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 10^th
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 21^st, 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!)