Breathtakingly Beautiful: Butchart Gardens
By Donita Brannon
LBy Donita Brannon
Let’s face it: our summer heat can become really oppressive. It
seems like the only sensible place to be is splashing in a swimming
pool, floating on a cool river or inside soaking up the air conditioning.
Well, I have a great suggestion for a really "cool" vacation destination.
Located in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Washington is not only cool
by meteorological standards; it’s also one of the COOLEST cities you’ll
ever visit!
With a fun and funky atmosphere, it's a vibrant city full of incredible
art, fantastic food, and breathtaking views! Pikes Place Market, one
of the oldest farmer’s markets in the U.S. is a must-see for everyone.
It’s fun to watch the fishmongers toss the daily catch, or to marvel
at the incredible array of locally grown flowers, fruits and vegetables.
The famous Space Needle offers panoramic views of Puget Sound,
Lake Union and majestic Mt. Rainier. Located near the Space Needle,
The Experience Music Project, designed by acclaimed architect Frank
Gehry, is a bizarre structure, housing a music history museum. Founded
by Paul Allen, one of the co-founders of Microsoft, it’s a music lover’s
Mecca.
But, as much as I enjoy Seattle, whenever I am there, one of the first
things I do is head to the pier to book a ferry ride aboard the Victoria
Clipper for a trip to Butchart Gardens. Located in Victoria, British
Columbia, Butchart Gardens grew from an exhausted limestone quarry
into one of the world’s premier color gardens. (Talk about positive
change!)
At the turn of the century, Robert Butchart was becoming a
pioneer in the new Portland cement industry. In 1904, he moved his
family to Todd Inlet on Vancouver Island where the rich limestone
deposits necessary for cement production were abundant. Years of
mining exhausted the limestone and resulted in an unsightly pit in
the earth. Robert’s wife Jennie came up with a plan for refurbishing this eyesore. She had tons
of topsoil brought in by horse and cart from local farmland. Little by little she transformed the
abandoned quarry into a blooming wonderland now known as the Sunken Garden. In 1908, the Butcharts
invited a Japanese landscape artist, Isaburo Kishida from Yokahama, Japan, to design and install a Japanese Garden.
He imported the plants and materials from Japan to create an authentic Japanese Garden that still exists today. An Italian garden followed
shortly thereafter, followed by a spectacular Rose Garden. The Butcharts named their
garden "Benvenuto" which means, "welcome" in Italian. By the 1920’s
more than fifty thousand people came to admire this beautiful place.
In 1964 the Ross Fountain was installed by the Butchart’s grandchildren.
Located in the limestone quarry, a spectacular display of dancing waters shoot a hundred feet into the air before a backdrop of lush evergreens. Its beauty is absolutely mesmerizing! Today, literally millions of flowers of approximately 700 varieties in every color and hue create a breathtaking palette of beauty that is enjoyed by over one million visitors each year. A team of about 50 gardeners takes care of the 55 acre grounds and they
are pristine. Years of working as a professional gardener have given me a very critical eye, always on
the lookout for that weed, spent blossom or cigarette butt. There were none to be found anywhere! Nothing but incredible beauty as
far as the eye can see.
For about $150 you can take a roundtrip boat ride aboard a comfortable, modern ferry complete with food service. (On
one previous trip I was thrilled to see a pod of Orcas; what a bonus!) At the pier in beautiful Victoria, B.C., a bus takes you on a short ride through lush countryside to the gardens. You are free to wander the grounds at your leisure. With several excellent restaurants onsite, it’s
a treat for all your senses.
If you love gardening and visiting beautiful gardens, escape to cool Seattle and beautiful Butchart Gardens this summer. You won’t be disappointed!
