South Island, Butchart Gardens
The Gardens of Vancouver Island
From the delicate cherry blossoms and daffodils of early spring to the magnificent rhododendrons in April and May, vibrant summer perennials to the rich colours of autumn, Vancouver Island is an incomparable destination for garden lovers. Even the winter months hold a special magic as evergreen shrubs and trees take centre stage in a tranquil garden.
Stop and smell the rose garden in Butchart Gardens at the south end of the Island near Victoria, or an ornate garden in Nanaimo or Qualicum beach, where local gardeners have cultivated the perfect arrangement of hybrids and heirlooms.
Victoria is known as the City of Gardens, but the capital city isn’t the only space to experience the hues and aromas of the foreign and native varieties, and Island beauty goes well beyond the delicate flower. Explore the massive cedars and firs in Cathedral Grove in the Alberni Valley; the mountain meadows of Mount Washington and Mount Cain; and the Garry oak ecosystems, native to the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island and named after a deputy governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Natural beauty is found everywhere on Vancouver Island.
