Butchart Gardens January 21, 2012

Once again it's time for Butchart's indoor 'Spring Prelude' garden. It never comes too soon for me, so to open the door and feel the warmth and smell the fragrance in the air is heavenly.

Indoor Garden

A new fountain which has water running into the centre.

They really went to town with the logs in the pond this year.

Spheres were here in this Japanese garden area last year.

Outside

Outside was not so nice! Brrr.

Historical Display

Back inside to the Historical Display. I didn't take pictures of the pool room because I've done that before.

I have taken pictures of the croquet set before, but they're one of my favourite things and they're not out every year. It's nice to see the music boxes on display this time as well.

Butchart Gardens March 13, 2011

This was our first visit this year to the historical display, although we have been other years. One thing I missed this year was the old-time croquet set, which was left stored away because people had been handling it too much.

The bone-shaped pieces were for testing the quality of cement. (Before being transformed into a garden, this property had been used as a limestone quarry for the family's cement factory back in the early 1900's.) We were told that these pieces can still be found on the beach of the inlet by the gardens.

Above: a photo I had not seen before and some old standards - the billiard table and a couple of music boxes.

It was cold and wet outside so back in we went to the Spring Prelude garden.

Butchart Gardens January 24, 2010

Historical display

This was our second year of visiting the historical display in the former home of the Butcharts, so I didn't take many pictures.

Robert Pim & Jennie Butchart

The story goes that a dead bird prevented the Butcharts (3 of them) from sailing on the Titanic. Mr. Butchart's favourite bird died so their trip home was delayed as he made a trip to Germany instead to get another. Or something to that effect.

This looks like a passport yet it has both their photos in it. Maybe that's the way it was done in 1937 when this was issued.

Photos of a few famous people.

A few of the rooms are open to the public at this time of year. The swimming pool room and bowling alley aren't among them but we were able to have a peek last year.

Naturally I started getting distracted by flowers like this orchid in a pot on a windowsill.