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150 Things to Do at The Butchart Gardens

Help Celebrate 150 Years

To help celebrate 150 years since the foundation of British Columbia as a crown colony, we compiled a list of 150 Things to Do at The Butchart Gardens. We consulted our staff, the public, and our valued 12 Month Pass holders, and the results are below.

We look forward to seeing you (and your family) as you explore 150 Things to Do!

  1. Get married (January 15 - March 31)
  2. Experience our Spring Prelude indoor garden
  3. Visit our Historical Display
  4. Enjoy Afternoon Tea
  5. See The Gardens in a new light - enjoy the nightlighting.
  6. Do the Bunny Hunt at Eastertime
  7. Take a Greenhouse Tour in the Fall
  8. Buy seeds in the super Seed and Gift Store
  9. Choose a Valentine's Day gift at the Gift Store
  10. Be dazzled by the Christmas Lights
  11. Find the 12 Days of Christmas around the Gardens...
  12. and sing the verses to the carol as you go. 
  13. Enjoy a hot drink by the fireplace in the Coffee Shop in winter
  14. Take advantage of a 12 Month Pass
  15. Watch one of the skating clubs put on a figure skating exhibition
  16. Put on skates and take to the Outdoor Rink under the stars
  17. Find a secluded bench  and enjoy a book
  18. Watch a floatplane arrive in Butchart Cove
  19. Have a Gourmet Picnic on the Main Lawn
  20. Be amazed by one of Christopher's Fireworks Shows
  21. Pose your family for a picture at your favourite place in The Gardens
  22. Walk your dog around the paths
  23. Dance under the stars to the Big Band in summer
  24. Throw pennies into a stream and make a wish
  25. Snooze on the lawn under an apple tree
  26. Come to The Gardens by kayak
  27. Sketch or snap the Mercury Statue in the Italian Garden
  28. Have a romantic dinner on the balcony of The Dining Room Restaurant
  29. Resolve to grow a Blue Poppy with seed from the Gift Store
  30. Take 150 snapshots of The Gardens
  31. Smell the roses in the Rose Garden
  32. Rub Tacca's nose
  33. Take a different path as you go around the Gardens
  34. Enjoy meeting someone from another country
  35. Enjoy a hotdog on Waterwheel Square
  36. Match the flowers you see with the Plant and Flower Guide
  37. Listen to a String Quartet on the open air stage on a summer evening
  38. Bring a visiting relative to The Butchart Gardens
  39. Stroll through the fall colours in the Japanese Garden in October
  40. Marvel at the selection of dahlias in September
  41. Enjoy a gelato in the Italian Garden in summer
  42. Sing along with the Carollers at Christmas
  43. Listen to the crisp notes of the Festive Brass in the cold night air
  44. Stand at the Ross Fountain hypnotized by the weaving waters
  45. Have an espresso at The Coffee Shop
  46. See how many plants start with your initial
  47. Find a special Christmas gift
  48. Take a Visitor's Guide in another language and see how you get on
  49. Ask a question of the Plant Identification Centre staff
  50. Have a glass of cold beer or wine in The Blue Poppy Restaurant
  51. Watch the entertainment in The Blue Poppy during Christmastime
  52. Reserve a picnic at The Coffee Shop on a Fireworks Saturday in summer.
  53. Enjoy the sun sitting on a bench in the Mediterranean Garden
  54. Find the Boar Scarer in the Japanese Garden
  55. Enjoy a soft ice cream cone from The Coffee Shop
  56. Climb to the top of the mound in the Sunken Garden
  57. Check to see if the swallows are nesting in the ornate birdhouse by the steps up to the Sunken Garden
  58. Look for the animals made from moss as you walk around
  59. Near the Ross Fountain take a closer look at the remaining chimney stack from the path up from the fountain
  60. Ask about our recycling program
  61. Stand under the giant sequoias planted in 1934 and marvel at their size
  62. Guess which of the ten lords-a-leaping frogs will be the next to leap in the Christmas display
  63. Find the names for each of the piping puppets in the Christmas Italian Garden display
  64. Enjoy Mother's Day Brunch in The Blue Poppy Restaurant
  65. Look for the old ore carts used in the limestone quarry, next to the Bog Garden
  66. On a warm summer day have a cold drink from the Soda Fountain
  67. Can you spot the Chuckling Buddha statue under the cedars in the Japanese Garden?
  68. Find the bronze Circle of Doves close to Mr Butchart's aviary
  69. Find the "Jennie Butchart" rose in the Rose Garden
  70. Walk under the Torii Gate at the entrance to the Japanese Garden
  71. Find the Donkey and Pony bronze statues made by Sirio Tofanari on the Piazza
  72. Find what sort of fish makes the fountain by the Torii Gate
  73. Name the animals that are on the totem poles near the Fireworks Lawn
  74. Find the Blue Grouse on the totem pole
  75. Find a concrete railing carved to look like tree bark
  76. Spot the first snowdrop in January
  77. Watch the ornamental carp swimming in the pool of the Spring Prelude display
  78. In November find the gorgeous purple berries of callicarpa (beautyberry) in The Garden
  79. Stand under the oldest trees planted in The Butchart Gardens - the two copper beeches by the Torii Gate
  80. Pick up walnuts in the Fall under the trees by the totems
  81. Find the new Monkey Puzzle tree on the Concert Lawn
  82. At Christmas enjoy the massive display of poinsettias in the Show House - and The Blue Poppy Restaurant
  83. In early Spring spot the camellias blooming - red and white
  84. Find the tree in Spring that appears to be covered with white handkerchiefs hanging out to dry
  85. Watch the huge contraption on the corner of Water Wheel Square, made from red cedar and Douglas fir milled on site.
  86. When the sweet peas are blooming, along the path in the Rose Garden, pause to inhale the perfume
  87. Listen to the intricate music boxes in the Historical Display in Winter
  88. Check out the luscious growth on the banana plants in the Mediterranean Garden in Summer
  89. Ask your sweetie to marry you
  90. Take a snapshot of your reflection in the Gazing Ball in the Rose Garden
  91. Sign your name in one of the Visitor Books
  92. Send a postcard home
  93. Take a deep breath of sea air as you look out over the Wharf and Butchart Cove
  94. Pick up calendars for the coming year for friends at home
  95. Treat the children to a hot chocolate and a gingerbread cookie at Christmas
  96. Remember the animal pictured on the sign at the end of the row where you parked
  97. Identify the flags of the nations in the parking area
  98. Come to the Christmas Light-Up Ceremony
  99. Discover new local artists in the Garden Gallery
  100. Cut out a Christmas snowflake for the Christmas window display
  101. Find the ‘Jennie Butchart' tulip
  102. Find the view of the Wharf through the cedar hedge in the Japanese Garden.
  103. Enjoy the children's entertainment on Waterwheel Square on summer afternoons
  104. Photograph flowers close up
  105. Join in the annual Christmas ‘Bird Count'
  106. In Autumn find an ideal Japanese maple leaf  to press between the pages of your favourite book
  107.  Get a gift card for a friend
  108. Count the Koi in the Spring Prelude
  109. Count the water features in the Spring Prelude
  110. Find all 12 statues in the The Gardens
  111. Number the points of the star at the Star Pond
  112. Find our National Historic Site plaque
  113. Count the snowdrops on January 10th
  114. Take the "back" path behind the Concert Lawn
  115. Taste the soup of the day in The Coffee Shop
  116. Lie on the grass and count the stars on June 21st, the summer solstice
  117. Bring a friend who has never visited
  118. Chat with the friendly gardeners
  119. Consider contributing to The Butchart Gardens Fund at Victoria Hospice
  120. Leave a suggestion in the visitor book
  121. Come to our Winemaker's Dinners
  122. Plan your winter wedding
  123. Take 12 fabulous photos and make your own special calendar
  124. Make a list of every flower from A - Z
  125. Bring your dog for a doggie treat at the Information Centre
  126. Visit The Gardens for the first time all over again
  127. Walk The Gardens in reverse
  128. Come back again the next day
  129. Renew your wedding vows
  130. Ship a gift to a far-away friend
  131. Explore the Garden Gallery
  132. Watch the kingfishers in the cove
  133. Arrive at the Gardens after a visit through Gowlland Tod Park
  134. Look for a frog in the Italian Garden
  135. Smell the witchhazel in January
  136. Make a wish in the Rose Garden wishing well
  137. Step lightly on the stepping stones in the Japanese Garden
  138. Say hello to every staff member you see
  139. Breathe the fresh air
  140. See how many roses you can name (without peeking!)
  141. Ask about the stone floors in the Coffee Shop
  142. Marvel at the cleanest washrooms on Vancouver Island
  143. Go green - arrive by transit
  144. Linger longer
  145. Take your picture at the Twin Bridges
  146. Listen to the organ on Fireworks nights
  147. Locate the meconopsis baileyeii
  148. Ask about our Integrate Pest Management program at the Plant ID Centre
  149. Lighten your load - leave your bags at the Information Centre.
  150. See The Gardens through our clear umbrellas (on a rainy day!)