This is just to whet your appetite.... A bunch of us are going out there with in the hour, for dinner, then walk through the gardens. They have been doing a theme of the 12 days of Christmas the past years, adding a new 'day' each year. This year we are at 12. I'll post the pictures later this evening.
And what about someone starting a thread showing Christmas lights and decorations, either of yours, in the area of you, or farvourites.
Linda in Victoria
Christmas at Butchart Gardens
I have friends from here that were looking forward to going to Butchart Gardens last week. They saw it last when it was at 8 so they were excited to see what it would be like at 12. Now that you mention it they were going to take pictures and I haven't seen any. So I hope you took lots and I'm looking forward to seeing them.
That's a great idea to have a thread with Christmas lights and decorations.
Sandy
Have a great time Linda and please download them quickly! :D
Linda, I would imagine it will be absolutely fabulous to see. Looking forward to seeing your pictures..
Have a Great time !!
Be Blessed, Ingrid
You lucky ducky, Linda. Wish we could be touring with you tonight. Enjoy! and post those photos soon.
Linda, we are looking forward to taking mother-in-law again when she comes for Xmas. She has always gone in the summertime, so she will really enjoy the lights and being there at night!!!
Hope you had a great time!!
Glenda
Well, had I known how they were going to turn out, I would've kept my big mouth shut. I am very disappointed in how they turned out. Most are fuzzy, and if you have a penchant for motoin sickness, be fore warned. Sorry folks.
and it was raining...
day 1 partridge in a pear tree
Day 2, two turtle doves
forgot to attach the photo
This message was edited Dec 15, 2004 10:28 PM
day 2
day 3, tree french hens
'french' hen
day 5, five golden rings, on golden pond
OK, so I can't count
Day 4, four calling birds.
one year they had 4 ravens for 4 cawing birds. was quite good.
day 6 six geese a laying.
I have to confess i had the worst time trying to get a picture of these, took over 20, and not one turned out! this is the best of the worst.
Day 7, seven swans a swimming, they were off in the distance, and of course, this is the best of the worst. I was swearing at this point, and realised I needed my tripod, at home, warm and dry.
Day 8, eight maids a milking
This, in my opinion, is the best display. They are about 7' tall, and made to look like ice.
more maids
Day 9, nine ladies dancing
They are on a carousel, and the ladies are all children story heroines.
Day 10, ten lords a leaping
This in my opinion is the worse display, I was giving the guys the gears because they were enjoying it. It was so tacky, I forgot to take a good picture, heres one but you can hardly tell what they are. They have 10 frogs, about 6' tgall, on top of a cedar hedge and they take turns being lifted up on hydralics.
It's a very bad picture, sorry.
day 11, eleven pipers piping. This is also a good display. they each have a different pipe, and the puppets ( I'd spell marryinettes if I knew how) all move by their strings.
more pipers
another piper
another pipette LOL
day 12, twelve drummers drumming. we looked all over for the drummers and couldn't find them, until we were on our way out. They are LED on top of arches over the driveway on the way out. I tried to get a good shot, the hands moved as if they were drumming. By this point I was wet, tired, and was ready to go home. It's the best of the bunch of the drummers.
onto other stuff, fuzzy as well. grrrr
we had dinner in the blue poppy restaruant (sp) and they had a huge lovely tree.
on this tree in the coffee shop, the white decorations are all cyclamen plants. it's lovely in person
This message was edited Dec 16, 2004 12:02 PM
this is probably one of the most photographed part of the gardens, the famed sunken garden
the Ross fountain, in the summer dances, but just changes colours in the winter.
as you come in, they have a brass ensemble playing carols
thet alternate every 30 min with a groups of carolers singing acepella (sp)
One of the things you must do is rub the snout of the brass boar.
and that,
is the quick night Christmas tour of Butcharts Gardens
I hope you made it through all the fuzziness to see the beauty.
Linda in Victoria
echoes
Dec 16, 2004
Thanks for doing all those pictures for us Linda. Certainly the only way I'm going to see it for the next few years.
linda ask santa for a tripod for christmas - you deserve one after that frustration
thanks for the pics
we have a non floral big display here called bright nights - epcor lites up Mayfair(aka Hawrelak) Park and uses it as a fundraiser for the food bank
never have managed to see it as I barely have time to breathe at this time of year but everyone says it is spectacular
Thanks for the lovely pictures, Linda. Even though you were disappointed with the quality, we could tell that it was quite spectacular. Such a lot of lights and festive decorations. The restaurant were you ate looks very nice and the Boar's nose looks like it's had a good deal of rubbing! :). I remember the sunken gardens even though it has been 35 years since I've seen them. I would love see that and the rest of the Gardens in the winter, but probably will never get the chance other than seeing your photos. Thanks for the opportunity. :D
Thank you for posting them for us Linda...it was such a treat to see what Butchart does for the holidays.
Thanks for hanging in there in the rain and letting us see what the gardens are like at Christmas. I doubt I'll ever go there at Christmas as I don't like to drive too far at this time of year. I didn't even know about the display until my friends talked about it and I was curious.