Vice-Regal Estate

Residence with bare winter branches of Garry Oak (Quercis garryana).

At Government House there are, at the base of a majestic London Plane tree, drifts of Hellebore hybridius and Hellebore argutifolius. This planting of hellebores has been combined with Arum italicum ‘pictum’ and daffodils together with hostas for the summer and plantings of Cyclamen Hederafolium and Cyclamen Coum for continuing interest through the fall and winter.

Government House Gardens are part of the estate of the Queen’s representative to the people of British Columbia. These gardens are designed and maintained by volunteers from Victoria’s gardening community. Join us for an escourted tour through the lush and fragrant winter/early spring plantings that start to come into bloom as of mid-January. The exuberant perennial borders feature plantings have been designed to provide year-round colour and texture. An extensive rockery on a natural rock outcropping overlooks the ocean while the fragrance of a herb garden with it formal tapestry planting featuring Mediterranean herbs beckons you on. Walk through drought-tolerant plantings including native plants while viewing out over a native Gerry Oak meadow to the vista of the Streight of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountain range.

Massed plantings is a continuing trend. This heather planting at Government House features the new introductions that have year round vibrant foliage so year round interest is maintained beyond the blooming period.	February picture of the dark purple form of the 2005 Plant of the year Hellebore hybridius combined with snowdrops and crocus.	A late winter woodland fairyland of snowdrops, Cyclamen Hederafolium, hellebores and crocus.	Garry Oaks (Quercis Garryana) with daffodils
Vibirnum with violets.	Evergreen Pieres japonica (Andromeda) with its fragrant white blooms and Cornus Mass Cornelian cherry (Cornus mass) with yellow blossoms here in February, red berries through the summer, and striking autumn foliage.	Picture of Donkey tail euphorbia Euphorbia myrsinites with its evergreen glaucus blue foliage spilling over a rock in front of the orange foliage of libertia, an Iris relative from New Zealand. The libertia which will have small white blooms in summer	In February the dwarf early blooming rhododendron ‘Bow Bells’ is in full glory with Coral Bark Maple (Acer Palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ ) in the background.
(monochromatic green planting) This monochromatic green planting hidden behind a hedge at Government demonstrates why the British garden writer Christopher Lloyd made the following comment about the use of the colour green in the landscape, “the colour green which symbolizes life and is soothing Minimalist garden-plants would be all green. The hard landscaping could include whitewashed walls (though not dead white), terracotta tiles, restrained paving, and I would allow no lawns. The plants’ principal importance would then be concentrated on their shapes, and textures, and on their different shades of calming green. Shadows would play an important role.”	Glacial outcropping rockery in front of residence	(april-tulips and Bowles Mauve) Romantic Trend can be seen with this monochromatic drift of mauve and pink created at Government House through the combining of a pink tulip together with Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ or shrubby wallflower. Bowles Mauve is a plant that meets the trend of long-blooming period since in the mild Victoria climate it blooms a minimum of seven to eight months!	Mass planting of tulips in front of a 300 year old lantern that was a gift from the mayor of Morioka, Victoria’s sister city in Japan.
At Government House a harmonious drift of yellow and green has been achieved through a massed planting of Hellebore argutifolius (Corsican hellebore) edged by Primula vulgares and a later blooming narcisses Hellebore argutifolius (Corsican hellebore) with its coarsely toothed,grey-green evergreen leathery foliage and its small prolific apple-green cup shaped blooms is a low-maintenance plant that is more sun-tolerant than some of the other species. By under planting trees that have been selected for their colourful and interesting textured bark (also effective under Paper Bark Maple or 'Acer griseum') ,this hellebore can be a very useful species as part of the trend for creating a year round, multi-layered garden with bio-diversity	April native camas) Camas Lily (Camassia quamash) is planted in drifts under the native Garry Oaks (Quercus garryana). This beautiful native plant with its tiers of blue blooms was featured at the Chelsea 2004 show. The bulb was cultivated by the First Nations as a source of food (caution should be used since it has a close relative the Death Camas which is fatal).	Obelisk or tuteur, given the trends of verticality and heritage a wonderful structure to add to the garden in the right setting.	Obelisk or tuteur supporting an evergreen Clematis cirrhosa.