Visit the Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, Canada

On our cruise to Alaska in 2005, my wife and I added on a trip to Vancouver and Victoria in Canada. While in Victoria, we saw the world-renowned Butchart Gardens and were struck by the beauty of the flowers, plants, and setting. The gardens were the brainstorm of the wife of a man who ran a cement factory and who had left a large quarry pit after extracting what his factory needed. His wife had soil brought in and used it as the foundation for a series of gardens that has attracted visitors from around the world.

A few days later, while on a tour of Vancouver, my wife and I saw the Queen Elizabeth Park. It is located on the highest point in the city. Like the Butchart Gardens, the Queen Elizabeth Park is set in an area that was quarried-in this case, for rock to build roads in Vancouver.

In 1930,the BC (British Columbia) Tulip Association suggested turning the quarries into sunken gardens. In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Vancouver and dedicated the area to be gardens. The area became Canada's first civic arboretum. Organizers collected samples of all Canadian native trees to be planted in the park. Other species were also added to the park's collection. The quarry gardens were opened to the public in the 1960s. Another garden was added to honor Vancouver's 75th anniversary.

In my opinion, nothing in Canada can match the splendor of the Butchart Gardens, but the Queen Elizabeth Park compares favorably. Flowers are the heart of both areas, but both contain areas of water, as well as clusters of trees. Both offer acres of space for wandering, looking, admiring, and drinking in the beauty of nature.

In addition to its natural beauty, the Queen Elizabeth Park has the Bloedel Floral Conservatory and a domed greenhouse. The conservatory, a popular attraction in itself, emphasizes plants and birds. There are over 100 birds of different species in the conservatory.

The dome is a popular location for weddings. It has birds that roam freely inside and add to the beauty of a ceremony. The dome guarantees that the weather will be perfect for a wedding or any other event held inside.

If you can see both the Butchart Gardens and the Queen Elizabeth Park, I would suggest seeing the Queen Elizabeth Park first and working your way up to the Butchart Gardens. Save the best for last! However, you will not be very disappointed despite the order in which you visit them.

A good source for basic information on the Queen Elizabeth Park can be found at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_Park