Arboretum

Garden - Trois-Rivières

The Parc Archéologique des Roches Gravées (“Carved Rock Archeological Park”) also features an arboretum. Planted in and around the petroglyphs, this superb garden contains many ornamental and medicinal plants that once formed the basis of the Amerindian economy. For example, the calabash was used to make dishes; castor oil and annatto plants were used to make body ointments that gave a red tint to the skin; manioc formed the basis of the Indian diet, and was often consumed in the form of "cassava cakes," a local delicacy that may still be tasted today at the Trois-Rivières Cassaverie; and vetiver grass, with its much-appreciated fragrance, was—and still is—used to repel insects, especially mosquitos. This refreshing stroll through lush vegetation across a small stream is a can’t-miss attraction for those who love history.