Things to Do In Victoria B.C Canada: Butchart Gardens

Everybody that goes to Vancouver to visit endswith country of origin and year selected b the
up going to Victoria on Vancouver Island. It is aAmerican Rose Society. The path curves though
great place to go with lots of history. And theand open pergola, the arches covered with
best thing to see and do in Victoria is Butchartclimbing and arbour roses, and leads to the
Gardens.Sturgeon Fountain.
If you like flowers, you will love this place. It isThe Sunken Garden is also breathtaking. If you
simply amazing. It is the best flower garden Isee any postcard of Victoria, and it has a picture
have even been to. It has more roses thanof a garden on it, it will be of the Sunken Garden.
several of the worlds best known rose gardens.And the garden is even more beautiful in person
It has flowers of all types, of different climates,than in the postcards.
and they are all beautiful. Of course when weMy husband is not a big garden person. And he
went they were all in bloom. The best time to gowas kind of wondering why we were paying so
is in the summer months of June- August.much to go see a garden. But when he got inside
Covering 55 acres, Butchart Gardens began withhe fell in love with the place as well. If we had the
an idea by Jeannie Butchart to beautify atime we would have spent all day there.
worked-out limestone quarry which had suppliedInside the actual Butchart Gardens you cannot sit
her husbands nearby cement plant. Through theor walk on the grass. But right outside where the
skillful mixture of rare and exotic shrubs, trees,parking is there are the Mediterranean Garden and
and flowers, often personally collected by thehere you can sit and picnic on the grass or play
Butcharts during their world travels, the nowFrisbee or whatever. There is even plenty of
famous Sunken Garden was created. Whatshade to relax for a nap.
started as a hobby and one garden grew into theDuring July and August they even have nightly
Japanese, Rose and Italian gardens. By the 1920sfireworks displays that attract thousands of locals.
more than 50 thousand people came every year.You can sit on the lawn close to the Concert
Now, over a million people visit the gardens everyStage and enjoy classical musical concerts during
year.the day and fireworks at night. After dusk the
My favorite was the Rose garden. A short walkgardens are illuminated by hidden lights that
through traditional perennial borders, covered bytransform them into something else entirely. You
rose arches, leads to a frog fountain and to thehave to see it for yourself to understand what I
right, a wishing-well of Italian wrought-iron. Youam talking about.
then wander the garden with its lawn surroundedIf you are in Vancouver, do yourself a favor and
by dwarf boxwood hedges and a flagstone walk.get to Butchart Gardens. You will remember it for
Many varieties of Hybrid Tea Roses are markedthe rest of your life.