Government House gardens named one of 100 Garden Moments in Canada

THE gardens at Government House have been named one of 100 Garden Moments in Canada, recognized as part of celebrations for 2022 Year of the Garden.

The list will serve as the basis for Canada’s Garden Hall of Fame, curated through a jury and the Canadian Garden Council.

As noted on the 100 Garden Moments list, the gardens at Government House were created in 1911, designed by G.K. Maclean. In 2002, the Estate of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia was designated a National Historic Site, due to its status as a cultural landscape with a long and noteworthy connection with an official function dating to 1865, and its remarkable esthetic qualities.

The 36 acres of grounds include two rose gardens, mature trees and flowering bushes, and a 22-acre native Gary oak ecosystem known as the Woodlands.

Today, the gardens are maintained and supported by The Friends of Government House Gardens Society, through an initiative created in 1991 by David Lam, 25th lieutenant governor of British Columbia. While the majority of the 400-plus Friends work in the gardens, non-gardening members contribute thousands of hours in many ways, including support for Government House archives and special events, at Rudi’s Tea Room, and curating and running the onsite Costume Museum.

“The gardens at Government House are a wonderful treasure that I am delighted to share with visitors locally and from all over the world,” said Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. “I am grateful for the recognition from the Canadian Garden Council of the significance of our gardens, thanks largely to the extraordinary stewardship from The Friends of Government House Gardens Society volunteers, whose dedication enhances the magic of this beautiful landscape.”

For those wanting to visit the gardens at Government House, the grounds are free-of-charge, and open daily to the public from dawn to dusk. Food, refreshments and picnics are available for takeout at Rudi’s Tea Room, located onsite in the Cary Castle Mews. Rudi’s is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The grounds also host special events, including three free outdoor concerts on July 7, 14, and 21, at the Government House bandshell.

Additional details on how to visit Government House and its gardens available here: https://ltgov.bc.ca/

 

Quick Facts

* The grounds of Government House are 36 acres of manicured gardens and native ecosystems, and include a volunteer-run tea room and costume museum.

* The Government House gardens were originally designed in 1911 by G.K. Maclean, a landscape architect from Vancouver.

* Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, up to 17 gardeners worked on the property, including a live-in superintendent, with many plants grown in an onsite greenhouse.

* In the 1980s, the number of staff gardeners fell to one.

* In 1991, then-lieutenant governor David Lam initiated The Friends of Government House Gardens Society, a volunteer organization, to enhance the existing gardens, create new gardens, and improve the maintenance of the grounds for public use and enjoyment.

* The revitalized gardens, and the work of the Friends, were dedicated in 1994 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, during a visit to Government House.

* Support for the gardens also comes from the Government House Foundation, created in part to foster the preservation of Government House and its grounds, and to enhance its decor, character, maintenance, historical and cultural values.

* To celebrate and honour Canada’s Year of the Garden 2022 and mark the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, the Canadian Garden Council has identified 100 Garden Moments of Canada that have contributed to the development of Canada’s garden culture and its ornamental horticulture sector.

* The 100 Garden Moments of Canada are the foundation of the Canada’s Garden Hall of Fame, a legacy project of the Year of the Garden 2022 to honour and celebrate events and Canadians that have contributed to Canada’s garden culture.

 

Learn More:

The Estate of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, including grounds and gardens, was designated a National Historic Site in 2002:

https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=10051#:~:text=The%20Estate%20of%20the%20Lieutenant,Strait%20of%20Juan%20de%20Fuca.