A botanical garden should be more than a repository of plants: it should be a place for people to enjoy the natural world and to participate in learning and research. The creators of the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens at Acadia University understood this, giving students a building and gardens for both quiet relaxation and study. The Centre and Gardens took nearly three years to research and design, and a further two years to build. Now, twenty years after completion, the Centre and Gardens are maturing, and being nurtured by a dedicated team for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Landscape architect Alex Novell and architectural historian John Leroux tell the story of the design, construction, and features of the Centre and Gardens at Acadia. Lavishly illustrated with full-colour images, A Natural Balance is both an indispensable book for anyone interested in the plants and trees of the Acadian forest and a visual record of a spectacular instance of North American collegiate architecture.