Today Cherry Ong is taking us to visit Hatley Castle in Victoria, British Columbia.
This estate garden at the Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia, is magnificent, regal, and majestic. You may recognize the castle from the movies or TV, and I will leave it up to you to figure out where you’ve seen it. The castle has an amazing view of the Esquimalt Lagoon and the Olympic Mountains, I think the view of the formal Italian garden from the terrace of the castle is the best of all.
The formal gardens were designed in a very classic, traditional style: crisp, geometric lines with trimmed hedges.
I love the way this entrance frames the view and guides the eye down the path to the next gate in the distance.
The beautiful stonework of the castle makes a great contrast to the softer textures of the plants.
The neat hedges and formal lines contrast with the wilder, more informal growth of the plants around them.
Potted plants soften the lines of the architecture.
Cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) is a fast-growing vine with beautiful, unusual flowers.
Foliage in the shades of burgundy makes a dramatic statement.
Fading peony (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 3–9) foliage lines this walkway leading to an enticing shade nook.
A frothy sea of dusty miller (Jacobaea maritima, Zones 7–10 or as an annual)
Here’s a look at the castle itself.
Click the link for more info on the Italian Gardens.