Our first stop after getting off the ferry (where the border patrol confiscated our turkey sandwich due to Bird Flu in the US) was The Butchart Gardens. Jennie Butchart (click on the link to learn more) turned a depleted quarry into a garden wonderland that has existed for over 100 years.
Before we left the parking lot the beauty began.
This white tulip surrounded by the blue hyacinths and forget-me-nots is my favorite.
Hybrids – they remind me of little flames.
The path from the main entrance takes you to an overlook where you can gaze out over what was the bottom of the quarry before Mrs. Butchart took on the challenge of changing an empty hole into a world renowned botanical garden.
Parrot tulips were all over the gardens.
This was one of two totems created by the Tsartlip and Tsawout First Nations and was installed in 2004 as part of the 100 year anniversary of the gardens. Note the eagle, otter, beaver and clam.
I like the shadow on the soft grass (I really wanted to lie down on it).
To the right in the back of the photo is the stage where all kinds of performances take place during the warm weather.
Lovely trees and shadows and giant red cedars.
The arbors were made of Portland Cement (what the quarry produced).
The Japanese garden had specimen trees and tiny waterfalls flowing under pagodas.
The sea comes in to meet the gardens. There are boat excursion tours if you can tear yourself away from the gardens.
Magnolia in bloom. Fortunately, for our one day visit, there was practically no wind, allowing for almost no blur in the photos.
The light through the Japanese Maple was magical. More on Victoria in the next post.
from egghill 
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