Although my father hoped I would take over his grain supply business in Quebec City, I
had other plans. I was only 16 when I decided to join the Christian Brothers religious
order. My health was weakened by tuberculosis, but I was determined to devote my life
to teaching and botany (the study of plants). I took a great interest in wild flowers, and
spent many years studying them on expeditions along the shores of the St. Lawrence
River and through the beautiful Quebec countryside.
In 1920 the Université de Montréal made me a professor in its new department of
botany. When I arrived, I found only three students, no desks, no classroom, no
laboratory, and no equipment! That didn't discourage me. Within two years I
established the Botanical Institute, which soon became one of the best natural sciences
laboratories of its kind. I was also making a name for myself as the discoverer of many
new plant varieties.
In 1935, after 25 years of hard work, I published Flore laurentienne – 917 pages filled
with 2,800 illustrations – which is still an important guide to the plant life of Quebec. Two
years later, in 1937, I saw another of my dreams realized when Montréal's Botanical
Garden opened its doors. Today, the garden, which is located across the street from the
Olympic Stadium, attracts thousands of visitors who, like me, want to experience the
beauty of plants from around the world
