Vancouver is known for its jaw-dropping scenery, excellent mix of attractions and close-to-nature proximity. It's a well worn cliché that you can play tennis or sail the same day as you ski; you can also visit a world-class museum and hike a mountain trail or shop for high fashion and, within hours, kayak a wooded inlet. However, there is a lot to be said for tranquil time and what better place to experience it than amid Vancouver's impressive offering of gardens?

In the heart of the city, Dr. Sun Yet-Sen Chinese Garden is a peaceful oasis. Created in 1985 by artisans from Suzhou, China, the walled garden is not effusive with blooms. Rather the classical garden reminiscent of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), is of peaceful ponds, flowing waterfalls, rough rocks and smooth boulders, and sculpted plants.

The soothing sound of a rippling water, peaceful pavilions with benches, a patterned rock pathway that leads over arched bridges, and the tranquillity of the Scholar's Courtyard with softly-hued flowers and meticulously-shaped shrubs all speak of another world. Time in this unusual garden will rejuvenate you for the rest of the day.

In Vancouver's Stanley Park - one of the world's largest city parks - green-thumbers must visit the Rose Garden. Truly a treat for the olfactory senses, there are roses in every colour. Close to the seawall, a restaurant, spacious lawns, and trails around Lost Lagoon, the famous Rose Garden's beds and trellises are often backdrops for wedding pictures. It's easy to see why.

South of city centre, VanDusen Botanical Garden presents an amazing show of blooms. Named after a prominent Vancouverite, this 55 acres (22-ha) is actually a series of gardens; each month is a different floral celebration. More than 6500 varieties of plants are here - some showy, some subdued - representing every continent except Antarctica. A stroll along the Rhododendron Walk will set the mood for exploring some of the quiet little pocket gardens. These secluded, little gems, such as the appropriately-named Meditation Garden, are thoughtfully placed to combine privacy with viewpoints.

Not far away, Queen Elizabeth Park on Little Mountain has transformed two rock quarries into sunken gardens that, early in spring and lasting through fall, explode with colour. Cascading blooms cover rock faces, pretty plants sprout beside waterfalls, there are tidy beds of bright geraniums, shrubs of every description, exotic plants with unusual flowers and much more. In this park you can also visit a tropical indoor garden. The Bloedel Conservatory is a multisensory experience as you view tangles of lush growth, feel the humid heat of the tropics and hear the squawk of parrots.

The University of British Columbia is known to be one of Canada's most picturesque campuses. Its gardens add to this allure. Nitobe Memorial Gardens is a tiny fragment of Japan; a visit should not be rushed. Opened in 1960, every stone, rock, bridge and path is carefully placed to be faithful to the philosophical principles of Zen and Shintoism. Plants native to BC mingle with imported Japanese maples, flowering cherries, irises and azaleas. Trees and shrubs are pruned to display their natural, graceful structure and to remain faithful to the concept of nature in miniature. Sheltered corners harbour tiny waterfalls, a "Yatsu-hashi" bridge zigzags across the iris garden, small wooden bridges curve over streams, and stepping stones span shallow brooks. As you stroll, the beauty of this garden seeps into your soul.

Close by, UBC Botanical Garden covers 115 acres (47 ha) and is a trip around the botanical world. Following winding paths you explore five, well-signed sections that encompass everything from native plants to a fragrant, 16th-century herb garden. Canada's oldest botanical garden boasts 10,000 varieties of trees, shrubs and flowers. Although this educational garden is well-visited, if you go weekday mornings, there will be no crowds as you seek out an unusual fungi or enjoy the seasonal growth.