Comments

1. 
   Miyako 07/17/2013

   Looks very familiar... Japanese garden. I love creating beauty with contrast of color, texture, height, etc...it is not as showy as flower garden, but it is more peaceful and "zen".

2. 
   Jay_Sifford 07/17/2013

   Now we're talking! I love Japanese gardens. Unfortunately, I have never been to a truly authentic one. I know there are some on the West Coast, but if anyone has suggestions of really great ones in the East, I'd love to know about them.

   Great photos. Thanks for sharing.

3. 
   Quiltingmamma 07/17/2013

   I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's photos, but they seem to have added lots of extra colour and annuals. Beautiful. Today's greens are so restful. This is my home town and we often visited the Gardens. The shrubs and trees have really filled out and matured. "Voluptuous" comes to mind.

4. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 07/17/2013

   Stunning! I just visited the japanese tea garden in golden gate park in San Francisco recently. Not on the east coast, but I highly recommend it.

5. 
   meander_michaele 07/17/2013

   I love the perfect balance between exquisite small details and a large continuous swath of a particular plant...the eye can stay busy and intrigued or it can slow down and be soothed.

6. 
   tractor1 07/17/2013

   I don't know what if anything constitutes an *authentic* Japanese garden but the niceset I've seen on either coast and everywhere between is the one in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, check out many photos:
   http://www.bbg.org/search?keywords=japanese+garden&x=20&y=5

7. 
   pattyspencer 07/17/2013

   This is one of the prettiest gardens I have seen. If I lived in the area I would be walking those pathways every day. Truly beautiful and very peaceful feeling

8. 
   passwords 07/17/2013

   Does anyone know what kind of flowers/plants are in photo #9? love the serenity of an Asian garden. Great photo's.

9. 
   PeonyFan 07/17/2013

   Gorgeous! Thank you for these photos of details that make the difference between a nice garden and a fabulous garden. I especially like the photo of the silver-leafed brunnera highlighted by the finely-textured background of what looks like oxalis (except it's a lot prettier than the oxalis that spreads all over my garden).

10. 
    GrannyMay 07/17/2013

    Hi Passwords, if you are asking about the orange/yellow flowers with grey foliage, I'm pretty sure they are a variety of Gazania. They are sun-loving, drought tolerant perennials, which would be treated as annuals here in the Butchart Gardens climate zone.

11. 
    bee1nine 07/17/2013

    Hi passwords, If you are referring to the flowers with the
    daisy-like petals, I agree with GrannyMay! As a matter of fact, I just so happen to be growing this Gazania variety.
    It's from the 'DAYBREAK TIGER MIX'. Hope this helps!

12. 
    cwheat000 07/17/2013

    I've been busy the last 2 days, but I just wanted to say thank you for some stunning pictures.

13. 
    perenniallycrazy 07/17/2013

    Hi Everyone! Thanks for your kind comments and hope you are enjoying Butchart Gardens this July 2013 online. It's been years since I was last there and since I've discovered a love for gardening, I see the gardens in a whole new light (i.e., like some of you say that it takes about 10,000 man hours to keep the place looking like Eden).

    Anyway, if any of you are in the Victoria area, I would recommend you also visit Government House in the Rockland area. The grounds are open everyday from sunrise to sunset and free parking is available onsite. The gardens offer a different flavor than Butchart and I think most of you will appreciate what they have to offer. http://www.ltgov.bc.ca/gardens/individ-gardens/default.html And it might interest you to know that the garden is maintained almost entirely by volunteers.

    Cheers everyone!