Planning Your Visit
Seasonal e-Newsletter
SPECIAL OFFER
From March 21 – June 14 enjoy a 2-course lunch in The Dining Room Restaurant and admission to The Gardens. Enjoy the scents of spring and a lovely walk, then recharge yourself with a delectable lunch. The 2-course lunch offers you a choice of an appetizer and a main course, or a main course and dessert. All for $39, including GST. We do recommend reservations.
MOTHER’S DAY (May 11)
Combine more flowers than your mother could ever hold with a marvelous 3-course lunch in either the Blue Poppy Restaurant or a special Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea in the Dining Room Restaurant.
Menus and pricing will be posted on the web site on March 31st. If you would like to be notified by e-mail please
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. (E-mail program not coming up? Simply send an e-mail to
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and put Mother’s Day in the subject line.)
KIDS’ EASTER BUNNY HUNT
From March 21 – March 24 (Friday to Monday) bring your kids to The Butchart Gardens and have them join in the fun. Simply collect a special map at the Admission Gate and have the kids mark where they find the bunnies around the gardens. A special Rogers’ Chocolate Easter treat will await them upon their return to the Visitor Centre. Also, they can enter to win a Butchart Gardens’ Easter basket. And don’t just bring the kids at Easter...
SPRING IS THE TIME FOR SCRATCHING OR TICKLING
The quieter months of January and February are generally project months for the gardening department as we are able to do physical improvements to the garden. A significant improvement you will notice is at the Star Pond where we have installed a new surface on the paths and patio plus a complete refurbishment of the Star Pond itself – unfortunately we have to wait a few weeks before it is warm enough to lay down a fresh coat of paint.
UNITED AIRLINES BEGINS SAN FRANCISCO – VICTORIA FLIGHTS
Service beginning June 5th between San Francisco-Victoria will be operated by Skywest using Canadair regional jet 700’s (CR7). Customers on these routes will benefit from explus, the first regional jet service with three distinct seating options, including the premium amenities of United First and extra legroom of Economy Plus, as well as full-sized leather seats and large overhead bins. San Francisco to Victoria departs at 9:05 a.m. arriving Victoria at 11:14 a.m. Victoria to San Francisco departs at 11:52 a.m. arriving San Francisco at 1:56 p.m.
SPROUTING NEWS FROM THE SEED & GIFT STORE
Now is the time to buy your seeds for spring planting. Our 140 varieties of seeds are carefully selected to grow in our climate. Come in and shop in person or order on-line. Our on-line catalogue allows you to sort by Annuals, Perennials, Special Mixes, Drought Tolerant, Flowers for Cutting, Fragrance Flowers and Deer Resistant varieties.
Enjoy our special blends of teas at home.
Savour Teaberry, Rose Congu and Bachelor Button right from your own teapot. We also have 100th Anniversary tea, maple herbal and maple teas available in the store or for on-line sale.
Did you know, if we ship your purchases out of province you pay no provincial sales tax and if we ship out of the country you pay no GST either?
LOOK FOR US AT THESE UPCOMING SHOWS
Canada Blooms, March 12th – 16th
Toronto, Ontario
San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, March 12th – 16th
Daly City, California
Calgary Horticultural Society Garden Show, April 18th – 20th
Calgary, Alberta
ART IN BLOOM, MARCH 10 - 14, VICTORIA
Four of the gardeners from The Butchart Gardens will be part of the "How to Series" presentations at Art In Bloom. Topics will range from "Creating Art in the Garden" to "Creating Flower Arrangements - Butchart Gardens Style". For more information visit www.aggv.bc.ca/artinbloom.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
If you enjoy working with friendly and helpful staff in a beautiful setting, then numerous benefits await you when you choose to work for this world-renowned attraction visited by close to a million people each year from all over the globe. Come meet the world and grow with us!
WEDDING SEASON
Our congratulations to Nicholas and Jenessy Poretsis of Victoria, BC, who are our first wedding couple in 104 years at The Butchart Gardens. The couple was married on February 14th in our Spring Prelude indoor garden. The wedding season continues to March 31st and resumes on January 15th, 2009 and runs to March 31st.
ADMISSION TICKETS AND 12-MONTH PASSES ON-LINE MAKE GIFT GIVING EASY
Did you know, you can buy admission tickets and 12-month passes on-line? Enjoy the convenience of ticket delivery by e-mail. If you are purchasing tickets as gifts you can either print them out or forward them directly to the lucky recipients.
TOUR OPERATOR AND ACCOMMODATION SECTOR PACKAGES
Our web site has a list of local tour operators, plus local accommodations offering packages including admission and, in some instances, meals or special services.
GARDEN NOTEBOOK FOR SPRING
Featuring: Prunus cerasifera ‘Pissardii’ or ‘Atropurpurea’
Common name: Pissard Plum/Cherry Plum
The showy Pissard Plum is often regarded as one of the finest of the flowering plum trees. This decorative tree is from the genus Prunus (belonging to the Rose Family) which also includes almonds, apricots, cherries, nectarines and peaches.
RECIPE FROM THE DINING ROOM RESTAURANT
Rave reviews from diners who’ve sampled our new Afternoon Tea menu gave Chef de Cuisine Travis Hansen of The Dining Room Restaurant the idea to share this recipe with you.
PROUD TO BE A SPONSOR
Canada has been awarded a Women’s Field Hockey Qualifying Tournament for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing by the International Hockey Federation. The tournament will be staged in Victoria BC at the University of Victoria from April 26 – May 4, 2008. The Butchart Gardens is proud to be a sponsor.