Earthtones Travel + Design Blog featuring destinations from around the world. Find inspiration and color palettes unique to each location as well as travel tips and adventurous recommendations.
Best Time To Visit The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia
A botanical garden for the bucket list! Another magical experience brought to you by Vancouver Island.
A Bucket List Experience | Regardless of the Season
While it is hard to pick a favorite experience, I do have a running list of "magical must-dos." A visit to the Butchart Gardens is one of those magical experiences that I absolutely recommend. As much as I love botanical gardens, this place left me speechless. I will never forget when we first caught a glimpse of the Sunken Garden - my jaw dropped. Never in my life have I seen such concentrated beauty. The Butchart Gardens are truly inspiring and definitely a colorful story for the collection.
Color Palette: Earthy, Mossy, Tropical, Green, Leafy, Bold, Retro, Feminine | Best Time To Visit The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia | Earthtones Travel + Design Blog | Roo Bea Design Co.
Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
A Brief Introduction To The Butchart Gardens
Located in Brentwood Bay (Canada) on Vancouver Island, The Butchart Gardens are a botanical wonderland. The gardens are about a 25 minute drive from downtown Victoria, BC. The process of turning a used up quarry into a natural space began over 100 years ago by a woman named Jennie Butchart. The beauty she brought to an otherwise spoiled piece of land is a testament to creativity and the dare to dream big. The gardens contain 55+ acres of land and are still run by her family today. They employ over 50 full-time gardeners to keep the garden in tip-top shape.
Fall - A Beautiful Time To Visit The Butchart Gardens
Our visit to the Butchart Gardens took place towards the end of October. During this time of the year, you will find the true stars are the Sunken Garden and the Japanese Garden. I am especially fond of Japanese influences, and this garden did not disappoint. It was stunning, absolutely stunning. The Sunken Garden in the fall is as colorful as ever, and as I already mentioned an emotional and moving first impression.
Pros - The Butchart Gardens in the Fall
If you are a color seeker such as myself, you will appreciate the gardens in the fall for this reason alone. So many flowers were in bloom - carnations and dahlias galore! The foliage is beginning to turn as well during this time and creates even more dimension. The peak season for visitors is July - August, so you can expect to experience fewer crowds in the fall.
Cons - The Butchart Gardens in the Fall
Since fall is the season where many plants are starting to pack up for the upcoming winter, not all of the gardens were displaying at their very best. We arrived too late in the season for the Rose Garden. You could still stroll through the garden plot, but there were no flowers to be seen. I hope to return someday to see the Rose Garden in bloom. However, I never felt like I was missing out thanks to the immense beauty elsewhere in the gardens.
The Sunken Garden
If you can, begin your tour of the gardens at the Sunken Garden. The path to the Sunken Garden takes you through some dense tree cover. Once you get to the top, the vegetation clears revealing the 5-acre masterpiece below. Where there once was a quarry is now home to over 150 flower beds! The path winds through the garden with a never-ending display of plants. There are benches where you can sit to rest or attempt to comprehend what you are witnessing. Or maybe you will want to climb to the top of the lookout rock in the center to fully surround yourself with this garden. You will also find the bog garden here located next to a large water feature.
The Japanese Garden
This garden was my favorite! I can't imagine the amount of effort that had to have gone into this garden. There are so many intricate details to discover. I instantly fell in love with all of the elegant Japanese maple trees. Their red leaves were incredibly vibrant! The secret pathways lead to trickling streams and little waterfalls. I found making my way through the layers of this garden to be a unique and whimsical adventure.
So much more to see
You will find the entire grounds to be meticulously manicured. An attention to detail can be seen throughout the park. I have only briefly told you about 2 of the 5 garden zones you will find at The Butchart Gardens. I believe part of the allure of this place is discovering it on your own and letting the little surprises come to you naturally.
Planning Your Visit to The Butchart Gardens
Of course, I recommend taking as much time as you need to enjoy the gardens fully. However, visiting the flowers would make for a lovely half day activity as well. There are restaurants and a coffee shop located on the grounds in case you get hungry. Or you are welcome to enjoy a picnic lunch there as well!
The gardens offer something for everyone! Check out their website for more information concerning sights and activities for each season as well as any events they might be hosting.
Inspiration: The Butchart Gardens
Our visit to The Butchart Gardens took place towards the end of our tour up the coast of the Pacific Northwest. We started in San Francisco stopping along the way until we reached Victoria. I found the tiny ceramic lucky cat in a Seattle bookstore. He may have posed for more pictures than I'd like to admit, so I am not surprised he found his way into my Butchart inspired watercolor painting. What about you, would you like to visit The Butchart Gardens? Do you find nature to be as brilliant and magical as I do?
Cheers to pretty, pretty plants!
Meriah Blakley
Freelance Graphic Designerο»Ώ
This trip took place during the fall of 2015. When planning your own adventures, please be sure to check for any current travel alerts or changes in destination conditions first. Keep in mind that businesses mentioned may no longer exist or offer the same products recommended in this post.
LOOKING FOR inspiration delivered to your inbox? Subscribe below to receive the Earthtones newsletter.
Did this destination inspire you to travel or create?
Pin | Comment | Share
Whale Watching in Victoria, British Columbia
One of the best experiences of my life was during our whale watching trip in Victoria, BC. Add this to your bucket list - you wonβt regret it!
Whale Watching - A Bucket List Item
I love whales! I have wanted to go whale watching my entire life. Our trip up the coast of the Pacific Northwest was the perfect opportunity to see some whales. We decided that Victoria, British Columbia in Canada would be the best location on this trip. I had our tickets bought for the excursion well in advance.
Color Palette: Moody, Ocean, Natural, Misty, Neutral, Grey, Cool, Beach & Winter | Whale Watching in Victoria, British Columbia | Earthtones Travel + Design Blog | Roo Bea Design Co.
Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Wet and wild!
Determined to have the best whale watching experience I could, I set out to research and review all of our options before committing to any tours. I found Orca Spirit Adventures to be our best bet. Their location was great, they provided pick-up and drop-off from our lodging and most importantly they are dedicated to eco-tourism, sustainability and respect for all animals. This trip to Victoria, BC took place in 2015 and after a quick search it looks as if they still operating with this mindset and provide the same opportunities to see some outstanding wildlife.
This lovely one-piece kept me safe and warm
They offer many tour options and a wide range of boats to choose from. After reviewing the boats there was really only one option I could say βyesβ to β that I had to say βyesβ to β the Zodiak! The Zodiaks have a rigid hull and inflatable sides. You are closer to the water (where whales live) and you get to wear a survival suit! They are open air boats meaning you might get some spray. Not to mention they hold a maximum of 12 passengers (over the age of 6)! So, an adventurous boat, no crowds and an outfit that could save my lifeβ¦ we havenβt seen a single whale and I am already having a blast!
Now, you can opt for the covered boats, with heat, bathrooms and hot chocolate, or you can choose to truly live and skip your way across the water in a tiny boat reminiscent of a pool floaty. Had we not seen any whales I would have enjoyed the boat ride alone. Unfortunately, I had some convincing to do. My husband was not all about it. He reminded me that we were going in October and that it would be cold on the open ocean. However, I had already made up my mind so I bought the tickets anyways.
Pay Attention to the Seasons
Whales and dolphins are wild animals with their own schedules and to-do lists. We were visiting in late October which is the end of high season. I was sad to learn that humpback whales are usually making their way south around this time of year. Humpbacks happen to be my favorite whales and while I was looking forward to seeing orcas in the wild, my heart was set on the humpbacks. Another good thing about the tour company we picked is that they offer a βwhale guaranteeβ! If your tour does not spot a whale they will take you back out again for free. That could be the next day or the following year as it is a life-time guarantee.
This isnβt our boat, but very similar to what we were riding on and the only other boat out that day. | Earthtones Travel + Design Blog | Roo Bea Design Co
Put Your Wildlife Eyes On
Our tour started off great, we had a total of 6 passengers and an awesome female tour guide. She was very informative and told us all about the different orca pods that live in the bay and surrounding areas. The waters were a little choppy and the Zodiak didnβt provide the smoothest ride. Remember we are going for adventure here, not luxury or comfort. There were many times when we were up and off our seats. It was awesome! I suggest packing a dry bag for your camera. Use caution when operating your camera. Maybe not while zooming across waves, one big jump could send it flying!
As we headed out towards the open water she mentioned that the sightings have been low lately with many of the whales/dolphins starting to migrate and that we were probably too late for the humpback whales. Just as I started to feel a little bit of disappointment we saw our first orca! What an amazing experience! We were a respectable distance from the whales but thanks to the Zodiak I felt so close. You could see so many of their features. They were so beautiful and powerful. I loved them all.
Soon we were noticing orcas all around us, there were so many! I was in awe and honestly a little nervous (they are called killer whales for a reason). However, they are not whales. Orcas actually belong to the dolphin family. Our guide told us how to tell the difference between males and females (the male dorsal fins are much bigger). She then explained to us that since she had seen a member from each of the resident pods, as well as some traveling orcas, that we were in the presence of around 90 orcas! She said she had not seen this many individuals out on a trip in quite a while. She could tell them apart and even had names for each of them. I believed her and I, too, want to be on a first-name basis with a whole bunch of killer whales.
If only I had a telephoto lens⦠| Earthtones Travel + Design Blog | Roo Bea Design Co
Dreams really do come true!
After everyone on the boat had taken a million pictures each, our tour guide asked if we would like to move on in hopes of seeing a humpback whale or if we would like to stay put and enjoy the current situation (which was very good indeed). I nervously looked around hoping that the others on the boat would want to go off looking for my favorite whales. Then in unison everyone said, βhumpback whalesβ! We started towards an area with the best chances, stopping every once in a while to radio out to boats in the area for updates. We got a tip that some humpbacks had been spotted! We took off, the ocean spraying all around the boat. I was so hopeful and so excited! I could barely contain myself.
We were eagerly scanning the horizon when a massive humpback whale rocketed out of the water, twirled in the air and then landed on the surface, creating a giant splash! A humpback whale breached in front of my very own eyes! I couldnβt believe it. In all actuality the whale was quite a ways from our boat and due to the distance didnβt really seem all that big, but you know they are the size of a bus, so my mind filled in the gaps.
Humpback whales!!! | Earthtones Travel + Design Blog | Roo Bea Design Co
We spent a while longer casually following the two humpback whales. This is not the easiest thing to do since they only surface, on average, every 7-15 minutes. The waits were so worth it, even if it was just to catch a glimpse of them. No more spectacular breaches, just a lot of dorsal fins and tails. I wanted to jump in the water and get a good look at them - I was wearing a survival suit after all...
I am so happy I had this opportunity to experience these gentle giants, not to mention all of the orcas. It was a great day for whale watching, even the guide who does this daily was very impressed with the amount of whales that were visible. I believe this was a top ten life experience for me and I highly recommend it. I also believe that when participating in tours involving wildlife it is best to do so responsibly, with respect and care for the animals involved as well as their habitat.
Inspiration - Whale Watching Tour Off Vancouver Island
Seeing that humpback whale come up and out of the water is a scene I will never forget. Never. The colors of this trip include the many dark shades of the ocean, mixed with an overcast sky and almost misty shorelines. Along with the fog I found pops of color. Brilliant trees with their fall foliage, the brightly colored boats and our large, loud and very orange survival suits.
Cheers! To survival!
Meriah Blakley
Freelance Graphic Designerο»Ώ + Travel Blogger
This trip took place during the fall of 2015. When planning your own adventures, please be sure to check for any current travel alerts or changes in destination conditions first. Keep in mind that businesses mentioned may no longer exist or offer the same products recommended in this post.
LOOKING FOR inspiration delivered to your inbox? Subscribe below to receive the Earthtones newsletter.
Did this destination inspire you to travel or create?
Pin | Comment | Share
Welcome to Earthtones! As a freelance graphic designer I find my inspiration in nature and from cultures around the world. Here I have collected all of my favorite places to showcase the colors that influence my work as well as offering travel briefs for those looking to collect their own colorful stories.
Cheers! - Meriah
More Destinations
FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM
