at Victoria's iconic Butchart Gardens.
We drove in our own cars and were directed to park in the bus parking lot, then proceeded through to a dedicated entrance and were informed of the strict instructions on social distancing.
We were told of the modified safety protocols...one way walking, one bathroom building open, the coffee shop open for take out and there was a gelato stand in the Italian Garden.
Tulip mania!
Thousands of tulips were in bloom throughout the gardens.
Clever camouflage
beds were underplanted using filler plants.
Forget-Me-Nots
blue, white and pinks
accented various shades of the tulip varieties.
Wisteria
The Sunken Garden
Droopy apricot tulips
Azalea with an intoxicating and heady fragrance.
Could be the Rothschild variety.
Frilly edged tulips
Iris in a brilliant and bold blue.
Three Sturgeon Fountain with Osteospermums.
also lining the edges of the water feature in the Italian Garden.
Cheerful pansy faces in a planter.
The walk was absolutely divine!
We plan to go each week and see the garden as it changes through the summer season.
Hope that there will be other local gardens opening up soon.
I plan to share lots of garden images from our wee plot and the larger open gardens of Victoria.
Hope that you enjoyed the garden tour!
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~
Absolutely beautiful! I have visited Butchart a few times and would be happy to see it many more. And it is where I first saw - and smelled - a chocolate cosmos. Enjoy your weekly visits. I envy you the opportunity to do that.
ReplyDeleteOh I had a chocolate cosmos plant a long time ago! I love the blue poppies that grow at the gardens. So delicate and unusual. Visitors are treated to a glorious array of floral beauty...no wonder we return often!
DeleteThank you so very much! What a jewel you have.
ReplyDeleteI hope the gardens are able to stay busy as they rely on tourists so much. I think it’s up to the locals to support them during this pandemic.
DeleteThank you so much. This was both beautiful and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteJeannine the tulips are gradually fading and I am most curious what the gardeners will plant next! Stay tuned fir more floral displays!
DeleteOh, my gosh, that was wonderful, L! I haven't been to Butchart's in ages - it has to be at least 20 years! My grandmother's family knew the Butchart family - my grandmother used to row over to their dock and hang out with Jenny Butchart.
ReplyDeleteOh my that’s a great family connection! The setting on Tod Inlet is incredibly beautiful...I can only imagine how wonderful it would have been to watch Jenny create her gardens.
DeleteWe were at Butchart late September 2016 and it was gorgeous in the early fall. How wonderful to see it in its Springtime blossoms. Thanks you for your lovely photos and the memories it brought to mind. Diane in Michigan
ReplyDeleteDiane I am happy to share these spring snippets from Butchart Gardens with you! I hope they have brightened your day!
DeleteThanks for bringing us along on your wonderful garden walk!!! We can't have too many gorgeous flower pictures. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteFlowers are like precious jewels to me! I never tire of seeing lovely blooms and frequently share them here on my blog. Hope you stay well.
DeleteLucky, lucky you. It is so amazingly beautiful there.
ReplyDeleteWe are most fortunate to be able to visit on a regular basis. Do you ever visit Huntington Gardens? We were there years ago and I loved seeing the home and gardens.
DeleteThose gardens are so beautiful. I wish I could go there again and enjoy them, but that is not going to happen but I am grateful that we were there in 2007 and had a wonderful afternoon. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMemories of happier times can elevate and sustain us through these challenging days. I am remembering my trips to Italy and France, feeling grateful that I went when the world was a safer place.
DeleteOh .... Just Beautiful !
ReplyDeleteIt’s like the gardeners are gifted painters! Such pretty combinations of colours and form. Very well planned for our enjoyment.
DeleteSuch beautiful vibrant colours to help lift our spirits on this damp, grey day. Thanks for sharing, Leslie. 😘😘😘
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed viewing the images Sonya...happy birthday to you! I hope you get to celebrate with your beloved family!
DeleteI'm glad that the gardens are open to be appreciated. I have not been there for a long time.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful.
When life gets back to a near normal you must hop on the ferry and have a wander about at the gardens! Is Van Dusen opening up soon? Another gorgeous garden perfect for a walk and floral inspiration.
DeleteI enjoyed the tour of the garden immensely. That wisteria tree was amazing. Here in the Midwest USA I have only seen it as vines. On old plants the vines are very thick around, but still in vine form. I'd love to have a wisteria tree in my yard.
ReplyDeleteWisteria is so pretty! I like it a lot but our garden is far too small to accommodate its growth habits! I will have to be content to admire it from afar.
DeleteBeautiful pictures and wonderful colour. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome Christy!
DeleteThank you for the lovely tour of Butchart Gardens. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGlad you decided to come along on the tour...I hope to take us all on a tour of Abkhazi Gardens soon.
DeleteLucky you. Such a beautiful place, and stunning colours, and your photos are gorgeous. My favourite garden centre is open, but only for purchasing plants and shrubs, no shop, no restaurant, not even the toilets.
ReplyDeleteMost of our local garden centres are open or in the stages of reopening. No food service or bathrooms in those centres either...there has been long line ups to get in and so I have avoided going to the bigger centres. I may have to go soon as we have two raised beds ready for planting veggies.
DeleteThose wonderful memories can transport us back in time. My mom lived Butchart Gardens and one tear my sister, daughter and I took mom there for tea in the dining room, an experience I will never forget.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear the images of the gardens made you feel happy!
Such a wonderful place to visit. We took a trip there in 2000 and it was so beautiful. thanks for the pictures.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place. I had an opportunity to visit Butchart Gardens when I was in Victoria in 2010 but I didn't. Now I deeply regret I missed seeing it. Thank you for the lovely pictures.
ReplyDelete