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Butchart Gardens in
holiday mood |
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Source: Inquirer |
Author: Richard Pennick |
Date: 1999-11-28 |
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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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