Victoria, BC

So we made it across on the ferry to Victoria and slept well after a good evening playing scrabble, doing the blog on the passage, searching the Internet for information on the Butchart Gardens. So we woke up and actually found the gardens converting miles-per-hour to kilometers-per-hour and made it to the gardens by 9:15am right at opening time.


We found this marker at our first stop...


... the sunken gardens area. This a area of the gardens was built on an old rock quarry. We were right behind the Japanese tourist group that arrived at the same time we did.


The previous picture and this one was taken from the upper rim of the gardens.


After going to the lower level we walked to the far end and saw the fountain in full bloom.


Down in the sunken garden they had just planted sever rows of flowers just about to bloom at the feet of a beautiful statue.


Back on top above the Amphitheater was a really nice totem pole.


Then looking back from the totem pole was the lawn and amphitheater.


Well this is a gardens area so I better show some flowers. The columbine was sweet and the poppy was bold.


Next to the amphitheater was a magnificent row of trees with flower skirts.


I looked through the flower guide book but couldn't find this one but it posed nicely.


I really liked the lady bug sitting inside the post-bloom flower

One of my favorites a blue Iris.


And some yellow and blue Isis plants.


We then made it over to their Japanese Gardens area and a very cool octopus looking tree.


The Himalyan Blue Poppy (Meconopsis) was a favorite of both Sharyn and I. We later ate at an eatery in the gardens called the Blue Poppy.


A very short walk at the far end of the Japanese garden led to Butchart Cove. It was a lovely spot to rest after a long walk. It was like a gardeners version of a half-time break.


Sharyn liked the white boat on the right.


Back in the Japanese garden and there were bridges all over.


There was something of interest at every turn of the walk.


A wonderfully cool place on a warm day.


Aside from the bridges there were little waterfalls all over.


And little ponds like this one with cranes much like the cranes at Shore Acres State Park in Oregon. These cranes were about half the size of their Oregon cousins.


Looking back over the Japanese gardens from the Star Pond you can see Butchart cove in the distance.


Star pond had six frog fountains and a was shaped like an eight pointed star.


This may look like a doorway into a building but its an arbor and the walls are shaped bushes.


I liked the informality of these white tulips just outside the Blue Poppy Cafe.


I also liked this towering wisteria growing on a long pole.


I loved the glass smooth waterfall and the flower display they put together for us tourist types.


It looks like this bronze gardener has his work cut out for him on this little bush...


...and the bronze fisherman won't find many fish in the little pond.


All the flowers are not in the ground and there are hanging baskets and pots in many spots...


... keeping the real life gardeners busy.


Scrabble Score ~ Scrabble Queen 312 ~ The Contender 303

Quote of the Day ~

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us." ~ Joseph Campbell (Writer and Educator)