Top 5 Flower Gardens in the World, No. 3

Something new - I love traveling and seeing beautiful gardens wherever I go. This little series of beautiful gardens from around the world is written by Seemab from Elegant Directory, July 2010. Amazing gardens from around the world - I would love to visit them all! Enjoy.



No. 3 :: Butchart Gardens

This isn’t a single garden but a whole group of floral gardens which are situated in Brentwood Bay, British Colombia, Canada. The Vancouver Island (where the gardens are actually situated) receives a large number of tourists and visitors; more than a million visitors every year.

History:

Robert Pim Butchart was a cement manufacturer who came to the west coast of Canada with his wife Jennie Butchart. West coast was rich in limestone deposits and thus attracted the manufacturer. In 1904, the couple built their home near Robert’s quarry. In 1909, the quarry exhausted and all the land became useless. But the vision of Jennie converted the deserted land into extremely beautiful and exotic gardens. She began with Sunken Garden and when it was completed, they began receiving visitors to their garden. Afterwards, they replaced their kitchen garden with a Rose Garden and their tennis court with an Italian Garden.

In 1953, the gardens were illuminated via underground wiring for lighting at night time. In 1964, an ever changing Ross fountain was installed there. The Canadian Heraldic Authority granted a coat of arms to the gardens in 1994. The 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2004, when Butchart Gardens were delegated as national historic site. Also, two totem poles (each 30 feet long) were mounted in the gardens.

You can see many bronze statues situated at different spots in the gardens. (full article)

This is the only one of the five gardens that I have visited already....on a family vacation when I was 9!!! I would love to go back now as an adult who would have a fuller appreciation for the intricate gardens.