Autumn Garden Insights 2025

By Brian Nixon, Horticultural Manager

There is a calm, serene autumn vibe beginning to set in here at The Butchart Gardens. For me, this is one of my favourite seasons, and to witness the transformation from summer to fall is truly spectacular. Crisp cool air, pretty autumn flowers and electrifying fall foliage set the stage for an unimaginable visit our guests will enjoy during the autumn months, and not to mention smaller crowds. It’s welcoming to see fiery colours and precipitation return, reminding us all that autumn is here. With the change of the seasons and cooler days upon us, The Gardens are beginning their spectacular autumn transformation, brilliant yellow, red and orange foliage are taking hold right now, creating a picturesque autumn setting. 

As deciduous trees begin the natural process of changing colours and dropping their leaves, fall favourites are grabbing plenty of attention in the garden flower beds. By far, the most popular autumn flower is the Chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemums, sometimes called Mums, were first cultivated in China during the 15th century and used as a culinary herb. Today, these plants can be found in people’s homes, on porches and planted directly in flower beds. Here, at The Gardens, we showcase these plants in pots, window boxes, hanging baskets and in garden beds. There are 13 different classifications of Mums with hundreds of varieties to choose from, and are available in a large variety of colours, including purple, red, orange, yellow, bronze and white. Having such a large selection of colours makes Chrysanthemums a viable option for many different autumn projects around the garden. If you visit us this autumn, look for these pretty gems planted throughout.
 

Aside from Chrysanthemums, there’s a plethora of other flowers in bloom right now. These flowers are not only beautiful to admire, but also play a crucial role in providing food for all of the pollinators when food sources are quite limited. Because there is not an abundance of flowers at this time of the year, autumn blooms can be a critically important food source for many pollinators, allowing them to store energy reserves for winter survival. There are many plants in flower right now, however there are a few that have really proven popular with the pollinators. Fuchsias are an all-time favourite for hummingbirds, while the butterflies love the Asters. If you are thinking about cutting down your flowers at the end of the season, you may want to wait, especially if they are still producing flowers. 

The Japanese Garden is one of my favourite gardens during this time of year. There aren’t mass plantings of colourful flowers, but the Japanese maple trees are an incredible sight to see during the autumn season. Dense canopies of colourful Japanese maple trees illuminate the view from above, creating a brilliant glow over the garden. We also have a beautiful collection of Acer palmatum var. disectum (Lace leaf maple) that features spectacular colours and interesting leaf formations. These trees are typically a lower-growing Maple compared to their counterparts. The low light in this garden provides a healthy environment for different varieties of moss to grow. Moss grows on the garden floor, trees, manmade structures and almost anything else you can think of. Interestingly enough, we encourage this vigorous moss growth, especially on the garden floor, because it’s essential for a Japanese Garden, and it contrasts so well with the changing leaves and overall landscape. The energy radiating from this garden is best described as “Zen”, providing calm, clarity and cultivating inner peace. If you wish to experience the serenity and timeless atmosphere of the Japanese Garden, please look for one of the many secluded, tranquil seating areas located throughout the garden. 

Looking out at the Sunken Garden from atop of the switchback stairs stand two Arborvitae on each side of the main path. These trees are unquestionably the most iconic trees in The Butchart Gardens history, and have gracefully welcomed visitors to The Sunken Garden for 105 years. The Arborvitae have defined, and will continue to define the Sunken Garden for many more years to come. Jennie Butchart planted the first pair in 1920, and there have been 3 pairs of replacements since then. This October, we will be replacing the two Arborvitae that you currently see in the Sunken Garden with a fifth new pair. The current plants have become too overgrown and unruly for gardening staff to maintain, therefore, setting in motion plans for replacement, and a succession plan to last for decades to come. We are embracing this upcoming change with optimism, and look forward to another historic moment that will take place soon. 

In preparation for the spring season, there are hundreds of thousands of flower bulbs being planted throughout The Gardens, and along with that comes the sound of trowels piercing through the nutrient rich soil. Gardening staff are well underway digging up summer annuals, rototilling flower beds, and planting up a storm. This is one of the most physically challenging times of the year for horticulturalists, yet they handle this job with ease. To make this task even more challenging, autumn often brings with it intense storms, and those weather events can require an all-hands-on deck approach to cleanup. Navigating around storms during planting requires a well thought out approach that our staff do so well. Returning in the spring will allow you to see the results of everyone’s hard work that is underway in The Gardens right now.

During the autumn season, we offer Greenhouse Tours on weekends throughout November. This is a unique opportunity for the public to see firsthand what happens behind the scenes in our greenhouses, where all the plant material is grown before it makes its way to The Gardens (both indoors and outdoors). The greenhouse tours are not only a way to see our enormous operation, but also a chance to learn from our extremely knowledgeable greenhouse tour guides. I’m always amazed at the amount of information that is shared with guests during these tours, information you really won’t find anywhere else. If you are interested in booking a Greenhouse Tour, please visit our Events page for more details.    

There are many different traditions that families and friends enjoy. I recommend adding a visit to The Butchart Gardens to your autumn plans, and come see all of the spectacular sights unfolding in The Gardens right now.