National Historic Site of Canada – Butchart Gardens are stunning in their splendor and annually delight the eyes of millions of visitors.
The gardens are located on the vast territory of Vancouver Island. Words cannot describe all the charm and magic of the colorful fragrant flower beds, green lawns, fountains, murmuring streams and branchy trees. All that remains is admiration and an indescribable feeling of fabulous beauty.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Butchart family of industrialists, on the site of a worked-out quarry, the limestone from which was used in the production of cement, laid out the “Sunken” garden. Fertile soil was imported from nearby lands, the bottom of the quarry was leveled and prepared for a garden. For its arrangement, the Japanese master of landscape art Isaburo Kishido was invited. The designer, in the best traditions of the Land of the Rising Sun, in addition to herbs, flowers and trees, used stones and water to create a harmonious landscape composition. The garden turned out to be so exquisite and magnificent that people from all over the country came to admire its beauties.
Later, an Italian garden was arranged on the site of the tennis court, and the vegetable gardens were replaced with Pink flower beds. About 22 hectares of land are covered with roses of different varieties collected from all over the world. Strong aromas of tea rose bushes and other types of roses spread throughout the flower garden.
Multi-tiered cascading waterfalls, fountains skillfully decorated with sculptural compositions, closed reservoirs of various shapes and streams with bridges, winding paths and winding stairs organically complement the colorful plant landscape. Visitors love the wonderful Ross Fountain and the spectacular Fountain of Three Sturgeons. The spot of a bronze sculpture of a wild boar was rubbed to a shine by visitors, from the mouth of which water flows. The bronze boar is a copy of a sculpture created by the medieval Italian master Pietro Tacca. From the horns of sculptures of snails (“Pond of Snails”) thin streams of water beat.
Contributed to the design of gardens and husband Jenny Butchart.
Robert Pym Butchart brought ornamental birds from all over the world, kept ducks in the Star Pond, and released bawling peacocks with chic tails onto the lawns. Pigeon training was his main hobby, and in the trees he hung many birdhouses for feathered singers.
The Butchart Garden is home to millions of species of flowers, shrubs and trees. Lavender is adjacent to gerberas and oriental thuja, hanging roses – to tulips and pink lotuses, cherry blossoms to dahlias. You can admire the picturesque views both during the day and in the evening, when the backlight turns on.
Jenny’s followers grandson Jan Ross and his wife Ann Lee Ross opened a cafe in the greenhouse, which later grew into a restaurant and a shop for souvenirs and seeds. You can visit the garden in any season, as both winter and summer there is something to see and admire. During the Christmas holidays, the entire area shines with colorful lights, creating a sense of wonder. An outdoor skating rink is being set up in Waterville Square for figure skating enthusiasts.
For kids, there is a children’s pavilion and the Rose carousel with hand-carved animals and chariots.
Children love to spin around, sitting in the saddles of wooden horses, zebras and reindeer, and adults willingly go to the wrought iron “Wishing Well” to make their innermost desires near it.
As a reminder of the past of the limestone quarry and business of the Butcharts, a tall kiln remains, and houses for exotic birds built for the collection of Robert Butchart remind of their first owner. The gardens, which celebrated their 100th anniversary and were recognized as a National Historic Landmark of Canada in 2004, are considered one of the main attractions of the country. They still belong to the descendants of the talented Jenny and Robert Butchart, who created an extraordinary wonder of nature, stunning in its amazing beauty.