VICTORIA IN SPRING 2026

BUTCHART GARDENS

A National historic site of Canada. Over 100 years in Bloom as they say.

Birthdays come and go as do the birthday gifts. But some gifts are meant to be shared with others. This was the year Lilo and Carol both had gifts for sharing and so they did.....

Lilo received Butchart Gardens entrance gift cards and so we went down island as they say, to Victoria, the city most know Vancouver Island for. It has less than 100,000 people but the sprawling metropolis is over 400,000 souls.

The drive to Victoria is scenic with ocean views coming and going. Small adorable towns like Parksville, Ladysmith and Duncan are passed through. Then the Malahat section of curves, and trees and narrow roads surrounded by rock walls and warning signs of rocks on the road. The Drive once in the town of "Victoria" is stop and go, buildings on both sides of the road, people walking in all directions, shops open displaying signs of sales permanently fixed to their windows. Even though it is slow going and cars with tourists in various rental vehicles unsure of where they are going, constantly changing lanes, there is very little horn honking or yelling from car windows happening. The cherry blossoms are out and everyone is gawking.

The gardens were crowded. It did help that the weather was spectacular, the sky was blue and the sun was bright in the sky. A picture perfect time to be in the gardens, by the Ocean, or even just outside and it was the start of tourist season. This is the place all tourists visit on the Island. Pitty they miss the best part of the island. Milner woodland gardens in Parksville IMHO is much nicer, less visited, quieter and more my style but luckily for everyone, most people are not like me.

The gardens cover 22 Hectares or 55 acres of land. Jennie Butchart started it over 100 years ago in an old worked out limestone quarry for her husbands Portland cement plant. The couple travelled around the world collecting shrubs, trees and flowers. Just try that today and you will be pulled from the airport immigration line up and all plants destroyed!

Daffodils were everywhere, tis the season

There were many, many varieties of daffodils (Narcissus) a very popular spring blooming perennial in the amaryllis family. They symbolize rebirth and new beginnings and hope. To me, they are the first sign of spring and resillience as they push through the cold winter soil showing inner strength. I love finding one lonely daffodil in the ravines, a forgotten squirrel hideaway. That always makes me smile.

So many kinds of daffodils here, many look beautiful, some quite smart and some like they just woke up with a bad hair day.

Hyacinth

One could smell the hyacinth all over the gardens, the fragrance was intoxicating. I believe the dark blue ones had the most potent perfume.

What? They are part of the asparagus family? No asparagus I have eaten smell that good.

The greek mythologists tell a typically horrific story of the Spartan prince named Hyacinthus, Apollos favored companion, who was struck in the head with a discus killing him and Apollo created the hyacinth flower from his spilled blood. Hmmmm.

Ross Fountain

The Fountain was built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Gardens. It is enclosed by a ring of evergreen trees and overlooks the sunken garden.

The Spring plants at Butchart include 180,000 biennials, 300,000 bulbs, 92 varieties of Narcissus, 191 varieties of Tulips, 88 other spring bulbs such as Hyacinthus, Crocus, Scilla and Fritillaria. There are over 50 varieties of Iris, 280 varieties of Rhododendron and 2000 shrubs. Each season things change.

I could not find this tulip variety in their plant guide but with so many varieties of plants I suppose they cannot have them all in the plant guide they hand out.

Dragon Fountain near the concert stage

The dragon Fountain is a two meter high and three meter long bronze sculpture and granite base, a gift from the People's Republic of China in 2015. It is placed near the rose garden and the Japanese/Asian garden areas.

Butchart Cove

High Tea at the Empress Hotel

This is the most Iconic Afternoon Tea, held at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. a tradition since 1908 that continues today. Now though, you can get a gluten free high tea, that is what Jason gave me for my birthday. We loved this quintessential Victoria tradition.

I had a gift card for High Tea at the Empress for my birthday.

Lilo and I celebrating our respective birthdays.

Timer for tea for everyones taste.

Then to shop.......

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse