Day 18 - 9/22 - To Victoria and Back

This was the day we knocked off one of the items on Martha’s bucket list; a visit to Butcharest Gardens on near Victoria, British Columbia. Our trip was made easy by taking the M.V. Coho, a year-round passenger and vehicle ferry that goes between Port Angeles on the scenic Olympic Peninsula to Victoria on Vancouver Island.

Byron grabbed this photo of the Coho in front of The Empress

hotel on the Inner Harbor of Victoria. The ferry loads vehicles

from the aft in Port Angeles and from the side in Victoria.

We had our tickets and passports in hand when we arrived at the ferry terminal for the 90-minute cruise. We elected to not take our car but to be pedestrian passengers and utilize a shuttle to get to Butchart. Though the day started off with a bit of smoke from a wildfire, the sun was out, the temperature ideal, and no rain was in sight. On the trip

The Inner Harbor at Victoria is larger than expected. As we

were entering, smaller boats were coming and going

as were sea planes operated by Harbor Air.

Harbor Air’s terminal was not far from where we docked.

For us, it was odd to see a de Havilland Twin Otter on pontoons

taxi to the pier beside the ferry.

Before boarding the shuttle bus, we walked around the harbor

area especially since our attention was drawn by this

legislative assembly building and the totem pole (to the right).

Even waiting on the bus one can view the flower garden in

front of The Empress Hotel.

Though we didn’t plan it, the shuttle turned out to be double-deck bus operated by Gray Line. Yes, we were on a tour bus with wonderful narration provided by the driver. So, yes, we got to see highlights of Victoria and learn even more about the beautiful area.

This is Victoria's first Public Chinese School. It still

serves Victoria by offering classes to those

wanting to learn Chinese.

Here we are at the Entrance to The Butchart Gardens.

What was ahead was a visual treat!

Even the grassy areas are manicured nicely.

The Sunken Garden was the first area developed with flower

and trees. This area was the former limestone quarry.

How would you like this fountain for a water feature on your property?

All that is required is money and space; simple.

The Japanese Garden features a star-shaped pond with 

closely trimmed shrubbery serving as a border.

These were only a few of the photos taken. But, as you can see,

every thing was lovely, for sure. The mums? They were

yet to explode into their full color.

Butchart Gardens is a landscape garden created by Jennie and Robert Butchart after mining the limestone in the area to produce cement. This was done in the first quarter of the 1900s. The Sunken Garden was created in the former limestone quarry by Jennie and Robert. There is also a rose garden with 2500 rose bushes and over 250 species, all of which were still in bloom. Over the years, under the direction of a grandson and now great-granddaughter, a carousel, dragon fountain, sturgeon fountain, Japanese garden and Italian garden have been added. The garden covers about 55 acres of the original property of 200 acres.

The Gardens receive over a million visitors each year. It is a National Historic Site in Canada. Jennie Butchart, whose dream The Gardens have become, died in 1950. Her husband, Robert, died seven years earlier in 1943. The site is still operated and under the control of the founding family. 

It was truly amazing and beautiful to visit!