Today’s photos come from our good friend Cherry Ong:
I had the good fortune to revisit the Gardens at the Government House in Victoria, British Columbia, recently and thought I would share photos of some of their spectacular landscapes and garden beds.
Government House is the ceremonial home for all British Columbians. Located in the Rockland area of Victoria, it is a 20-minute walk from downtown Victoria or a five-minute drive. It is free to the public from sunrise to sunset, and house tours are held once a month. Click here for more information on the history of the gardens.
The alpine and rock garden. This photo shows a mass of different heathers (Calluna vulgaris, Zones 5–7). There are countless selections of heather, and you can see that diversity here in the different-colored flowers and foliage that make up this planting.
The ballroom terraces. If you are lucky enough to have dramatic rocks like this in the garden, then the best thing is to scale back on the plantings and let the natural landscape shine.
A scene from the cut flower garden highlighting a beautiful, berry-covered mountain ash (Sorbus sp. Zones 3–7). Mountain ash are incredibly beautiful but can also be prone to pests and diseases. They’re not for everyone, but when they look good, they are pretty amazing!
A fountain in the sunken rose garden, which features a classic, formal garden design.
The Victorian rose garden. This style of garden relies on formal geometric bed shapes and crisp, clipped hedges, which sometimes contrast dramatically with the looser-growing roses that fill those neat, tidy beds. It is a classic style, but one that takes a lot of maintenance to keep everything looking perfect and sharp. View our 15 tips for designing a gorgeous garden here.
They sure do grow trees huge in this part of the world. Look at how tiny those people sitting on the bench under this tree look.
Want to see more of these great gardens? Come back tomorrow for part 2!
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Comments
Wow, just Wow, about everything ...but especially that last photo of the amazingly tall evergreen...oh, and the new to me berry bedecked mountain ash tree...oh, and the tapestry of heathers. What an amazing public garden and I'm very much looking forward to round 2 tomorrow. Thanks, Cherry.
Glad you enjoyed the representative tour. My favorite garden this visit was the Alpine and Rock Garden. Wish I could share more photos.
Great photos, Cherry! Looks like a wonderful place. I can't wait to see more tomorrow.
Thanks Chris. Hope you can visit these gardens in the near future. I say mid to late August would be a great time to see it.
Beautiful! I love that ash.
Me too!
Great images of beautiful gardens, Cherry. It looks like a perfect public space to walk and wander through magnificent plantings. That evergreen is mind boggling!
Can’t believe it’s a public park. It’s not that known to tourist as it doesn’t attract the hoards like Butchart or The Empress. Makes for a really tranquil visit which we loved!
That mountain ash is spectacular, as is the rest of the garden. Makes me want to take a trip!
I hope you get to visit.
Cherry, these photos are spectacular. The artistry, interest and health of all the plantings is inspiring. Those trees and rock outcropping, colors and textures make me want to expand my garden! Thanks for sharing
It’s no wonder the area is called Rockland. I hope you can visit sometime.
Nice photos, Cherry. I can’t wait to visit this garden the next time we’re in the Island. The Rowan trees are spectacular this year, aren’t they?
Thanks. I had so many photos which I happily shared on Facebook and Instagram. My favorite gardens this visit are The Alpine and Rock Garden, The Terraces and Ballroom Terraces. We really enjoyed it including the short hiking trail. It was hazy given the wildfires but we made the best of the day. Hope you enjoy your visit and share some photos on GPOD. I’ve not seen the gardens in the fall.
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