who started the butchart gardens

Where are the Butchart Gardens?

One of my forays was to the renowned Butchart Gardens, a National Historic site of Canada located in nearby Brentwood Bay. The site of the Butchart Gardens is a depleted limestone quarry originally owned and run by Robert Butchart who, in 1904, had moved with his wife from Ontario to start a cement business on the island.

Who's behind the Butchart Gardens'amazing Tea Time Creations?

The other mastermind behind The Gardens’ impressive tea time creations is Pastry Chef Keith Tran, who has spent a whopping 30 years at The Butchart Gardens. Tran explains his arrival as to the staff as a happy accident. He says, “I stumbled into pastry because I loved sweets.

Why did Robert and Jennie Butchart build the garden?

Coming from Ontario, husband and wife, Robert and Jennie Butchart moved to Vancouver Island to build a cement plant on a rich limestone deposit at Tod Inlet. 1912 A passion project As cement production exhausted the limestone deposits, Jennie envisioned a grand garden in its place and began transferring top soil by horse and cart.

What happened to the Butcharts gardens?

In 1939, the Butcharts gave the Gardens to their grandson Ian Ross (1918–1997) on his 21st birthday. Ross was involved in the operation and promotion of the gardens until his death 58 years later. In 1953, miles of underground wiring were laid to provide night illumination, to mark the 50th anniversary of The Gardens.

Who owns The Butchart Gardens in Victoria?

Robin-Lee ClarkeRobin-Lee Clarke, the current owner and Jennie's great-granddaughter, added the Menagerie Carousel and Children's Pavilion, which opened in 2009. Today, The Butchart Gardens are a National Historic Site of Canada.

When was Butchart Gardens built?

Butchart Gardens National Historic Site of Canada is an internationally-known public attraction that has been open to visitors since 1904. It is located on the Saanich Peninsula, approximately 21 kilometres north of Victoria, British Columbia.

Who was Jennie Butchart?

Butchart obtained the cement recipe that would make him one of the first in Canada to produce Portland Cement. After the honeymoon they headed west and opened a plant in Victoria in 1905, taking advantage of the rich limestone deposits necessary for cement production.

What was mined at Butchart Gardens?

The Butchart Gardens have been in bloom for over 100 years. The area just north of Victoria on Vancouver Island was once a limestone quarry owned and mined by the Butchart family in the early 1900s.

Is Butchart Gardens privately owned?

In 2004, two 30-foot (9.1 m) totem poles were installed to mark the 100th anniversary, and The Gardens were designated as a national historic site. Ownership of The Gardens remains within the Butchart family; the owner and managing director since 2001 is the Butcharts' great-granddaughter Robin-Lee Clarke.

How do you pronounce Butchart?

Correct pronunciation is butch-art, butch as in Butch Cassidy" / Twitter.

What nationality is Butchart?

In the mid 1800 George MacLauchlan Butchart moved his family from the Forfar District of Scotland, to Owen Sound, Ontario.

How long does it take to walk through Butchart Gardens?

3-4 hoursHow long does it take to walk through The Butchart Gardens? 3-4 hours is a recommended amount of time to allot to fully enjoy The Gardens. Plan your visit before you arrive with this map of The Butchart Gardens.

How much is a taxi from Victoria to Butchart Gardens?

$45 - $60The quickest way to get from Victoria to Butchart Gardens is to taxi which costs $45 - $60 and takes 24 min.

What is the best month to visit Butchart Gardens?

October 1 –November 30. As warm days transition to crisp nights, a parade of red, russet and golden maples emerge, it's the perfect time of year to visit the Japanese Garden before winter begins.

What is the famous garden in Vancouver?

the UBC Botanical GardenThe oldest and one of the finest botanical gardens in Canada, the UBC Botanical Garden is really many gardens in one, each with a different theme and character. Spread over 44-hectares (109-acres), the gardens launch you on a trip around the botanical world.

What is Butchart Gardens like in May?

May is here with its emerald backdrop; showcasing all the jewels of the mid spring garden. Gorgeous deep red Paeonia, and stunning blue bearded Iris are among the garden's gems.

How did Butchart Gardens get started?

It all began with one woman's vision and passion. With a former limestone quarry for her backyard, Jennie Butchart envisioned landscaping a sunken garden in its place, transforming the property for her family—and visitors—for generations to come.

How long does it take to walk through Butchart Gardens?

3-4 hoursHow long does it take to walk through The Butchart Gardens? 3-4 hours is a recommended amount of time to allot to fully enjoy The Gardens. Plan your visit before you arrive with this map of The Butchart Gardens.

What nationality is Butchart?

In the mid 1800 George MacLauchlan Butchart moved his family from the Forfar District of Scotland, to Owen Sound, Ontario.

What is the best time of year to visit Butchart Gardens?

Best time to go : The Butchart Gardens are open year-round. Each season brings its different flowers and charm. Peak season is July and August when the paths can be congested between 11am and 3pm. Best time to go is early morning or late afternoon.

Where are the Butchart Gardens?

The Butchart Gardens is a group of floral display gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, located near Victoria on Vancouver Island. The gardens receive over a million visitors each year. The gardens have been designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

Who owns the gardens?

Ownership of The Gardens remains within the Butchart family; the owner and managing director since 2001 is the Butcharts' great-granddaughter Robin-Lee Clarke.

Who was the Japanese garden designer who built the Esquimalt Gorge Park?

In 1907 Isaburo Kishida, a sixty-five-year-old garden designer from Yokohama, Japan, came to Victoria at the request of his son to build a tea garden for Esquimalt Gorge Park. This garden was wildly popular. Several prominent citizens, Jennie Butchart among them, commissioned Kishida to build Japanese gardens for their estates before Kishida ...

What is the name of the garden that the Seattle settlers named their home?

They named their home "Benvenuto" ("welcome" in Italian), and began to receive visitors to their gardens. In 1926, they replaced their tennis courts with an Italian garden and in 1929 they replaced their kitchen vegetable garden with a large rose garden to the design of Butler Sturtevant of Seattle.

When was Ross Fountain installed?

In 1964 , the ever-changing Ross Fountain was installed in the lower reservoir to celebrate the 60th anniversary. In 1994, the Canadian Heraldic Authority granted a coat of arms to the Butchart Gardens.

Who was the first person to make Portland cement?

Robert Pim Butchart (1856–1943) began manufacturing Portland cement in 1888 near his birthplace of Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. He and his wife Jennie Butchart (1866–1950) came to the west coast of Canada because of rich limestone deposits necessary for cement production.

When was the underground wiring laid at the gardens?

Ross was involved in the operation and promotion of the gardens until his death 58 years later. In 1953, miles of underground wiring were laid to provide night illumination, to mark the 50th anniversary of The Gardens.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Back in March 1992, I had a job opportunity to spend a week in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. With my workday ending at 4:30 pm, I had time to explore the sights. One of my forays was to the renowned Butchart Gardens, a National Historic site of Canada located in nearby Brentwood Bay.

Butchart Gardens

Back in March 1992, I had a job opportunity to spend a week in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. With my workday ending at 4:30 pm, I had time to explore the sights. One of my forays was to the renowned Butchart Gardens, a National Historic site of Canada located in nearby Brentwood Bay.

Who started Butchart Gardens?

Butchart Gardens was started by Jennie Butchart in 1904 . Her husband, Robert Butchart, had developed a limestone quarry and ran a cement plant. When he exhausted the limestone deposits, Jennie had a desire to beautify the quarry pit and turned it into what is now the Sunken Garden.

What are the main gardens in Butchart Gardens?

What to See at Butchart Gardens. Butchart Gardens consists of 4 main gardens: the Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden and Italian Garden. Most people visit the gardens in this order.

How to get to Butchart Gardens?

You are able to take public transit from downtown Victoria to get to Butchart Gardens. The bus you want is the 75 – Saanichton . It runs about every half hour from about 9am-8pm, but make sure you check the schedule ahead of time as it does change periodically. Riding the bus from Victoria to Butchart Gardens will take about one hour.

How long does it take to get to Butchart Gardens?

The drive to Butchart Gardens from downtown Victoria takes about 30 minutes and from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to Butchart Gardens it takes about 20 minutes. Check out A Local’s Guide to Taking the Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria.

Where is the Butchart Garden fountain?

This is my favorite of the Butchart Garden fountains! It is located close to the fireworks viewing area. This fountain was actually a gift from China and Victoria’s sister-city, Suzhou.

What is the Italian garden?

Italian Garden. This is the most formal, yet smallest, of the gardens. It was built on the site of the family’s tennis court in 1926. There is a nice pond and fountain with some pretty flowers around the courtyard. It is a lovely place to sit in the sun and rest your feet while taking in the pretty atmosphere.

Where is the fountain in the Japanese garden?

You will find this fountain by the entrance to the Japanese garden.

What is the philosophy of Butchart Gardens?

Hansen says, “Our philosophy is to be welcoming, warm and comfortable . You don’t have to get dressed up super formal to dine with us. Tea at The Butchart Gardens is designed to be more casual, like you were invited to our house.” Surrounded by a combination of potted plants and trees as well as fresh-cut flowers, the Dining Room Restaurant feels like you’re kicking back in a friend’s window-laden sunroom.

Who is the pastry chef at Butchart Gardens?

The other mastermind behind The Gardens’ impressive tea time creations is Pastry Chef Keith Tran , who has spent a whopping 30 years at The Butchart Gardens. Tran explains his arrival as to the staff as a happy accident. He says, “I stumbled into pastry because I loved sweets. Prior to working at The Gardens, I got involved in a kitchen by filling in for someone who was sick. Eventually, I ended up in the kitchen at The Gardens. I fell in love with the process and freedom of creating.”

What does Hansen and Tran reveal about the Butchart family?

Talking to Hansen and Tran reveals three things: their deep appreciation for their guests, a passion for food and an unending loyalty to The Butchart family traditions. The culinary team is always proactively working to create menus for the season ahead.

What is a Jennie Butchart?

It started as a token of hospitality to guests. With a warm cup of tea, Jennie welcomed friends and strangers to The Butchart Gardens’ flower-filled paradise. Little, rustic serve-yourself tea houses were scattered around the property, supplied with hot water and tins of tea. More than 70 years later, Jennie Butchart’s welcoming gesture has bloomed into an award-winning afternoon tea experience.

What is Butchart's signature scones?

On the top level of your platter lies the pièce de résistance, Butchart’s signature ginger scones. Hansen says, “Consistently our most popular treat, we serve these candied ginger scones with house-made preserves and Devon-style cream. We found the original family recipe for this scone while researching our archives.” The tea service is designed to be comfortable, with no prescribed order for eating the goodies on your platter. These tantalizing scones, however, are hard to ignore. Warm, fresh and straight from the oven, we won’t blame if you dive right into them first.

Who opened Benvenuto Tea House?

Executive Chef, Travis Hansen, explains, “Mrs. Ross, Jennie’s granddaughter-in-law, opened the Benvenuto Tea House (what the Dining Room was called then) in the original family residence in 1946 and we’ve been serving guests ever since.”

Is Butchart Gardens a dining room?

If your vision of an afternoon tea experience looks like a scene straight out of a Victorian-era movie, stepping into The Butchart Gardens’ elegant Dining Room Restaurant might feel a little different. While still a white cloth experience, the restaurant’s cheery, sunlit rooms offer none of the stuffiness of bygone eras.

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