Magical Gardens of Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is affectionately known as The City of Gardens. Our mild climate, moderated kindly for us by the Pacific Ocean currents, gives Victorians a unique ability in Canada to garden and play outdoors year round. Gardening has always been a passionate enterprise for locals, as visitors to world famous Butchart Gardens quickly discover. We can help you explore many wonderful gardens as you stay at Dashwood Manor Seaside Heritage Bed and Breakfast Inn! Stop and enjoy Dashwood Manor’s ever-changing gardens, from rhododendrons and azaleas in May to one of Victoria’s best collections of colourful iris in early June, to the hundreds of spring bulbs starting in, yes ... February. Stay at one of Victoria’s best known and long cherished heritage bed and breakfast inns, a boutique accommodation and unique experience.
Tour Gardens with Expert Joan Looy
For serious gardeners wishing a peek at Victoria's private, award-winning, well-publicized gardens, a guided tour with Joan Looy is a must. A well-connected, local personality, Joan ferries 1-6 guests from our B&B to several of her favourite Victorian garden delights, offering extraordinary insight into the history of Victoria, Victorian gardening as well as that of the gardens being visited. Each tour is customized to the season, the group's preferences and time constraints. Half day or full-day tours are available with prices varying accordingly.
Joan’s Victorian Garden Tours will introduce you to heritage gardens, ranging from larger Edwardian estates with their original plantings and structures to intimate heritage homes and gardens, including private gardens. One such tour, the Emily Carr Garden Tour, includes an introduction to Emily Carr’s art, and explores the historic community in which she grew up as well as the landscape which inspired her paintings. A visit to an old growth forest is included in this unique tour. Stops are made along the way to observe and share local and historic sites, with some relating to Victoria's rich First Nations peoples. Visitors who have enjoyed our tours have ranged from non-gardeners to those who are novice home gardeners to those who are leading horticulturists. Enjoy a few hours or the entire day seeing the best heritage gardens Victoria and Southern Vancouver Island has to offer. Email or call us to arrange a tour with Joan.
Great Gardens to Self Guided Touring
A world famous extravaganza on a massive scale. Begun in the early part of this century by world travellers and plant collectors, the Butchart family, this wonderful garden sits gracefully in the sculpted coastal shores on property once used for the Butchart's Portland Cement quarry. Reserve at least a couple of hours for a tour. Consider staying for the evening light display or the Saturday fireworks show (July to end of August only). Treat yourself to afternoon tea - one of the best in Victoria - or have dinner in The Dining Room, a wonderful restaurant situated in the Butchart family's original home. Ask us to reserve ahead for you!
Finnerty Gardens at The University of Victoria
Finnerty Gardens holds one of Canada 's best collections of rhododendrons, many of which were started from seed obtained from local plant collectors and world travellers. The garden contains more than over 4,000 different trees and shrubs with more than 1,500 rhododendron and azalea plants, including 200 collected rhododendron species and a spectacular range of companion plants – ferns, vines, bulbs, groundcovers, ornamentals – artistically displayed on a 2.6 hectare (6.5 acre) site at the southwest corner of UVic’s campus. Complementing the plant life are three tranquil ponds, an inviting network of winding paths and dozens of benches, each with its own distinctive view of the gardens' ever-changing splendour. In April and May, you will see the rhododendrons at their best. The gardens are open to the public every day during daylight hours. There is NO admission charge.
Demonstration and education garden with excellent displays of heathers, rhododendrons, perennials and much more. An enchanting Japanese garden in a magical, wooded hillside.
Many plant varieties from trees and shrubs to perennials and bulbs. Lovely woodland setting. Birding opportunities.
Situated on almost 500 acres of the former Dunsmuir estate with stunning ocean views and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains of Washington State. Created at the turn of the 19th century by over 100 gardeners working full time for 10 years, these three formal gardens are open to the public daily. Once a military college, this stunning seaside estate property is now Royal Roads University. Castle tours available!
The official residence of the Lieutenant Governor, the Queen's representative in British Columbia. Substantial gardens in a lovely setting. Gardens are established and maintained in large part by volunteers. Large cutting garden. Perennial beds. Rose garden. This is a wonderful choice of location for wedding photos.
Eclectic and fun-lovingly creative. This 5 acre garden holds many surprises. Watch for Robin's Gladiator Tunnel and salmon stream! Interesting collections, varying themes.
Operated by the Land Conservancy Society of British Columbia, this garden is the result of a 50-year dedication by a Russian prince and princess who rebuilt their lives after years of separation and internment in war camps during the Second World War. Saved from bulldozers and townhouse development in the winter of 2000 by an outpouring of donations and volunteer labour, the spectacular garden remains a magic of inspiration for the healing power of gardens as well as a spectacular view.
A secret treasure many Victorians are not even aware of. May and June sparkle with the radiance of hundreds of rhododendrons in a one-acre maze of large to gargantuan rhodos. Fabulous perennial border garden maintained by city garden staff. Abundant variety, rich from June until October.
Saxe Point Park Waterfront setting - pristine and dramatic. A great place on a sunny, warm afternoon, picnic in hand. Wonderful vistas across Juan de Fuca Strait towards Port Angeles and the Olympic Peninsula.
Beacon Hill Park One of Victoria's grand old ladies, and it's right across the street from Dashwood Manor! Endless variety and space. Don't miss the photo op at the stone bridge across from the pond. Look for some of these special features: world's tallest free standing totem pole, camas fields blooming in April / May, Childrens' Petting Zoo - for kids of all ages!, ponds, ducks, swans, amazing birding, including bald eagles and great blue heron, cricket pitch, putting green, vista's out to sea (this is 'Beacon Hill' afterall!), lawn bowling, tennis, playgrounds, rose gardens, bandshell with free concerts regularly, Luminera ... so much more!
Grant Leier and Nixie Barton have created a magical garden at their home and art studio in the Yellow Point area, just over one hour’s drive from Victoria. Tour this huge, 3/4 acre extensively planted garden filled with hanging lanterns and funky art, including Barton and Leier’s art, which is colourful and whimsical. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday from the middle of March through to December. Admission is free and guests should allow one hour to tour and enjoy the gallery. Address: 3140 DeCourcy. Telephone: 250-722-7140
