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The Flowers at Butchart Gardens

If you’re planning to visit Butchart Gardens and are wondering what will be in bloom when you get there, this guide is for you.

Open year round and covering more than 55 acres on the Saanich Peninsula of Vancouver Island, The Butchart Gardens are always in bloom and every visit brings a new experience. Over 50 gardeners tend to a huge variety (and number) of annuals, perennials and biennials.

The guide is sorted by what’s blooming by month.

Spring at Butchart Gardens

Spring flowers at Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC

Spring starts early here on southern Vancouver Island. With much of the rest of the country usually still buried under snow, February is when we start to feel that spring in the air. We may still get the occasional blast of winter but it's easy to forget when you see tulips popping up, cherry and plum blossoms and camellia and magnolia beginning to show colour.

Early spring is usually a quieter time to visit the Gardens. Operating hours change with the seasons. In early spring, the gates are open until 4:00 pm and by April and May, they stay open until 5:00 pm.

February

Aubretia
Camellia
English Daisy

Pansy
Rhododendron

Rock cress
Tulip

March

Aubretia
Camellia
Daffodil
English Daisy
Forget-Me-Not

Grape Hyacinth
Hyacinth
Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub
Pansy
Pasque Flower

Rhododendron
Rock Cress
Scilla
Tulip

April

Aubretia
Azalea
Barberry Bush
Bleeding Heart
Camellia
Candelabra Primula
Checkered Lily
Cotoneaster
Crown Imperial
Daffodil

English Daisy
Forget-Me-Not
Grape Hyacinth
Hyacinth
Leopard’s Bane
Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub
Lungwort
Milkweed
Painted Daisy
Pansy

Pasque Flower
Rhododendron
Rock Cress
Scilla
Shamrock
Siberian Wallflower
Summer Snowflake
Trout Lily
Tulip

May

African Arrowroot
Aubretia
Bleeding Heart
Checkered Lily
Chilean Rhubarb
Columbine
Daylily
English Daisy
Forget-Me-Not
Foxglove

Foxtail Lily
Fuchsia
Grape Hyacinth
Heliotrope
Himalayan Blue Poppy
Iris
Labelia
Leopard’s Bane
Milkweed
Nectaroscordum

Oriental Poppy
Ornamental Onion
Peony
Rock Cress
Shamrock
Siberian Wallflower
Stock
Summer Snowflake
Trout Lily

Summer at Butchart Gardens

By early June, the Gardens are bursting with colour and fragrance. In addition to all the blooms listed in this guide, there is also the spectacular Rose Garden blooming from June through early autumn. The Rose Garden at Butchart Gardens boasts 280 varieties of floribundas, ramblers, climbers and hybrid tea roses with a total of over 2,500 rose plants. It's an impressive display you won't forget! Read more about the Rose Garden here.

In past years, summer at Butchart Gardens also meant fireworks on Saturday evenings and electric boat tours of the Saanich Peninsula. Sadly these activities are cancelled in 2022 due to "ongoing staffing challenges" according to their website.

June

African Arrowroot
Angelonia
Aubretia
Azalea
Black Mondo Grass
Chilean Rhubarb
Cigar Plant
Coleus
Columbine
Cotoneaster
Daylily
Delphinium
False Spiraea
Floss Flower
Flowering Maple
Forget-Me-Not
Foxglove

Foxtail Lily
Fuchsia
Geranium
Heliotrope
Himalayan Blue Poppy
Iris
Labelia
Leopard’s Bane
Marigold
Mealycup Sage
Milkweed
Nectaroscordum
New Guinea Impatiens
Oriental Poppy
Ornamental Eggplant
Ornamental Onion

Painted Daisy
Pansy
Peony
Pepper
Poor Man’s Orchid
Purple Threadleaf
Rhododendron
Rock Cress
Rodgersia
Siberian Wallflower
Snapdragon
St. John’s Wort
Stock
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Pea
Waxleaf Begonia

July

Acidanthera
African Arrowroot
Angel’s Fishing Rod
Angel’s Trumpets
Angelonia
Bear’s Breeches
Bearded Tongue
Black Mondo Grass
Black-Eyed Susan
Castor Bean
Chilean Rhubarb
Chocolate Cosmos
Cigar Plant
Clerodendrum
Coleus
Common Rose Mallow
Dahlia
Daylily
Delphinium
False Spiraea

Floss Flower
Flowering Maple
Foxtail Lily
Fuchsia
Garden Phlox
Geranium
Glory Bush
Heliotrope
Hydrangea
Japanese Anemone
Labelia
Ligularia “The Rocket”
Marigold
Mealycup Sage
Milkweed
Monkshood
Montbretia
Nectaroscordum
New Guinea Impatiens
Obedient Plant

Ornamental Eggplant
Pepper
Plantain Lily
Purple Threadleaf
Rodgersia
Scarlet Sage
Scotsman’s Purse
Shrub Verbena
Snapdragon
Spiderwort
St. John’s Wort
Stock
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Pea
Tuberous Begonia
Vervain
Waxleaf Begonia
Yarrow
Zinnia

August

Acidanthera
African Arrowroot
Angel’s Fishing Rod
Angel’s Trumpets
Angelonia
Bear’s Breeches
Bearded Tongue
Black Mondo Grass
Black-Eyed Susan
Castor Bean
Chilean Rhubarb
Chocolate Cosmos
Cigar Plant
Clerodendrum
Coleus
Common Rose Mallow
Dahlia
Daylily
Delphinium
False Spiraea
Floss Flower

Flowering Maple
Fuchsia
Garden Phlox
Geranium
Glory Bush
Goldenrod
Heliotrope
Hydrangea
Japanese Anemone
Joe Pye Weed
Labelia
Ligularia “The Rocket”
Lords and Ladies
Marigold
Mealycup Sage
Milkweed
Monkshood
Montbretia
New Guinea Impatiens
Obedient Plant

Ornamental Eggplant
Pepper
Plantain Lilly
Purple Threadleaf
Rodgersia
Scarlet Sage
Scotsman’s Purse
Shrub Verbena
Snapdragon
Spiderwort
St. John’s Wort
Stonecrop
Sweet Alyssum
Toad Lily
Tuberous Begonia
Turtlehead
Vervain
Waxleaf Begonia
Yarrow
Zinnia

September

African Arrowroot
Angel’s Trumpets
Angelonia
Bearded Tongue
Black-Eyed Susan
Castor Bean
Chilean Rhubarb
Chocolate Cosmos
Cigar Plant
Common Rose Mallow
Dahlia
Daylily
Delphinium
Floss Flower
Garden Mum
Garden Phlox
Geranium

Glory Bush
Goldenrod
Heliotrope
Hydrangea
Japanese Anemone
Labelia
Lords and Ladies
Marigold
Mealycup Sage
Michaelmas Daisy
Monkshood
Montbretia
New Guinea Impatiens
Obedient Plant
Ornamental Eggplant
Pepper

Purple Threadleaf
Scarlet Sage
Scotsman’s Purse
Shrub Verbena
Snapdragon
Spiderwort
St. John’s Wort
Stonecrop
Sweet Alyssum
Toad Lily
Tuberous Begonia
Turtlehead
Vervain
Waxleaf Begonia
Yarrow
Zinnia

October

African Arrowroot
Bearded Tongue
Black-Eyed Susan
Castor Bean
Chilean Rhubarb
Chocolate Cosmos
Cigar Plant
Dahlia
English Daisy
Garden Mum
Geranium
Glory Bush

Goldenrod
Heliotrope
Hydrangea
Japanese Anemone
Labelia
Lords and Ladies
Marigold
Mealycup Sage
Michaelmas Daisy
Monkshood
New Guinea Impatiens
Ornamental Eggplant

Pepper
Purple Threadleaf
Scarlet Sage
Scotsman’s Purse
Shrub Verbena
Stonecrop
Tuberous Begonia
Turtlehead
Vervain
Waxleaf Begonia
Yarrow
Zinnia

Winter at Butchart Gardens

Even though the majority of blooms have faded by November, thousands of foliage plants thrive throughout the winter months.

And while many of us locals continue to visit any time of the year, the highlight at Butchart Gardens in the winter months is the Magic of Christmas Light Display.

The Christmas display is usually illuminated from the beginning of December until the first week of January. You are encouraged to grab a hot drink in the coffee shop and stroll along the pathways that are lit with thousands and thousands of lights.

The entire property is festively decorated with a highlight being the Twelve Days of Christmas displays located throughout the acreage.

Be sure to look up as you drive through the exit so you don't miss the 12 drummers drumming!