Co-ordinators: Louise Klassen
This garden originated in 1994 when a member of the Victoria Harbourside Rotary Club solicited plants from local and global Rotary clubs. Its two long borders, and shady woodland, contain a wide range of trees, shrubs, and perennials.These include pinus koraiensis from Khaborovsky, Russia, betula jacquemontii from the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation of India, juniperus chinensis from Newport, California, and parrotia persica from Istanbul, Turkey.
Harbourside Rotary also donated the Japanese maple which stands just a few feet from the stone monument acknowledging the Rotarians’ gifts. Other notable trees include a pale pink early blooming cherry, an evergreen dogwood, and a honey locust.
Rhododendrons and azaleas feature in the spring, followed by species peonies. The woodland is carpeted with Spanish bluebells early in the season, perennial salvias, agapanthus, and grasses are summer highlights, peach-coloured chrysanthemums bloom in the fall.
Benches encouraging visitors to rest and enjoy the garden are either ‘upholstered’ with topiaried golden box honeysuckle or surrounded by scented daphnes and lavenders.
The Lewisia Wall
The lewisia wall was created by volunteer Peter Underwood in the late 1990s. He would wander the grounds finding odd places where he could plant his favourite flowers. He planted trilliums around the Rotary Garden entrance, still known as Peter’s Rock.
The rock wall provides the perfect place to grow lewisias: sharp drainage and lots of sun. The lewisia wall attracts local artists each year when it is awash in shades of pink.