By Donald H. Harrison
VICTORIA, British Columbia – They say we can never go back again, certainly not
back to those years of refinement marking the transition from the late 19th
to the early 20th century.
But “they” are wrong, as they so often are. You can go back, to a time of refinement,
serenity, and beauty. You can, in fact, leave behind fast-paced modern existence, with its cell phones, internet, and
children playing on DSI’s, and escape to a more contemplative time, a time of
simple pleasures, a time when natural beauty was appreciated and cultivated.
For this, we can thank Robert and Jennie Butchart, who transformed their rock
quarry into what they called Benvenuto Gardens – Italian for “Welcome” Gardens—but which the appreciative public
persisted in calling “The Butchart Gardens. ” By this latter name the 55–acre garden
on the 130-acre estate has been recognized and designated as a National
Historic Site of Canada. We can also thank four additional generations of the Butchart and (son-in-law) Ian Ross
families for preserving and enhancing the Gardens, so that today they draw many
thousands of tourists from all over the world to the Victoria area.
As a San Diegan, I am tempted to wonder whether the rock quarries that run
along such west-bound waterways as the San Diego River could not be similarly
transformed someday into a wonderland of blooms, a showcase for nature, and a refuge
from the urban scape. Probably not, I assume. Probably real estate developers
will want to populate the quarries with more tract homes; probably
environmentalists who watch carefully over Mission Trails Regional Park would
object to the introduction of non-native species anywhere near their preserve. Oh, but what beauty could be ours!
To return, however, to Butchart Gardens, one perceives the owners’ original purposes
when one contemplates the attractions that in a century of carefully planned
modifications have been added to the flowers, plants and trees. Dancing water fountains, night lighting, Italian sculptures,
an outdoor ice skating rink, summer Saturday evening fireworks displays,
outdoor concerts, and an old-fashioned carousel with hand carved animals all
complement the ambiance. Like the flowering gardens, most of these additions appeal to our yearning for color,
form, and beauty. All are aspects of the same kind of refinement that has prompted Butchart Gardens to serve tea each
afternoon to visitors – a ceremony instituted by Jennie Butchart for the
entertainment of her friends and her friends’ friends.
The Butcharts lived fashionable lives. Their former quarry mansion on a Pacific Ocean inlet not only provided
such diversions as a tennis court and a swimming pool, but also a billiards room, a bowling alley, and a roost for
the Butcharts’ prized pigeon collection.
Jennie Butchart’s pride and joy, however, were her gardens. The Butcharts roamed the world finding
inspiration, and decided to create Italian, Japanese and Mediterranean Gardens, along with a Rose Garden and a remarkable Sunken Garden. The latter, which serves as the entry point to the Butcharts’ romantic and flowery visions, is utterly remarkable. It invites people to slowly descend its paths into its aromatic depths, and along the way to literally “take time to smell
the flowers.” Here, there is no sense of hurry, only of the timelessness of nature’s rotating seasons.
One is overwhelmed by the great variety of carefully planned growth – for
example, in the rose garden alone there are 3,000 plants, representing 350
varieties of roses, including Cherry Parfait, Mellow Yellow, Canadian Sunset, Peace,
and–who deserves it more?– the Jennie Butchart Rose.
The gardens are set against a backdrop of British Columbia’s temperate rain
forest. Perennial plants outline the borders of the garden properties, with
seasonal varieties preponderant in the interior. The walking paths, bridges, sculptures,
ponds, waterfalls, and, above all, the artistic blend of colors, make a visit
to Butchart Gardens, be it for a short time or for an entire day, a worthwhile
and memorable experience.
Don’t forget to take extra batteries for your digital cameras, as you will be
tempted to use up the lives of more than one set as you meander along the
Butchart pathways.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com File: US Canada West 12