Victoria: Best Times to Visit Butchart Gardens

Butchart Gardens - the Sunken Garden

Butchart Gardens is one of Victoria’s most famous attractions. These gardens are over 120 years old. It originally started as a limestone quarry in 1904, but it was later transformed into the stunning flower filled garden that it is today. The gardens are bustling with activity year round, but depending on your preferences or your favourite flowers, you may want to consider different seasons to visit.

Overview and Year-Round Activities

Butchart Gardens is approximately a 30 minute drive from Downtown Victoria, located in Brentwood Bay. You can opt for a tour company to transport you to the garden via tour bus but they typically charge a fee per person. Renting a car is typically the most cost effective way to get to the garden and you’ll get more free time to explore the gardens at your own pace. There is plenty of free parking on-site but in busier seasons like Spring and Summer, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead and arrive earlier.

The admission fee varies slightly by season but is hovers around $35.00- 42.00 CAD per adult (TIP: for BC residents you can turn your day pass into a 12-month pass for a portion of the additional fee! Just hold on to your ticket and bring it to guest services.)

A favourite year-round activity is getting afternoon tea at The Dining Room. The tea room is charming and the experience immerses you in the British roots of Victoria. Come hungry because the tower of food is surprisingly large and filled with sandwiches, scones, sausage rolls, tarts and more.

Butchart Gardens - the Italian Garden in Spring

Spring: Cherry Blossoms, Magnolias, and Tulip Season

From March through May, Victoria starts to warm up. Though there may still be a few rainy and cloudy days, it keeps the flowers blooming and the grass bright green. Butchart Gardens starts to see its spring flowers bloom near mid March depending on the year. It’s a great time to see the cherry blossoms and magnolias.

Tulips usually begin to appear in April. Early to mid spring is a great time to visit the gardens if you want to avoid the crowds while still seeing blooming flowers. If you really want a more quiet experience, try visiting an hour before they close. In the Spring they typically close around 5:00 pm. Late Spring is usually the most popular time of year to visit the gardens.

Summer: Roses, Hydrangeas, Warm Weather, and Fireworks

Summer at Butchart Gardens is full of activity. The rose garden is in full bloom and hydrangeas start coming out. From June through September, the gardens are open much later and host live music from Wednesdays through Saturdays. You can have a picnic and lay on the lawn to enjoy the entertainment.

To make things even more exciting, the gardens also throw a firework show every Saturday from July through August. On weekends they extend their hours until 10:00 pm for you to enjoy all of the lively events. Firework nights can be very busy and crowded, so we recommend arriving early to get a parking spot and a good seat for the show.

Butchart Gardens - Japanese Garden in Autumn

Autumn: Changing Leaves, Dahlias, and Chrysanthemum

It’s peaceful at Butchart Gardens in Autumn. The air begins to cool, the weather shifts, but there is still vibrant colours in the gardens from September through November. The autumn leaves fall and the Japanese maples are spectacularly bright red. The Japanese Gardens are especially beautiful in the autumn months. Autumn is a much quieter season at the gardens if you’d like some more space for yourself.

Butchart Gardens - Christmas Carol Performances

Winter: Christmas Lights and Twelve Days of Christmas Displays

Although most of the flowers are asleep, the Christmas season at Butchart Gardens is very popular. The gardens have Christmas lights, and their Twelve Days of Christmas displays with Christmas decor, music all around. It’s great to walk around the gardens with a hot chocolate while observing the Christmas features.

Outside of Christmas, the gardens are the quietest in the winter. There aren’t many flowers in bloom or attractions at this time, the gardens use their quiet season to prep for the busy spring time.