Butchart Gardens, Victoria BC

 I suppose my renewed interest in gardens is inspired by the fact that in 2 weeks we'll have our own garden! I'm so excited that I'll have a beautiful space surrounding our home in which to live, breath, and dream. Our recent visit to Victoria's wonderful Butchart Gardens made us realise just how important it is to spend time with nature and to appreciate the beauty we find in a garden. My hope is that our garden will be a place of beauty and peace.

 I wonder if these two nuns found time to say a few prayers? 

Gardens should be spiritual places...

 Fuschia.. what a fantastic combination of colours! Bright pink and purple all in one quite complicated blossom.

Is this not the most fabulous garden on earth??? 

How lush, how deep, how tall, how green!!

 I'm starting to really love my wide-angle lens!

The only trouble is I'm continually changing lenses and need the extra hands of my assistant Peter.

 Ohhh... a tiny, dark fiddlehead fern... just beginning her life... doesn't she look like a sea creature?

 Peonies... perhaps my absolute favourite flower! From all angles they are unbelievably pretty...

 Oh daisy... no matter what colour we find you clothed in... your simple beauty amazes me!

 The Columbine... named from the Latin 'Columba' for 'dove'. 

So dainty and delicate... and loved by butterflies...

 A tiny hummingbird ready to attack this beautiful purple flower... 

Help me here if you can...what is this flower called? 

I'm not sure if it is a lupin, and lobelia... or maybe foxglove? 

I need help!

 Poppies, simple beauty... crepey, paper-like flowers... 

 Seed pods perhaps? I have no idea...

I just loved their fabulous shape!

 Soft light filtered through thin leaves... so pretty it makes me teary...

 No this is NOT broccoli! It is a large tree/bush!!

Wonderful isn't it?!

 And the lovely water-lily... no wonder it was one of Monet's favourite flowers to paint...

lush colours, thick leaves... floating on the cool water... 

pretty, oh so pretty...

Time to leave... through this sweet garden gate.