A documentary by Sebastien Chabot about Francis Cabot’s 20 acre private garden at the summer estate in Malbaie Quebec, that his grandmother received as a wedding present in 1902.

Cabot (1925-2011) was an army veteran and Harvard grad as well as being a dedicated horticulturalist from the highly successful and very wealthy and prominent Boston dynasty, who along with multi-millions of dollars, inherited the family’s summer home and over the course of decades, transformed it into a world-famous English-style spread of green and flowers.

Considered to be one of the finest gardens in all of Canada, this tour of the property reveals some of the art of gardening during 22 days of filming over the span of four years, interspersed with archival photos and interviews with the likes of English star florist Penelope Hobhouse and gardening writer Tim Richardson.

Hothouse believes that that Cabot’s garden is very emotional and eccentric. “if he hadn’t had a lot of money, you might say he was mad,” she explains.

To have fully documented this amazing garden that is rarely open to the public is a great opportunity for gardeners and garden enthusiasts to be introduced to this world famous private garden, said by some to represent a “life-changing” experience.

Chabot sees The Gardener as a tribute to both Cabot the man, and to the horticultural tapestries he cultivated with great ingenuity and enthusiasm.

  1. says: “I hope people see it as a positive film on the environment, how a garden Is much more than a post card. It heals the soul.”