Butchart Gardens - Victoria - British Columbia
At last, WE ARE HERE!!!
Created, and still owned and managed by the Butchart family, the gardens are a national historic site of Canada. With about 600 employees at peak, the gardens are one of the largest employers in the area. Fun facts include:
- A core staff of 16 master gardeners, using 900 species of plants, keep the gardens looking superb throughout the changing seasons of the year. They are assisted by 70 "plant crazy" gardeners on their team.
- In spring more than 300,000 bulbs bloom on site.
- The flower beds in the gardens are planted yearly, with some transitioned up to 5 times in the year. The timing of these plantings is carefully orchestrated to offer gorgeous shows of color to visitors no matter when they are viewing the gardens.
- As of this writing the gardens are 118 years old, still owned and managed by the descendants of the original Butchart's. What a marvelous and deeply respected family inheritance.
It is a pure delight to finally be here. The Butchart Gardens are as lovely as we envisioned. It's early fall, with Autumn's colors delayed due to warm weather. That's too bad on the one hand, but on the other we enjoyed a perfect cool and dry day for our visit.
Enjoy our virtual tour of Butchart Gardens.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
HERE after many years waiting!
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
WATERWHEEL SQUARE - Visitor Center with gift shop, coffee shops and restaurants. During Christmas this becomes an ice skating rink.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
WATERWHEEL SQUARE
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN - a beautiful prelude from the parking area to Waterwheel Square
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
WATERWHEEL SQUARE
Celebrating Autumn
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
WATERWHEEL SQUARE
Celebrating Autumn
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
WATERWHEEL SQUARE
Celebrating Autumn
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
WATERWHEEL SQUARE
Celebrating Autumn
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Leaving WATERWHEEL SQUARE - to the Sunken Garden
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Snail Pond
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Headed to the Sunken Garden - Begonia border
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Piazza, fronting the Butchart's former home.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Looking back...
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Headed to the Sunken Garden.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - Happy to be here at last.
And the work never stops keeping this fantastic place ship shape.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - our only letdown with our visit was the delayed onset of the colors of fall. Our trip was planned to hopefully see Butchart in flaming Autumn color. Mother Nature (and climate change?) had other notions. But then seriously, who could be displeased with THIS?
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - Quarry Lake
Zinnia
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - Quarry Lake
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Fushia
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Fushia
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Hydrangea
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Begonia
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
SUNKEN GARDEN - former limestone quarry which supplied Robert Butchart's cement plant. The beautification of this section of the Butchart lands was the brainchild of Robert Butchart's wife, Jennie. And so the gardens of today began.
Ross Fountain by grandson Ian Ross.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Leaving the Sunken Gardens.
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Lantana
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Penstemon
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL
Butchart Gardens - Victoria BC - October 13, 2022
CHILDREN'S PAVILION - ROSE CAROUSEL