Butchart Gardens

it’s pretty, but not all that great
you’re better off going to a botanical garden

I love the sunken garden the most, but found the japanese garden a tad smaller than I had heard about, but it was a lovely day out.. and the icecream was awesome from the cafe..

First stop on Vancouver Island was Butchart Gardens. Jennie Butchart started the gardens in 1904 in the Limestone quarry that her husband had excavated near their house. She brought in topsoil from nearby farmlands to line the floor of the quarry and then planted a variety of trees and plants to create the first of the gardens, the Sunken Garden. Later they added the Japanese Garden, the Italian Garden and the Rose Garden. The gardens are beautiful and well worth a visit. Once again the autumn (fall) colours were predominant. The flaming red Japanese Maple tree was my favourite tree. I also rubbed the nose of the boar; it’s just like the one outside Sydney Hospital. Now I just have to visit the one in Italy.

Watch out for large gaggles of non-English speaking Asians. You will be stuck in one spot for a good five minutes at least.

...and still remember it as an amazing and beautiful place. Very serene and memorable.

I guess this is what Heaven would look like. You cannot believe your eyes when you see these huge , perfectly kept gardens of absolutely gorgeous flowers. At least in the 1960’s they looked perfect!!

I could have spent much more time there than I was able to. The roses were in bloom and the fragrances were heavenly. I didn’t get to stay for the evening when they light up the gardens but still… it was beautiful.

They have music there in the evenings. I sat and listened to an orchestra. I loved it.

The place itself was nice, but getting there and the price for the ticket… wow!

Yes it’s a bit of a drive, yes its not free, but it is definately worth it. Butchart Garden’s is a landscaper’s dream. There are more areas to the garden than you can count, incredible flowers year round, and great lighting and fireworks at night.

It’s Victoria’s classic tourist trap; a nice enough place, I suppose, but there are plenty better places to visit in the Victoria area. The exception is during Christmas, when they have the light display, which is pretty amazing.

Instead, I recommend that you save your money and go for a walk in Goldstream Park or see Hatley Castle (which has a forest and some perhaps less impressive, but still very nice, gardens).