▁Festival , ▁an ▁annual ▁event ▁held ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁that ▁has ▁been ▁acc laimed ▁by ▁critics ▁and ▁garden ▁writers ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁premier ▁garden ▁design ▁events ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁The ▁Gard ens ▁have ▁also ▁become ▁a ▁leader ▁in ▁nature ▁conservation , ▁undert aking ▁the ▁pres ervation ▁of ▁tract s ▁of ▁land ▁along ▁the ▁St . ▁Lawrence ▁River ▁and ▁creating ▁an ▁e colog ical ▁park ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁Met is ▁River ▁that ▁opened ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁Alexander ▁Re ford ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Tour ism ▁Commission ▁where ▁he ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁representative ▁of ▁the ▁small ▁and ▁medium - s ized ▁enter pr ises ▁from ▁Quebec . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁tour istique ▁rég ionale ▁de ▁la ▁G asp ésie . ▁He ▁is ▁involved ▁in ▁various ▁organizations ▁involved ▁in ▁gard ens , ▁tour ism , ▁historic ▁pres ervation ▁and ▁culture ▁and ▁is ▁an ▁active ▁volunte er ▁in ▁Quebec ' s ▁Lower ▁St . ▁Lawrence / G asp ésie ▁region ▁where ▁he ▁lives . ▁ ▁Publications ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁written ▁numerous ▁books ▁and ▁articles . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁frequent ▁contrib utor ▁to ▁the ▁Dictionary ▁of ▁Canadian ▁Biography ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁the ▁bi ograph ies ▁of ▁Lord ▁Mount ▁Stephen ▁and ▁Lord ▁Str ath con a ▁and ▁his ▁great ▁great ▁grand f athers , ▁Robert ▁Me igh en ▁and ▁Robert ▁Re ford . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁book , ▁Des ▁j