Buchart Gardens, etc.

In May, DH, DD, and I went to British Columbia and I thought I would share some pictures of our trip.

Here I am with my 2 daughters outside the Empress Hotel in Victoria - note the beautiful garden beds.

Here is the entrance to the gardens. They were originally part of a limestone quarry - then later developed into these amazing gardens starting in the early 1900s

I had never before been to the Gardens in the spring. It was amazing!

Part of the front entrance . . . .

Looking down into the bottom of the quarry

Another view looking at the bottom of the quarry.

Some of the 50+ gardeners that tend to the gardens. Note: The only visible dirt is the edge around each garden. Each garden is planted so densely you cannot see the soil! Each garden is slightly raised above the level of the lawn to allow for drainage. Although the gardens are planted on the lee side of Vancouver Island, they still get a lot of rain.

Here white tulips are underplanted with English daisies. In the background are blue cineraria (spelling?)

Another shot of the blue cineraria.

White tulips underplanted with forget-me-nots

Another view showing the sweep of the gardens.

The pond

Another shot of the pond

The fountain - honestly, the picture doesn't do the flowers justice. The tulips were actually glowing!

red tulips and white English daisies

A better shot of the fountain

looking down and across the lawns

The staircase up to the entrance level

Another view looking down into the gardens

Beautiful pictures, Michaela, and now we know where you were all that time! (We knew, we just missed you.)

Carrie

Thanks Carrie -here are some more pictures (I was temporarily waylaid by a neighbour arranging for DD to care for her cat next weekend)

more tulips with forget-me-nots

That's me at the top of the look-out in the centre of the quarry.

This picture really doesn't do the flower bed justice - there are tall orange tulips, short yellow tulips and forget-me-nots

Local native art

Follow the grey brick road!

Again, the picture doesn't really show how beautiful this garden is . . . In the foreground there are short pink tulips, short burgandy tulips, and tall white tulips underplanted with forget-me-nots.

Then pink and white English daisies underplant pink tulips that grow under the flowering crabapple trees.

This picture was taken to show me how the underplanting was done. Obviously the tulips are planted further apart than usually recommended

Obviously, the rose garden was not in bloom in mid-May. The rose garden is the only garden where the plants are labeled. But the gardeners did decorate with huge hanging baskets of pansies.

These arbours will be covered with rose blossoms by July

pale pink short tulilps, tall purple tulips, underplanted with white forget-me-nots

The stugeon fountaini

The Japanese Garden

stepping stones in the Japanese Garden

Hi all. Popping in from the RM group to take your tour as haven't been to Butchart for quite some time. Luvly pics Seandor. Thanks.

A purposely made hole in the hedge to frame a view of the ocean beyond the gardens

Thanks dahlianut!

Here is another shot of the Japanese garden

multiple terraces of bulbs

Can you imagine planting all these millions of bulbs?????

The star garden

Entering the Italian garden