Louis Rinfret

Louis Rinfret has always been fascinated by everything related to nature. He first studied flute at the Quebec Conservatory of Music before shifting his artistic talents to horticulture. He began his career in horticulture at the Montreal botanical Garden in 1993 after obtaining a diploma in ornamental horticulture at the Montreal Botanical Garden’s School of Horticulture. A specialized horticulturist who has managed the Japanese Garden since 1997, Louis Rinfret is in charge of the maintenance and evolution of this magnificent garden that brings horticulture and Japanese culture together. In 2001 he took part in a seminar on Japanese gardens at the University of Kyoto’s Faculty of Art and Design, and then went training under the supervision of Mr. Naoe Suzuki from Gen Teien Ltd, a Japanese landscaping company located in Numazu in Japan’s Shizuoka prefecture. During his stay in Japan he also worked in the Chiba area alongside Mr. Kazuo Mitsuhashi, a renowned master of Japanese gardens. Louis Rinfret is one of the founding members of the North American Japanese Garden Association (NAJGA). He was a member of the association’s administrative committee from 2010 to 2021.