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Winter
The Quiet of Winter
January 7 – March 31
More than a spring or summer affair, with Vancouver Island’s temperate climate, The Gardens have something to offer year-round. Enjoy the solitude winter brings, and take in the subtle beauty of our shrubs, trees, and flowers, from delicate snowdrops to lush hellebore.
Spring Prelude
From mid-January to mid-March, The Blue Poppy Restaurant is transformed into a wonderful indoor spring display with paths lined by flowering shrubs, trees, and thousands of bulbs.
Historical Display
Visit the Historical Display, a retrospective from the days of Robert and Jennie Butchart, Ian and Ann-Lee Ross, and their son Christopher. Each of them had a passion for the Gardens and provided a legacy of hospitality, welcoming visitors from around the world. Opening February 4, 2025.
Peaceful Gardens
At The Gardens, winter is in two takes: late October through November and late January through March. In the first half, we prepare for winter – and our beloved Christmas display. Greenhouse activity never seems to slow as we move out thousands of Poinsettias for Christmas décor. After Christmas, the garden sleeps while we tend to any alterations or upgrades of the landscape.
Winter Favourites
Crocus vernus
Late winter/early spring bulb
A colourful blanket adorns the Rose Garden during late winter
Perennial
Erica carneaHeather
Evergreen small shrub
Varieties bloom winter through spring
Shrub
Hamamelis x intermediaWitch hazel
Deciduous shrub
Fragrant blooms mid-winter
Shrub
Helleborus hybridaHellebore, Christmas rose
Attractive winter/early spring flowers
Perennial