What happens when a Canadian botanic garden receives a $25 million gift from His Highness the Aga Khan? Conceived as a collaboration between the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, University of Alberta, and Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, the resulting design transplants elements of historic Islamic garden design into a Zone 3 climate. The 11.8 acre Aga Khan Garden Alberta (AKGA) will also feature a wetland reclamation area with plants that can be studied and used in landscapes affected by the oil sands industry. This case study will provide insight into a process resulting in a contemporary garden that responds to the social and environmental needs of the community.