Anchored Flower and Butterfly

Anchored Flower and Butterfly by  Myrna Ratna

executive summary by Darmansjah Godjali

Sea of flowers that invite the presence of a butterfly. In the city of Victoria, Canada, blend them into a world charm.

Dusk was looming. Tourist buses one by one left the parking lot. Butchart Garden gradually deserted. The beauty in it as a private possession.

Autumn wind shaking the sea of flowers that lie on the 25-acre park. Almost all ornamental flowers and wild flower that grows in tropical countries or there are four seasons here. Call it lavatera, achillea, rdbeckia, hibiscus, dahlias, poppies, flowers are suitable to grow in the sun. Or groups of Zantedeschia (lilies groups) who need a little sunshine and also rhododendrons, begonias, daisies, physostegia, and others.

Past the entrance, direct eye essence park spoiled by flower beds. They were sticking out of the lattice pergola, coursed through wooden fences are made to build a Mediterranean atmosphere. The road was then curved and split into different directions.

Green-paced atmosphere and more "jungle" waiting in the corner. Large trees, of which more than a century old, shade the humus-covered walkways, reminiscent of the giant trees in our national parks. There populus, maple, Sequoia, with the sucker that hung almost touching the ground. The tranquility is sometimes broken by chirping birds clustered on tree trunks busy. Not long run, open space waiting in front of the eye. Landscape unfold like a picture postcard. This is the Sunken Garden which became an icon among the gardens here.

From the height, this garden-like basin surrounded by valleys. Flowers clustered by type grove. Begonia group, for example, juxtaposed with a group of white chrysanthemum, yellow, red, pink, orange, and blue. While the butterfly with colors that are not less conspicuous flying and perched in the tops of the flowers. A refreshing blend of beautiful eyes.

Age Butchart Gardens has more than one hundred years and since 2004 the park is visited by millions of tourists each year was designated a national historical site of Canada.

Creation of this park was started by Robert Pim Butchart (1856-1943) and his wife, Jennie Butchart (1866-1950), who has a country home design with wide expanse of land surrounding it.

Since 1939, park maintenance is handled their grandson, Ian Ross (1918-1997), who also shared Butchart Gardens into several "clusters", namely the Rose Garden, Sunken Garden, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, and Garden of the Mediterranean. Until now, the family retained ownership of it from generation to generation.

British Impressions

Butchart Garden is just one of many city-owned assets are loaded with trail Victorian England. In addition to heritage buildings that still maintained the colonial period, the English tradition is still maintained. For example, with 55 Canadian dollars, you can enjoy afternoon tea party at the Fairmont Empress hotel. Hotel that he was already more than a century that is surrounded by spacious lawns and flower fence life. Even the front of the hotel's facade is covered by a creeping vine plant wall and the sides of the window. Porch facing directly toward the port (Inner Harbour), where dozens of cruise ships resting.

From across the hotel, the city can begin the search on foot. The road along the old city area fenced off the tree line that looks almost twins, so awake to maintain. The buildings of the colonial era relics mostly converted to restaurants, souvenir shops, clothing boutiques, and galleries, which have been aimed at tourists suck. Direct memory flashed to the old town of Jakarta, which is far more exotic, but until now still not be empowered and preserved areas.

Past noon, the crowd moved to the corners of cafes and restaurants. Store ice cream, pancakes, burgers, and hotdogs to be the target children. While the restaurant-restaurant with a full menu enthused elderly travelers could spend hours. The backpackers are many who choose to stretch the body and legs on the edge of the park while eating lunch and hear the free presentation of street musicians.

Victoria, who was mentioned as one of the "jewel" in parts of North America about 100 kilometers away from the city of Vancouver and can be taken about three hours by public transportation. We can book tickets at the bus station (Pacific Coach) in Vancouver with a price around 80 dollars to go home. With this convenient bus trip to the port takes about one hour, followed by a ferry, also about an hour. After landing, the same bus will take us to downtown Victoria.

All regular and all-round all-round security. The disabilities, including those using wheelchairs, also has access to visit tourist sites anywhere because those facilities are available, even preferred.

A resort fit to clear the mind and heart ... peace.