Autumn Garden Insights 2026

By Rob Kliska, Horticultural Manager

Fall officially begins on September 22 this year, but here on Vancouver Island, it can sometimes be hard to tell when the season has truly arrived. Warm, sunny days are not out of the norm, and The Gardens can still be filled with vibrant summer colour. Many of our summer annuals continue to put on a beautiful display, holding on to their brilliant colours as long as they can. Yet, there is a sense of change in the air: the crispness of cooler mornings, the sweet scent of grass, and the sound of rustling leaves as they drift to the ground, blanketing the pathways in crunchy layers. These are some of the first signs of one of my favourite seasons: autumn.

As the season progresses, The Gardens begin their transformation into a vibrant tapestry of autumn colour. The changing foliage is one of the most beautiful signs of autumn. As leaves begin to turn and eventually fall to the ground, the pathways come alive with rich, warm hues of red, orange, and yellow. Walking through The Gardens at this time of year becomes a wonderful sensory experience.

The Japanese Garden steals the show when it comes to fall foliage, with its brilliant display of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum). With more than 70 varieties throughout the Japanese Garden, there is plenty to admire. My personal favourite is the ‘Osakazuki’, whose delicate, deeply coloured foliage can appear as though it is glowing in the autumn light. Elsewhere in the gardens, the Coral bark maples begin to lose their leaves, revealing their striking coral-red bark. Their bright branches stand out dramatically against the landscape and will continue to provide colour throughout the winter, almost appearing as though they are on fire.

Dahlias and chrysanthemums provide a grand finale to the floral season from early September through mid-to-late October. The Dahlia Border in the Concert Lawn area is especially eye-catching, with some of the tubers producing dahlias that reach more than six feet in height.

The chrysanthemums are grown in our field nursery and begin making their way into the gardens at the beginning of the season. With over 100 chrysanthemum varieties, we incorporate many into flower beds, planter boxes, and pots, resulting in a stunning array of colours and forms. Chrysanthemums are perennial herbaceous flowering plants belonging to the Asteraceae family, one of the largest families of flowering plants, with more than 23,000 species. Often affectionately called “mums,” chrysanthemums are also the official birth flower of November.

Other fall highlights include ornamental grasses and late-blooming perennials such as sedum, also known as stonecrop. This drought-tolerant succulent produces clusters of flowers that gradually transition from pink to rich bronze-red as autumn progresses. Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) sways in the breeze, its striking golden-yellow flower spikes brightening up perennial borders. Japanese anemones also bloom at a time when many other perennials are beginning to fade, adding beautiful rose-pink flowers to the autumn landscape.

The slower pace of autumn makes it a relaxing and peaceful time to visit, but it is certainly not a slower pace of work for our gardeners, who are hard at work transforming the gardens from summer to next spring.

At this time of year, you will see gardeners planting next year’s biennials, including Myosotis (Forget-me-not) and Bellis perennis (English daisy). Alongside, hundreds of thousands of bulbs are carefully planted in preparation for next spring’s spectacular display, including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. More than 65,000 bulbs will be planted in the Sunken Garden alone.

The hard work does not end there; the gardeners’ focus will shift from planting to raking up the fallen leaves. The leaves are carefully collected and set aside to break down over the course of the year. Eventually, they become nutrient-rich mulch that is returned to the gardens, helping nourish the soil and support future growth.

As you walk through The Gardens this time of year, you will also notice some of the classic sights of fall. Pumpkins and gourds are displayed amongst bales of hay alongside a vintage tractor, creating a charming autumn scene. These fall favourites are all grown on site, making use of our nutritious compost before being carefully selected for the seasonal display.

As the days become shorter and the leaves begin to fall, The Gardens become a wonderful place to take a peaceful, slow stroll in a warm, cozy sweater, taking in the scenery and appreciating nature’s seasonal changes. Wildlife is especially active as birds search for seeds and berries, while bees gather the last of the nectar from late-blooming flowers.

Why not grab a warm beverage from our Coffee Shop and add a little extra coziness to your stroll on a crisp autumn day. On Saturdays and Sundays in November, you can also enjoy a unique behind the scenes experience of a Greenhouse Tour guided by one of our knowledgeable greenhouse technicians. The greenhouses are vital to the stunning transformations we have become famous for. This is a popular offering; please visit butchartgardens.com/events/greenhouse-tours for event details.

Experience autumn and discover the colour, beauty, and peacefulness that make it such a special time to visit.