VICTORIA, BC — When Jenny Butchart transformed a limestone quarry into a garden in 1904 she never dreamed it would blossom into a global destination.
People from the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom Taiwan and more all flock to The Butchart Gardens to see the gorgeous blooms.
Seeing guests wander in wonder never gets old for the Butchart Gardens CEO Dave Cowen.
“One of the best parts of our job here at the gardens is watching people from around the world. Literally every country on the globe come and, for example, see the Sunken Garden for the first time. And it literally is an epiphany,” Cowen said.
A million visitors a year take in the Garden’s 55 acres of color. The bright blooms turn guests into plant paparazzi but the best way to see this place is to put the phone away, and soak it all in.
“Gardens are three dimensional. So, another important element of the Butchart Gardens is the fact that we've got at the ground level, beautiful beds,” Cowen said. “And as you walk by the beds, we do plant for the olfactory sense. As you look up into the trees, there's different colors and different shapes. So, I think if Jenny Butchart came back today, she'd recognize her garden but appreciate that we made it a little bit better, certainly from a three senses perspective."
A peaceful walk through the garden is one of the many perks of working at the gardens.
"Oftentimes we walk and talk instead of sitting in a meeting room," Cowen said.
The Butchart Gardens may have 50 full-time gardeners keeping it perfect, but it still does the same thing all gardens do.
“Well, I love the gardens. I really do find inspiration walking around every day when I've had a hectic, long week,” Cowen said.
It slows life down to the pace of a plant. Something to savor, no matter what part of the world you call home.
“It really reminds us how special this National Historic Site Garden is,” Cowen said. “And really it makes us more committed to preserving it into the future.”
Sponsored by Destination Greater Victoria
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