When quarries turn into beautiful gardens
“We are going to the Butcher Gardens today,” Amarjit announced with elan. Amarjit and her husband, Kirpal, our friends since university days, were our hosts in Vancouver. They had a meticulously planned itinerary for our fortnight-long stay with them at Langley, a beautiful suburb some 40 minutes drive from Vancouver.
My immediate reaction was to tell her bluntly that I refuse to visit any place remotely connected with cruelty. Faking a smile to camouflage my discomfiture, I said, “Can we visit someplace else? You’ve already shown us the best of parks like Stanley Park and Queen Elizabeth
Park?” Amarjit smiled mischieviously and asked, “Did the name put you off?” Sensing my uneasiness, Kirpal was quick to explain, “Butcher is the name we desis have given to Butchart Gardens as many of us find it difficult to pronounce it correctly. But we won’t let you miss this memorable experience.”
Soon, we were on the road to catch a ferry to Tsawwassen, the largest ferry terminal in North America. The ferry ride ,which in itself was a unique experience, took close to two hours to reach Swartz Bay Terminal from where we travelled by road towards our destination.
The Butchart Gardens, spread over 55 acres, is a group of floral display gardens in Brentwood Bay near Victoria. It was designated a national historical site of Canada in 2004. The garden receives more than a million visitors annually. The breathtaking beauty and charm of the gardens, namely the Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden and Mediterranean Garden along with Ross Fountain and Star Pond, is seen to be believed.
Each of these gardens is beautifully landscaped and immaculately maintained with lifesize topiary statues of
Canada’s native animals. Millions of plants of more than 900 varieties were in bloom but we could not spot a single weed or wilted flower.
A glance at the history of the gardens tells us that the wonderful creation is the brainchild of a woman. It was the vision and passion of Jennie Butchart that made the gardens possible. The plaques in the garden describe how a couple, Robert and Jennie Butchart, came to Canada’s west coast in 1904 to build a cement plant on a rich limestone deposit. When the deposits were exhausted, the idea of beautifying the space occurred to Jennie. She transformed it into a garden which is today called the Sunken Garden.
With time, more additions were made to the gardens to make it a visual delight. Now the gardens have added attractions such as evening entertainment, night illumination, Saturday firework shows and an ice-skating rink apart from a gift shop that sells seeds harvested from the garden.
Butchart Gardens are owned by the founder family and the present owner and managing director, Robin-lee Clarke, is the great granddaughter of the founder couple.
Back in my village, I have sown the seeds bought from the store in the gardens. Seeing them grow, I’m reliving the wonderful experience at Jennie Butchart’s gardens.
CANADA’S BUTCHART GARDENS WERE DEVELOPED AFTER THE LIMESTONE DEPOSITS THERE GOT EXHAUSTED