Time for culture and history, Victoria, Vancouver Island

Baskets of begonias hanging from the lamp posts

We had the Butchart Gardens on our bucket list at Victoria on Vancouver Island. We had a few hours in the city before visiting the gardens. The city itself stood on display for us, with its beautiful harbour with historical stone buildings lining the streets and the harbour front. The Houses of Parliament and Fairmont Empress Hotel stand guard over the city and there is something about museums that always attracts us.  Maybe that was why I liked history at school  

The boardwalk was busy with buskers and market stalls

 Fairmont Empress Hotel

British Columbia Parliament House

The Royal British Columbia Museum, had a display on the first people of the area
 

Canoe

Totem poles

Clothing of the first people, 

Squirrels play hide and seek, Toronto - St James Park

A beautiful inner city garden, a relaxing spot for office workers to have their lunch. St James garden not only has majestic old trees, and manicured formal gardens, but, they also had a kitchen garden with basil, rainbow rhubarb, sage and rosemary growing.
Of course there was the resident squirrel, but he was a little bit shier than our previous golden-mantle squirrels we have come across, and darted from one garden bed to another. Then would disappear up a tree

Coming from the inland of Australia and we love gardening, we appreciate and envy the gardens we have seen in Canada. The annual flowers that we have seen, hanging baskets full of bedding begonias. Stunning borders.

St James Church

Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island

Words cannot express the beauty of Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, so I will just show you a heap of photos. Enjoy