Spring blossoms in Victoria
Victoria boasts the mildest climate in Canada so it’s little surprise we’re usually the first city to start blooming, often months before the rest of the country.
Spring Blossoms
Enjoy the blossoms with a walking tour through James Bay, Beacon Hill Park and Fairfield. The James Bay neighbourhood has many examples of sakura and plums; with the highest concentration of heritage houses, it makes for a great viewing. South Turner Street is famous for its explosion of flowers. Moss Street and Trutch Street in Fairfield have many old examples of sakura and plums as does Heywood Avenue bordering Beacon Hill Park on the east side. Near the Victoria Clipper ferry terminal at the foot of Belleville Street you'll find some rare old weeping sakura and Yoshino in a nice grassy area perfect for a picnic!
Cherry Blossoms
Come spring, cherry and plum blossom trees transform many of Victoria's streets and boulevards into a sea of white and pink petals.
While Victoria doesn't have an official cherry blossom festival, it's nonetheless an amazing place for blossoms, with thousands of Prunus (flowering cherry and plum) trees in bloom. Tree varieties abound which spreads the enjoyment out over a four month period, but the peak is generally considered early April. While there are many great ways to enjoy Cherry Blossom season around the city, we recommend a carriage tour through one of the city's historic neighbourhoods. The character homes look all the more vibrant when lightly dusted with falling pink and white petals.
The Butchart Gardens
This storybook garden is one of the famous display gardens in the world. The Butchart Gardens are a National Historic Site of Canada, and as you stroll along winding paths through 55-acres of manicured gardens, you'll certainly see why the Gardens hold a special place in the heart of every Victorian. As you explore, you'll work your way through Rose Gardens, Japanese Gardens, Italian Gardens, Mediterranean Gardens, and arguably the most spectacular of them all, the iconic Sunken Garden. Make a day of your visit, ride the rose carousel choosing your favourite of 30 hand-carved wooden animals as your steed, stop by the Seed & Gift Store to find that perfect take home souvenir, or for those really looking to indulge, pop into the Dining Room for an elegant gardenside Afternoon Tea experience.
Abkhazi Garden
Step inside the Garden that love built at Abkhazi Garden. The garden first took root in 1946, when the Prince and Princess of Abkhazia would marry and settle in Victoria, after being separated by years of war and a romance that spanned the globe. Today, the historic garden is a botanical hidden-gem of the city, featuring an array of flowers including rhododendrons, Japanese maples, and nestled amidst glaciated rocky slopes and spectacular mature Gary oak trees. After your tour of the garden, allow yourself the time for Afternoon Tea at the Abkhazi Teahouse, which overlooks the garden below, and serves up a delicious spread of house-made goods.
The Gardens at HCP
Off the beaten track but into the extraordinary, The Gardens at HCP invites botany enthusiasts to explore nine-acres of public gardens on their 103-acres site that also includes a conservation park with nature trails, wetlands, and birdwatching sites. In bloom since 1979, this volunteer run garden offers one of Victoria's premier horticulture experiences, and that's saying a lot in Canada's Garden City. Brilliant any time of year, you can explore a wide-range of gardens that showcase Victoria's unique growing conditions, including a Winter Garden, Japanese style Takata Garden, Zen Garden, Rhododendron Garden, Heather Garden.
Fairmont Empress
A stately city named for a Queen, Victoria plays host to more than one castle. At the Fairmont Empress, Canada's Castle on the Coast, you'll find breathtaking public gardens, an afternoon tea experience like no other, and some of the city's best accommodations at this iconic and acclaimed harbourfront hotel. Even if you find yourself staying somewhere else, the Fairmont Empress invites you to explore their grounds and soak in the grand majesty of the property and its lush gardens. A National Historic Site of Canada, the Fairmont Empress is a cornerstone of the Inner Harbour and provides a magnificent backdrop to any family photos.
Local tip: Fancy a little bit more than tea and treats? Stop by the Empress' house restaurant Q at the Empress and enjoy wine, cocktails, and a fresh farm-to-table menu that showcases some of the region's finest produce.
Beacon Hill Park
Escape the city in the heart of the city, that's right, just footsteps from downtown Victoria, mere minutes from the Inner Harbour, you'll find Beacon Hill Park, a true urban oasis. This 183-acre park is loved by both locals and visitors, and features an great mix of outdoor experiences including a children's petting zoo, playgrounds, putting green, gardens, sports fields, and much more. In spring, Beacon Hill Park can be one of the first parts of the city to bloom. We recommend not just meandering the flower beds in search of blossoms, but to explore the Gary Oak meadows for signs of the season's first wildflowers as well.
Local tip: You've met the local flora, now say hi to some of the local fauna... sort of. At Beacon Hill Children's farm your family can meet goats, ducks, llamas, pigs and more that right in the hear of Beacon Hill Park.
Hatley Park National Historic Site
Imagine a storybook castle overlooking the Salish Sea and mighty Olympic Mountains, nestled in an old growth forest, a sprawling green space unfolds before it and picture perfect gardens blend the realm between stately architecture and wild west coast rainforests. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Well we have a secret for you, you can find all this and more at Hatley Park National Historic Site. Once the opulent home of a coal baron, Hatley Castle has since become a local and national treasure. For those in search of blooms, explore the Castle's Italian Garden - the most formal at Hatley Park (thinks hedges, yuccas, and statues), the Japanese Garden, which dates all the way back to 1910 (and has one of the most beautiful Japanese maples you'll ever lay eyes on, or the Rose Garden which fills the grounds with the scent of the season.
Saanich Parks
Saanich is home to over 171 parks totaling over 100 CFL Football Fields worth of the parkland across the community (or 820 hectares for anyone who's not a football fan). Across these parks you'll find everything from playgrounds to off leash dog areas, leisurely strolls to challenging hikes. Saanich Parks boast more than 100 kilometres of trails, that are perfect for exploring spring blooms, whether in planted gardens, or growing a top coastal mountains like PKOLS (formerly Mount Douglas) Regional Park.
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