6
Gardens Beyond Butchart
Several other splendid gardens 
are within a half-hour taxi, bus or 
Uber ride from downtown. Before 
heading out, check for opening 
times and dates.
They include Government House, 
1401 Rockland Ave., the official 
residence of B.C.’s lieutenant 
governor (ltgov.bc.ca/tours); 
Abkhazi Garden, 1964 Fairfield 
Rd., known as “the Garden that 
Love Built,” it was the home of a 
Georgian prince and his English 
wife who each survived capture 
during the Second World War 
(abkhaziteahouse.com); Takata 
Japanese Garden at Esquimalt 
Gorge Park; Finnerty Gardens, open 
year-round on the University of 
Victoria campus (uvic.ca/finnerty); 
Hatley Park, 2005 Sooke Rd., an 
Edwardian estate surrounding 
historic Hatley Castle at Royal 
Roads University in Colwood; and 
the Horticulture Centre of the 
Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. (hcp.ca) in 
Saanich, which features a bush 
grown from a cutting of the 
legendary Golden Spruce.
First Peoples Extend 
Welcome
Enhancing Victoria’s 
flowery charms are its people. 
They include descendants 
of the Lək̓ʷəŋən 
(Lekwungen) 
Indigenous 
peoples. The 
Lekwungen 
people 
are a joint 
gathering of 
the Songhees 
and xʷsepsəm 
(Esquimalt) 
First Nations, who 
occupied the lands for 
hundreds of generations 
when the first settlers 
arrived in the mid 1800s.
Victoria’s “postcard-perfect” 
beauty often overlooks the 
LEFT: Hatley Castle.
Butterfly Gardens, near Butchart Gardens, offers a tropical jungle experience.
(Butterfly Gardens)
The City of Victoria displays 
about 1,200 hanging baskets 
on lampposts each summer. 
(Destination Greater Victoria)

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