Stroll the scenery, then float in it too
Most people spend an afternoon at Victoria’s famous Butchart Gardens admiring the pansies and peonies.
Not me. I fell in love with the boat tour.
Yes, you read that right. I went to a garden to ride in a boat. An electric boat, to be specific, that silently powers its way through the waters of Saanich Inlet and Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, adjacent to the 55acre floral gardens.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d never recommend skipping the gardens. They’re magnificent.
Butchart, founded in 1904, has a stunning sunken garden, formerly a limestone quarry, surrounded by special areas, such as a rose garden that features more than 250 varieties. There is also a Japanese garden that dates to 1906, a Mediterranean garden and an Italian garden, plus restaurants and a gift shop.
Admission prices depend on the season and range from $15 to $24 for adults ages 18 and older and $1.50 for children ages 5 to 12.
The gardens are so well developed that it takes an army of 70 gardeners working full time in peak season to keep them in shape.
Strolling the grounds is a wonderful way to spend a few hours.
But after focusing on all that intensely colorful beauty, walk down the pathway toward Brentwood Bay and take a seat aboard one of the garden’s small, silent boats, where you can zone out and decompress on a 45-minute tour of the waters surrounding this Victoria suburb. The trip is offered from midMay through mid-September. Tickets $13.50 to $18.50.
The scenery is as beautiful as that in the gardens, but the tones are muted and natural: soft blue water, rugged brown shorelines, green pine forests. It offers a relaxing counterpoint to the bright colors in the garden.
Here’s an insider’s tip about Butchart: If you plan to visit during July and August, check the schedule for the garden’s open-air concerts. They’re held nightly, along with a fireworks display on Saturday nights.
And if you enjoyed Butchart, you might also want to check out Vancouver Island’s other gardens. Several have earned international praise, including Milner Gardens & Woodland in Qualicum Beach and Tofino Botanical Gardens.