, Yves and his family created Table Champêtre, offering weekend meals for 20 years. This initiative not only enriched the visitor experience, but also helped finance his children’s studies in Montreal. In addition, she combines her two great passions, cooking and gardening, while adding a touch of creativity to her work.

From Garden to Art

I see a parallel between Yves’s work as a gardener, which evolved from vegetable production to a more creative and ornamental approach, and his work as an author, which began with technical and scientific writings and then moved on to stories and poetry.

“At a certain point, I realized that my greatest pleasure in writing my books was the introductions, the chapter beginnings, where I allowed myself a more literary form. You know, a gardening guide is very technical. I realized that what I liked most about my writing was the literary side, which allowed me to be a philosopher and a poet too, while presenting the pleasure I got from gardening. In 2004, I said to myself: since I like writing, I’m going to write a story. So, instead of a gardening guide, I’m going to write about my garden. So I started in January 2004 and wrote for a year. Each chapter of this book represents a month of the year. That’s how I came to write Un seul jardin. He has also included a number of poems that stimulated his interest in poetry.

“From the cracked sky, a fine grayish dust accumulates in the desert, which a lone cowboy sweeps away with a conifer branch. He looks for a drop of oil to light an old Cuban cigar, dry and broken like himself.”

Yves then published his first collection of poetry, Terre-Cuite. To promote his work, he set up a poetry cabaret with jazz musicians.Despite their artistic success, the shows were not financially viable. He then collaborated with guitarist Marc-Antoine Sauvé to create more intimate, affordable poetry cabarets.

Today, Yves continues to present his poetry shows, such as Vers de terre, while incorporating various themes such as agriculture, love, politics and the environment. His poetry is marked by his love of nature and his sense of humor, offering audiences an experience that is both emotional and entertaining. These creative activities enable her to continue expressing herself artistically at the age of 70, while stimulating his cognitive faculties.

45 Years of Happiness

Before concluding my interview with Yves, I asked him an ambitious question: “Les Jardins du Grand-Portage and all the adventure that surrounds it, what has it brought to you?” His response was quick: “I could sum it up easily, in a few words: a meaning to my life, definitely. And a way to fight eco-anxiety. The garden, like my writing and the shows I do, is therapeutic for me. It keeps me calm. When I go to bed at night, I’m at peace with myself. I don’t feel that I’ve contributed in my life to the ecological disaster we’re currently experiencing, whether in terms of climate or in other ways. I’ve tried not to be part of it.”

Through his writing, lectures and performances, Yves tries to make people aware of the need to calm down, get closer to nature and appreciate what they have around them. He encourages them to limit the constant need for excitement, the accumulation of new possessions and travel. “I believe you can find everything in a small space that allows a human being to flourish and give meaning to their existence.”

We also discussed the St. Lawrence River, which is an inking point for both him and me.

“When I need something exotic, I go to the St. Lawrence River. It’s an endless supply of light and scenery. There’s all the contact with the tides, the power of the river and this experience of vastness. For me, it perfectly meets my need for interiority. In my life, I don’t need to go to the Alps. I think the St. Lawrence River has endless potential for wonder. For me, contact with the river is exoticism. It allows me to get out of my own backyard, because at some point, you have to get out to get back in.

“But all in all, the garden has brought me happiness.”

Read the first part of the interview with Yves Gagnon: The 45th Anniversary of Les Jardins Du Grand-Portage.