Art direction
Branding
Signage design
Website design
Website development
Promotional design
Videography
Reford
Gardens
Creating a new brand, website and signage for the Reford Gardens, one of the Canada’s most beautiful gardens.
01
A little bit of
BACKGROUND
STORY
Alexander Reford is the executive director of the gardens, and is passionately dedicated to the preservation and development of the Reford Gardens, leaving an indelible mark on Canada’s horticultural landscape. Photo by Nancy Guignard
In late 2019, les Jardins de Métis (also referred to as the Reford Gardens) reached out to us seeking assistance in revitalizing their esteemed botanical haven. Our collaboration involved crafting a fresh brand identity and aesthetic for the historic gardens, along with a comprehensive website redesign.
Additionally, we were entrusted with developing captivating signage and branding solutions for the two on-site restaurants, ensuring a cohesive visual experience throughout the entire premises.
We began the process by visiting the Gardens in person and meeting with the key decision makers in order to better understand their vision for the redesign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neLyjUTnMwE&ab_channel=MichaelFerrier
Located in Grand-Métis, the Reford Gardens are English-style gardens that host 3,000 varieties of native & exotic plants.
Located in Grand-Métis, the Reford Gardens are English-style gardens that host 3,000 varieties of native & exotic plants.
The video above was created as part of the launch for the website to be hosted on the homepage banner.
02
The
BRANDING
TheÂ
LOGOTYPE
The first step was to refresh the logo for the brand and select colors for the brand. The Himalayan blue poppy, a very rare plant that grows only in certain very select microclimates such as the Reford Gardens, was selected as the main symbol for the new brand. The symbol was paired with a clean, modern typeface that felt both modern but also inviting.
The palette ofÂ
COLOURS
To determine the colour scheme, a carefully curated palette was selected, drawing inspiration from the vibrant hues found within the gardens. Each colour was thoughtfully chosen to symbolize specific types of flora that grace the premises.
TheÂ
GEOMETRIC
ARRANGEMENTS
To enhance the garden’s branding, we composed an assortment of geometric arrangements using the chosen colours. This diverse mix of patterns and shapes was thoughtfully crafted to be incorporated throughout the branding materials of the gardens, adding a visually captivating touch.
TheÂ
PROMOTIONAL
ASSETS
We created designs for a variety of different promotional material to showcase the new branding, including tote bags and shirts.
03
The
WEBSITE
Every website development journey begins with crafting the information architecture and constructing wireframes to visualize the content layout.
Our primary objective was to streamline the menu sections, minimizing them to the essential elements, while ensuring a user-friendly and intuitive navigation experience.
Once the wireframes were finalized, we seamlessly transitioned into the actual website design phase, where we brought the envisioned concepts to life.
TheÂ
LAYOUTS
03
We built a responsive layout that easily adapted between phone usage and desktop. As always, we build each layout design to be compatible across any browsing device.Â
04
The
RESTAURANTS
04
The
RESTAURANTS
From garden to table: the Reford Gardens proudly boasts two exceptional on-site restaurants that offer delectable dishes crafted with ingredients harvested directly from the gardens.
Le
BUFTON
Located in the main pavilion at the entrance to the Reford Gardens, this bistro-bar offers a dinner menu inspired by the vegetable garden and local flavours. Small plates to share, microbrewery beers, wines from small producers, coffee and homemade pastries.website itself.
