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Butchart Gardens in holiday mood
Source: Inquirer
Author: Richard Pennick
Date: 1999-11-28
 
THE BUTCHART Gardens make getting

ready for the holidays as much fun as

the celebrated day itself with its second

annual ''Christmas is Coming'' series of events--and visitors are

welcome to join in.



This Christmas celebration, complete with much fine food and

entertainment, is just a short drive north of Victoria, in the grand

old house at Butchart Gardens.



The garden dream began in 1904

with a desire to beautify the site of

a worked-out quarry. The spouses

Butchart were committed to

horticulture and the garden

creation surrounding their house

has delighted visitors for more

than 90 years.



When the autumn gold gives way

to mild winter and light dustings

of snow, it makes the cracking

fires of the residence more welcome.



Fortified after lunch in the dining room, visitors may venture out

to winter in the Sunken Garden. The color may have faded, but

in winter the Gardens in monochrome are awesomely beautiful.

At Christmas on crisp winter evenings, Dec. 1 through Jan. 6,

the Gardens sparkle with colored lights and festive decor.



Traditional carolers and family entertainment complement the

visit, and the dining room offers festive holiday fare--seasonal

cuisine using produce and wine of the Pacific Northwest.



The Butchart Gardens get dressed up for the Christmas season

in glorious style. The outdoor garden ''rooms,'' including the

famous Sunken Garden, are transformed by a remarkable display

of thousands of twinkling lights and seasonal decorations.



Miles of fresh evergreen swags and wreaths, holly and ivy and

winter berries adorn the walkways and lamp posts.



The 12-days-of-Christmas display tucked into the landscape as

a surprise for visitors adds a new ''day'' this year. The ''seven

swans a-swimming'' of this season will join past displays to

continue visitors' enjoyment, with traditional carolers singing

holiday favorites and The Festive Brass who add to the magic

with nightly performances.



The Gardens offer a variety of tours all year round, and during

the Christmas season offer short courses on making winter

bouquets and centerpieces, setting a festive Christmas table,

and truffle making.



Each Saturday and Sunday, there's also this highlight--the

timeless pleasures of tea .



This steamy beverage is steeped in history and culture, and

making ''the perfect pot'' may take more knowledge than luck.

Tasting is--of course!--an essential component of the session,

and may be extended to afternoon tea in the Dining Room.



To get to Butchart Gardens, visitors take a short drive north of

Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, which is a

one-hour-and-40-minute ferry ride plus bus transfers from

Vancouver.



For more information, contact The Butchart Gardens, Box 4010

Victoria, BC V8X 3X4, Canada; phone (250) 652-4422; fax (250)

652-3883; Email@butchartgardens.com.
 

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