Join me for a tour of Beautiful Butchart Gardens...

This week three of us met up on a sunny afternoon for a lovely walk
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 ~

Smitten by a scarf...and a spring cleanse.

Have you ever seen something beautiful in a shop that caught your fancy?

Something that was a tad expensive so you left it behind...

Yet something so pretty that you started dreaming about it?

I had this exact thing happen to me.

My friend H and I walk at Butchart Gardens as we have annual memberships. We plan a walk once a month and have tea or lunch when we are there.

One benefit of having an annual membership are the discounts available in the gift, coffee shop and restaurants.

The item that I had been lusting after was a scarf
this beauty might possibly be going home with me...

I just had to make sure that I still felt the same passion
upon seeing it a second time.

Whisper soft bamboo

watercolour effects

wearable art

Beautiful colours

Design 

 "The Sunken Gardens"

exclusive to Butchart Gardens

I plan to wear this a lot this Spring and it will come to Europe with me.

I have a khaki Eileen Fisher jacket that it will pair well with and because it is so soft it will be cozy on the plane.

Our weather has been amazing this past weekend 

it continues to be warm and sunny.

Perfect weather for walking and beach combing.

Plans are in the works for eating more mindfully after the winter.

A Spring cleanse...

more fresh veggies and fruits.

Weight watching has been a battle that I have not won this past year.

Interrupted sleep patterns,

Emotional eating and stress have all been factors.

My goal is to start back slowly

by setting attainable goals of 5 pounds at a time.

With the sunshine and light,

warmer weather 

walking longer will be easier.

Cutting out "comfort foods" 

(those dishes that I crave during the winter!)

Fresh veggies are starting to become available at the local Farmer's Markets.

It's salad season again!

Opting for meals with fish and lean protein and drinking lots of water...

will write down my point count as that really helps me be more mindful 

of what and how much I am eating.

Must close for now and get outside for my walk!

Until next time...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~