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This Might Just Be The Prettiest Way To Enter The U.S. From Canada

Alexis Nazbravich usually starts her mornings driving from her house in Boissevain, Man., to the International Peace Gardens. But once she steps inside the garden's café to get a coffee, Nazbravich's technically no longer in Canada: she's now inside North Dakota. How is this possible? Well, it's one of the International Peace Garden's quirks.
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Alexis Nazeravich usually starts her mornings driving from her house in Boissevain, Man., to the International Peace Gardens.

Once she passes through the towering metal-framed gates, the garden's horticultural staffer might spend her day pruning or maintaining the grounds in anticipation of the summer bloom.

But once she steps inside the garden's café to get a coffee, Nazeravich's technically no longer in Canada: she's now inside North Dakota. And depending on where she's standing in the garden, she could also be inside two countries at the same time.

How is this possible? Well, it's one of the International Peace Garden's quirks.

The garden functions as a port of entry in and out of Canada and the United States. Canadians coming in from Manitoba can enter to visit a 2,339 acre mixture of shrubs, herbaceous plants and trees, but once they pass a certain point, they're now in the United States. Leaving means entering back into Canada from the U.S., whether it's intended or not.

Thankfully, entry back into Canada doesn't require a passport -- just a driver's license if you're coming straight from the garden, according to their website.

"It's very strange to get used to the security ports but it's a pretty neat thing coming through here and it's almost like you watch the world go by because you have travellers both from Canada and the United States," says Nazeravich.

The idea for a garden shared between Americans and Canadians started back in 1928 after Doctor Henry J Moore, a member of the National Association of Gardeners, wanted to share the "beauty of a living monument to peace." He proposed his plan to the association in 1929 at the University of Toronto and in 1930; the group gave his idea the green light.

It wasn't until 1931 that the Manitoba-North Dakota border was selected by Moore, who chose the area over places like Niagara Falls for its ecology, according to the garden.

"What a sight greeting the eye! Those undulating hills rising out of the limitless Prairies are filled with lakes and streams. On the south of the unrecognizable boundary, wheat everywhere; and on the north, the Manitoba Forest Reserve. What a place for a garden."

Today, the garden's location still offers visitors something special with its unique location.

"It's really beautiful to be surrounded by the wildlife. That's a real bonus. Boissevain is the country, then we're in the forest, then the ridge and now we're in a garden so we've got a nice mix," says Nazeravich.

The Huffington Post Canada Travel made the trip to the International Peace Gardens and toured the area with Alexis for an afternoon. Watch the video above for what to expect once you're inside.

This series is part of the Great Canadian Road Trip. Road transportation made possible thanks to Nissan Canada.

Brian Trinh is the Huffington Post Canada's travel/ video editor. He's currently on a cross-Canada road trip with freelance journalist Talia Ricci. You can follow their adventures here or check out their Twitter and Instagram pages below.

Follow Brian @ProjectBLT and @TalRicci on Twitter or on Instagram here and here

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Great Gardens!

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled the name of Alexis Nazeravich. The story has since been updated. The Huffington Post Canada regrets the error.

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