Comments

1. 
   user-1020932 07/16/2013

   butchart is always amazing to see in person and in photos but after marians yesterday and butchart today,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i gots LOTS of work to do here at home!

2. 
   brainbear 07/16/2013

   Thanks for these photos. These gardens were one of the first I visited after finishing my Horticulture degree; they are the reason I tackled my 5 acres and tried?? to recreate their beauty!

3. 
   meander_michaele 07/16/2013

   It is such a treat to revisit the totally amazing Butchart Gardens...even if it's through the lens of someone else's camera. It makes me want to rummage through one of my pre-digital photo albums tucked away on a bookshelf. I went about 10 years ago and the memory of the colorful bounty of the annuals is still mind blowing. As we wandered from one breathtaking view to another, I was like a wind up doll whose voice recording got stuck on saying the same thing over and over again, "Everything is just so beautiful". So looking forward to the next couple of days. Thanks, Cherry!

4. 
   Jay_Sifford 07/16/2013

   One of my fellow writers on Houzz would hate this garden.... all the dead heading and pristine beauty! He would see no food and shelter for wildlife....
   As for me, I absolutely love it. I would be in conifer heaven, which is the reason I will get there eventually. Thanks for sharing photos of this incredible garden!

5. 
   pattyspencer 07/16/2013

   Beautiful! Some of our member's gardens are on equal footing with this garden - maybe it's the particular photo that was taken but some of them could easily fit in someone's backyard.

   Love the new email format as well!!

6. 
   tractor1 07/16/2013

   I'm positive that to fully appreciate Butchart Gardens one needs to be there in person. Here are more photos:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5FANNS5Yzw

   Seems this will be another episode of no GOPD emails, none yesterday and so far none today... perhaps it's just me.

7. 
   GrannyMay 07/16/2013

   Butchart Gardens is a wonderful example of a large formal garden. To keep people coming back, the beds must be changed constantly to reflect the changing seasons and new combinations of plants and colours must be used from year to year. The challenge for the maintenance staff is to keep everything looking beautiful and neat without appearing to be there at all. I think that even for those people who don't like such a grand or formal look, there is much to appreciate and learn.

8. 
   meander_michaele 07/16/2013

   I have to admit that the time I visited, I got some perverse consolation out of how much staff was subtly visible doing weeding, pruning, and deadheading. They were usually bright eyed and young and very friendly in answering questions. My consolation came in telling myself, "well, no wonder these trees, bushes, flowers and grounds looked so perfect. They were receiving amazing care from people with boundless energy!".

9. 
   blue_nigella 07/17/2013

   Michelle, Thank you for posting Cherry's pictures of the amazing Butchart Gardens. I visited 32 years ago and will treasure each photo. Hope to visit again some day.

10. 
    Cay442 07/17/2013

    The gardens are formal, but they perfectly complement the landscape contours! I appreciate seeing public garden photos - their websites never have enough!

    There is no need to choose between formal gardens strictly for pleasure and natural gardens that support wildlife. It's not either or, but both and!