September 19th, 2003
Butchart and butterflies
For as long as I can remember, Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. has been a favorite among Anacortes folks looking for a British Columbia adventure. When I had the chance to visit this week, I jumped at it … and I was well rewarded for my time. We had some time before a tourism conference to stroll through the 99-year-old gardens, and it was wonderful to do so without large crowds. On the way out of Butchart we made a visit to Victoria Butterfly Gardens, where a camera is a must. Again the visit was too brief, but I managed to get a few photos of garden waterfalls, butterflies and a giant Atlas moth (World’s largest moth, with a wingspan of 6-12 inches. They can live in the cocoon stage for up to five years, and live only 4 or 5 days after emerging!). Plans call for a return with my wife, who is the real gardener in the family.