By Thea Hegland

The month of September is considered one of the best times to visit the historic Butchart Gardens, offering some the year’s finest weather and an incredible display of garden finery that is fresh and vibrant. The exceptional container plantings and hanging baskets are still thriving. They are simply unparalleled, flowing with an incredible array of Fuchsia, unique Begonias and other complementary texture plants. Meticulous maintenance ensures these showstoppers will carry on into October.

Colorful Chrysanthemums are being planted in many of the flower beds signaling fall is in the air. Autumn flowering bulbs such as Colchicum (Autumn crocus) and Schizostylis coccinea (Kaffir lily) are appearing around the garden with splashes of colour. Furthermore, many of the shrubs and trees are forming berries and interesting seed pods. In the Japanese Garden, bright orange-red berries of Arum italicum (Lords and ladies) bring interest to the quiet garden while the world-famous Dahlia border demands attention with the boldest and brightest stars of the September garden.

Highlights This Week

• Abutilon (Flowering maple)
• Achillea
• Aconitum (Monkshood)
• Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa tree)
• Angelonia
• Anigozanthos (Kangaroo paw)
• Antirrhinum (Snapdragon)
• Arum italicum (Lords and ladies)
• Aster (Michaelmas daisy)
• Begonia
• Cephalaria (Giant scabiosa)
• Chelone obliqua (Turtlehead)
• Clerodendrum bungei (Glory bower)
• Clerodendrum ugandense (Blue glory bower)
• Clerodendrum trichotomum (Glory bower)
• Clethra (Summersweet)
• Colchicum (Autumn crocus)
• Cosmos atrosanguineus (Chocolate cosmos)
• Crocosmia
• Dahlia
• Echinacea (Coneflower)
• Fuchsia
• Gladiolus callianthus
• Helenium (Sneezeweed)
• Helianthus (Perennial sunflower)
• Heptacodium miconioides (Seven –son flower)
• Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’
• Hydrangea
• Iochroma
• Lagerstroemeria (Crape myrtle)
• Leonotis (Lion’s ear)
• Lespedeza (Bush clover)
• Lobelia speciosa
• Manettia (Firecracker vine)
• Persicaria (Knotweed)
• Punica (Pomegranate)
• Rosa (Rose)
• Rudbeckia (Gloriosa daisy)
• Schizostylis (Kaffir lily)
• Streptocarpus (Cape primrose)
• Tecoma
• Thalictrum (Meadow rue)
• Tibouchina (Glory bush)
• Verbena
• Vitex
• Zauschneria (California fuchsia)
• Zinnia