Garden inspiration

Butchart sunken garden pano

Here’s the chief reason for our recent visit to Victoria: The Butchart Gardens. We’d never been there in spring and I was longing for tulips, lots of tulips. After winter’s grey palette, Butchart was an explosive celebration of spring.

Butchart colorful pond

The Butchart Gardens are 55 acres reclaimed from a limestone quarry and are designated a National Historic Site of Canada. They are the result of over 100 years of loving care and stunning design. The Sunken Garden I’m showing you today starts with a lookout (in the top photo). Ponds reflect some of the spectacular rhododendrons, willows, and other foliage in the shot above.

Butchart layers

The gardens have paths that wind through beds planted with masses of flowers. In spring it’s daffodils, tulips, fragrant hyacinths, forget-me-nots, and more. Beautifully shaped trees and larger shrubs complete the picture.

I think I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite places in the world. I’ll show you more of these incomparable gardens in the coming days.

7 thoughts on “Garden inspiration”

  1. That place is absolutely spectacular! I can’t think of another place to compare it to. And your photos are beautiful.

    Sorry if I confused you. I do that to a lot of people. Including myself. So glad you’re having a fun trip!

  2. Better than any postcard. That is a whole nursery catalog, live and in person. What a great getaway,

Comments are closed.