Montreal’s sculpture garden now glows at night & it’s like stepping into a Disney fairytale

Fall might be creeping in, but one of Montreal’s most surreal summer attractions isn’t ready to fade just yet.

Over at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the three massive horticultural sculptures that stole the show all summer are now being lit up at dusk, turning the gardens into a glowing, dreamlike scene.

The illuminated evenings began in September and will continue to take place throughout the next week. But park officials recently told MTL Blog that they may be extended even further if the weather permits.

Still, since the sculptures rely on live plants, the sooner you go, the more colourful they’ll look before the leaves change colour and blooms give way to cooler weather.

Installed in June for the 25th anniversary of Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal, the sculptures, composed of nearly half a million plants, have quickly become one of the city’s most photogenic attractions. The centrepiece is “Mother Earth,” a 15-metre-tall figure with cascading hair made entirely of flowers and greenery. The towering structure’s hand features a waterfall dripping into a pond.

Nearby are “The Man Who Planted Trees,” holding a watering can while surrounded by animals, and “The Six Pairs of YY,” an abstract piece inspired by Expo 67’s logo.

During the day, they’re lush and vibrant. But at night, artistic lighting casts the figures in a whole new way, pulling out details you might miss in daylight. The park says the multicoloured lighting “reveals new perspectives, highlights unexpected details, and envelops the gardens in a renewed atmosphere.”

Parc Jean-Drapeau confirms that the sculptures will stay in the park for most of the year, but they’re only in full bloom from June through September. Once the fall chill sets in, the plants slowly go dormant. That makes the next few weeks the final chance in 2025 to catch them at their most striking.

According to the site’s calendar, the illuminated evenings are officially set to run until the end of September, with the possibility of being extended into October depending on weather and plant conditions.

So if you’re looking for an ideal (and free) fall activity or just want to hold on to summer for as long as possible, a twilight walk through this illuminated garden is the perfect excuse.