Friday, August 7, 2009

The Butchart Gardens

30-minutes away from the downtown of Victoria, British Columbia is The Butchart Gardens. Located in Brentwood Bay, a million visitors make time for the gardens that has a variety of display that changes all year round depending on the season. The 55-acres of land that comprised the gardens was once home to Butchart family - Robert Pim and Jennie Butchart way back since 1904 when they moved in for limestone quarrying. My visit here was part of a package I bought to go around Victoria, BC so I did not have to deal with finding a transportation to go to the gardens nor buying a ticket from downtown.


First thing that I noticed when I entered the park was the Waterwheel Square. Lots of places to sit down and relax, this usually served as waiting and meet-up area for bigger groups.


Everywhere you look flowers are everywhere. The gardens boasts obviously for these plants and flowers that you will endear for you will literally filled surrounded by them and whatever direction you fave you will glance more as far as your eye can see.


A few minutes walk and I stumbled upon Rose Garden. Originally the location was a vegetable garden of the Butchart family.


Grown here are around 6000+ rose plants of different varieties that amazes visitors.


At the other side of the gardens is a wharf where Butchart Cove, an opening to the Brentwood Bay can be seen.


The Japanese Garden is the first garden created in The Buchart Gardens.


The garden is a perfect set of peace and tranquility. Ornamental plants perfectly placed along the shaded pathways makes it a lovely setting to walk along and stroll.


Right before the Italian Garden is the Star Pond, which once served as a duck pond.


A tennis court was once in the place of where Italian Garden is today. Now the garden


flowers in Italian Garden


me


hanging flowers


Sunken Garden is one of the most beautiful places for me inside The Butchart Gardens. It was built on an abandoned quarry when it closed down in 1916 and is obviously today one of the center of attractions in the gardens.


flowers in Sunken Garden


From the Sunken Garden, one can view the Ross Fountain across the lake. Named after Ian Ross whom the Butcharts passed over the gardens to, the fountain was built in 1964 and is illuminated at night time.


Concert Lawn and Stage


totem poles


Plant beddings, near the totem poles. It seems that this area serves as incubation for the plants before transferring them to the gardens.


heated Show Greenhouse


back in Waterwheel Square


I've only spent a couple of hours in the gardens because of limited time. I highly suggest people visiting here to allocate and spend at least half day and just relax while browsing through and smelling the scent of the surroundings.

4 comments:

Shelyn said...

Wow... 6000+ roses, amazing! What a beautiful place to visit. It would be better if you can post your photos bigger so that I can see the place clearer :-)

aceychan said...

pretty place! so dreamy!

RennyBA said...

I just love places like this, so thanks for taking us with. Watching the pics, I felt I was there:-)

Hope one day you are able to visit The Botanical Garden in Oslo, Norway.

The Nomadic Pinoy said...

Been to this garden before and truly find it very captivating even if I don't posses a green thumb.