Butchart Gardens June 18, 2010

My sister was in town for a visit so we wandered around Butchart Gardens one afternoon.

I like the plastic-like texture and the Thrills gum colour of this whirligig flower.

Columbines are one of my favourite flowers but I'm not happy with any of my photos of them this year.

Hosta leaves are intriguing.

I rode on a zebra while my sister sat in one of the bench-seat sleighs. A couple of horses were missing though. One was the first horse I rode on opening night - a white one with flowers. We were told it was being used in a parade, so apparently they have carousel animals in reserve. Instead, there was this white horse, which I like better, and also a horse with armour. The other missing animal was my favourite, the RCMP horse.

I spotted it a week later being used in this advertising display on the Empress Hotel lawn.

Butchart Gardens June 10, 2010

Now - to do a bit of catching up.

The roses weren't out yet but lots of columbines, peonies and delphiniums were.

Can't help myself - blue poppies were still blooming too.

These irises are always photogenic.

I don't remember if we'd seen this elephant topiary before. It's by the Rose Carousel.

Interlude - Butchart Gardens June 12, 2009

It has been a while since I posted flower pictures here, so we'll revisit our first trip out to Butchart Gardens after we returned home from our holiday.

I was surprised to see blue poppies still around. I think last year they were finished by now.

I love columbines.

It was nice to see roses out too. Top: Double Delight. Middle: Rainbow Sorbet? Bottom: I don't know.

Our province's flower, the dogwood.