BRENTWOOD BAY, B.C. :: The Butchart Gardens are very impressive, but very crowded and pricey too. Tickets for each adult are $26 CAN and kids are $13. The cost shocked us at the gate, but it was quickly justified when walking through the immaculate park as we realized it requires an army of workers and skill to maintain. We saw several groundskeepers picking up petals or leaves from pathways just moments after they had fallen. It's much like Disneyland, but with no rides. That will change this summer, however, when a large carousel opens. We saw it under construction near the amphitheater.

We enjoyed a couple hours walking through all of the themed gardens, including the Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, and Japanese Garden. They really are spectacular. There are several ponds, fountains and sculptures throughout the park as well. It's all great, but the relentless mobs of people crowding around every single specimen are distracting. We'll try to schedule our next visit very early or very late, not at high noon as we did today. It's likely the absolute worst time, with peak attendance and harsh light for photos.

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