Up the garden path

In all our travels, my wife and I have rarely seen a garden as beautiful as the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Its awesome panorama and sweep really boggles the mind and it is truly a triumph of immaculate planning, execution and maintenance.

Whichever direction we tok in the garden we came across a multiplicity of colour, a profusion of shades and a richness of visual sensation that was quite overpowering. Aesthetically it was an extremely satisfying experience for us.

Best of all, this profusion of colours running riot is located at what was once an exhausted lime quarry whose lime was earlier used in making Portland cement in Butchart family cement factory. Talk about an innovative way to give back something to the land....

When we visited Victoria, the capital of British Columbia province (itself a beautiful holiday destination) we were repeatedly exhorted to visit Butchart Gardens for a once in a lifetime experience. So, one day we took the Grayline bus from downtown Victoria to the gardens that seem to have inspired everyone!

The buses were double-deckers, reminding us of London’s famous red ones and the distance of 21 km was covered in a jiffy. It was great travelling on the upper level of the bus as it afforded a bird’s eye view of the picturesque Canadian countryside!

The bus deposited us inside the main gate of the Gardens, in a crowded parking lot with a medley of cars and trucks. From that main entrance I felt transported into a different world. The green shrubs and the profusion of flowers were the early hints of what was to come.

As this garden is laid out over an excavated quarry site its topography is neither on level land nor straight. As a result, we ran into unexpected turns and corners which, time and again, open up a different view of the gardens. At every nook and corner we were surprised by the vista.

The gardens are spread over nearly 60 acres of land and although the whole area is a huge garden it’s subdivided into four broad sub-areas, each with its distinct topography and nature. There were terraced gardens, some sunken gardens and a few level gardens. These breaks in the topography enhanced the aesthetic beauty of the place.

Since they are separate, each of the four gardens has to be viewed separately. And we were never prepared for the next level or experience. Therefore each garden came as a complete surprise.

Meandering along the gravel path on the twisting promenade, there is always something unexpected: the magnificent Rose Garden, with row after row of prized blooms, and then the Sunken Garden, which is actually sunken — down hundreds of feet down, with each terrace a work of art. Viewed from above it’s a profusion of floral exuberance.

It all started when Mr Butchart settled in Victoria for rest and repose. At that time, though, Victoria was undergoing a great construction boom so being a canny businessman he put up a cement plant for the demand. But when his lime quarry was exhausted he abandoned it, leaving ugly pits. As it was near their house it became an eyesore. It was to hide it that his enterprising wife, Jennie thought of this innovative solution.

From nearby farmland she brought thousands of tons of top soil by horse and cart to line the floor of the abandoned quarry. Starting in 1904, under Jennie Butchart’s personal supervision, the abandoned quarry bloomed as the spectacular Sunken Garden. The rest is history! Or shall we say, beauty?

Summer is the best time for the gardens and during that time it stays open till 10.30pm. Also at this time there are fireworks every Saturday. Since the gardens are massive, and the walks long, there are thoughtful sitting arrangements along the pathways. Coffee and refreshments are also available all over. There are even umbrellas at various places for protection from rain — and sun! But they have to be returned after the visit!

At the refreshment centre they serve not only snacks but sell flower seeds as well! Not to mention Butchart Garden brochures in all the major languages of the world — even in Hindi!

Finally, consider the amazing commercial aspect of this family owned enterprise. With a million paying visitors coming each year, the annual entrance takings amount to about Canadian $15,000,000! Add to that revenues from hospitality, souvenirs and branded flower seeds, it’s really beauty with business!

By converting an exhausted lime quarry into the garden Jennie Butchart ended up creating a permament source of income for her family for the past 100 years!