The Abkhazi Garden is an exquisite heritage home and garden located in Victoria, British Columbia, a city well known for its wonderful gardens. Prince and Princess Abkhazi began creating their garden in 1946. This was the year they married and settled in Victoria, after living separate lives touched by both privilege and tragedy. They immediately began to develop their one-acre property, and continued to maintain and improve their wonderful garden throughout their lives together.
The garden is very discreet from the street, with only hints of what exists beyond the hornbeam hedge. What the visitor does find is a garden that embraces a natural landscape that is unique to Victoria. The garden is blessed with dramatic glaciated rocky slopes, magnificent native Garry oaks and gorgeous vistas. The garden is designed to make the most of these remarkable features and it is the Abkhazis’ response to their landscape that qualifies it as a stunning example of West Coast design.
The garden flows around the rock, taking advantage of deeper pockets of soil for conifers, Japanese maples and rhododendrons which over the last 50 years have grown to an impressive maturity. Carpets of naturalized bulbs, choice alpines and woodland companions provide interest throughout the year to the discerning plantsman, but it is the overall design that leaves the greatest impression.
The Abkhazis worked together on their creation for over 40 years, referring to it as “their child”. After their deaths, the Garden changed hands, and in February 2000, The Land Conservancy (TLC) purchased the property to save it from becoming a townhouse development.
The Abkhazi Shop in the Garden features carefully-selected and socially-conscious gifts, many by local artisans. And the restaurant is open from 11:30am to 2:30pm for lunch service and from 2:30pm to 3:30pm for dessert and tea service.
TLC is a charitable land trust that models itself after the British National Trust. Fundraising is ongoing to pay down the remaining mortgage and to secure the Garden’s future. One of Canada’s most significant garden creations, this once private garden is now open to the public. Please visit us and experience this special place for yourself.
- Amenities: Tea Room and Gift Shop
- Season: March 1st to – October 31st
- Open: Daily
- Hours: 11:00am – 5:00pm (last admission at 4:00pm)
- Address: 1964 Fairfield Road, Victoria, BC
- Phone: 250-598-8096
