No matter how you arrive in Victoria, British Columbia, you can’t help but notice that the city practically blooms. Regardless of the month, every corner, boulevard, and park seems to burst with colour—from delicate pink cherry blossoms in spring, to radiant downtown hanging flower baskets each summer, to fiery red and orange leaves once autumn arrives. With so many bold colours, Victoria has certainly earned its nickname: The City of Gardens.
With more sunny days and less rainfall than most of coastal Canada, Victoria’s mild, Mediterranean-style climate helps all this growth by enjoying an extra long growing season, one that supports everything from lush ferns to rhododendrons, and even (to hit the point home) the occasional palm tree.
One of the most famous floral attractions, of course, is the world-famous, privately owned Butchart Gardens. Located just north of the city, this world-renowned attraction opened in 1904 when Jennie Butchart transformed her family’s abandoned limestone quarry into a spectacular 55 acres landscape of ponds, trees, and vibrant seasonal blooms. Today, The Buchart Gardens welcomes over a million visitors annually.
Back in Victoria proper, over 120 green spaces and parks provide citizens and visitors endless opportunities to wander, picnic, and breathe in the salty ocean air. Oh, and each summer the city continues its beloved tradition (since 1937) of furnishing the harbour with 1,600 iconic hanging flower baskets, turning downtown streets into a living gallery of cascading colour and bloom. It’s a gorgeous sight that needs to be seen to be believed.
But nowhere does Victoria’s garden spirit shine more brilliantly than in Beacon Hill Park, the city’s crown jewel. Officially designated as a public park in 1882, Beacon Hill covers over 200 acres of meadows, ponds, and meticulously tended gardens just steps from downtown. Besides the beacon (to guide ships) that was originally located atop the hill overlooking the Juan de Fuca, the park’s layout has changed little over the years, still emphasizing open natural beauty framed by formal flowerbeds, curving paths, and scenic lookouts.
In spring and summer, the park’s many gardens explode with tulips, irises, roses, and daffodils in every colour imaginable. The rose garden, in particular, dazzles with its sweet fragrance and perfectly pruned blooms, while beds of begonias, marigolds, and geraniums bring bursts of colour right through autumn, each carefully maintained by city gardeners, making it one of the most photographed green spaces in the province.
And that’s not all - dozens of peacocks wander freely through the park, their iridescent feathers flashing in the sunlight as they perch on benches or stroll across pathways like they own the place. Each spring, visitors gather quietly near the tall evergreens to watch great blue herons nesting high in the trees—a rare urban sight that underscores how deeply nature thrives here. Goodacre Lake, dotted with lilies and home to ducks and turtles, offers a peaceful retreat, while grassy fields and winding trails invite visitors to slow down and savor the scenery.
Add in the world’s tallest free-standing totem pole, The Moss Lady, Carr Bridge, the bandstand (home to free concerts all summer long) multiple playgrounds and the kid’s petting zoo (home of the famous goat stampede each summer morning), and it’s easy to see why Victorians consider Beacon Hill Park not just its crown jewel, but their personal majestic, wonderful and beautiful back garden.
Together with its countless other parks, public gardens, and flower-lined streets, Beacon Hill Park ensures Victoria doesn’t merely have a garden—it is a garden. And that’s what makes this city one of the most beautiful places to live in all of Canada.
With that being said, our extremely mild winters and less than 2” of snow each year doesn’t hurt either!
Why not visit Beacon Hill Park after enjoying one our our HIDDEN VICTORIA walking tours? They all end within a short walk to the park, and your guide will be happy to give you directions! For more information, CLICK HERE.