Butchart Gardens in early June
For many garden lovers, Victoria, British Columbia is synonymous with Butchart Gardens . With over a million visitors per year, it’s one of the biggest horticultural attractions in North America and routinely included in global “best of” lists. As beloved Butchart Gardens may be, it has its share of detractors. It’s often compared to Disneyland because of its emphasis on high drama and (floral) perfection. As is the case at Disneyland, every facet of the operation is tightly controlled and managed, resulting in what some perceive as artifice and sterility. Of course similar comments are made about many highly popular attractions so they may involve a dose of snobbishness and envy. Personally, I’d compare Butchart Gardens to Andrew Lloyd Webber , ABBA , or Cadbury Creme Eggs . Whether you like them or not, they cannot be denied. Me, I’ve given up trying to resist the siren call. I visit Butchart Gardens every time I’m in Victoria, and I let myself be seduced by the over-the-top spectacl...