Mother’s Day Musical Garden Tour

Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11, 2025
10am to 4pm


The Pacific Northwest’s longest-running Garden Tour is back!

The Mother’s Day Musical Garden Tour is the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with the ones you love.

Explore nine stunning, hand-picked gardens throughout Greater Victoria, each full of vibrant spring colours. Your two-day pass gives you exclusive access to these backyard escapes while enjoying the musical talents of Victoria Conservatory of Music students and faculty.

All proceeds support music education and wellness in our community. But hurry—this popular event sells out every year, and there are limited tickets available!

Buy your ticket online today and WIN! Tickets purchased online before April 29 at 3:00pm will be entered automatically into a draw to win a FREE one-night stay at DoubleTree by Hilton. Click below for terms and conditions.

Terms and Conditions

Approximate retail value $395. One prize available. Skill-testing question required. Contest runs from 12:00am PST on March 1, 2025 to 3:00pm PST on April 29, 2025. Draw will occur by May 15, 2025. No purchase necessary: one entry per ticket purchased, or enter with an email with subject line CONTEST sent to developmentevents[at]vcm.bc.ca. Odds depended on number of tickets purchased online. Contest open to residents of Canada 19+ only, excluding residents of Quebec).

Tickets will also be available for purchase in-person at select outlet locations beginning April 1, 2025.


Presented by:

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Garden photo 1

Gardens

Slip behind the garden gates and visit these nine hidden backyard gems!

Read on to find out more about each stunning garden. Addresses are provided when you collect your tickets, so be sure to buy early and visit each stop!

Garden Descriptions

Garden 1
This stunning Oak Bay property has been carefully nurtured for over 45 years, evolving into a year-round celebration of vibrant colour, striking form, and creative design. A combination of rich soil, dedicated effort, and the occasional gin and tonic has transformed the garden into a dazzling spectacle across all seasons. In spring, a burst of foliage and blossoms takes centre stage, with rhododendrons in full bloom and hostas unfurling to their peak. A grove of oaks, including a 300-year-old specimen, a Katsura tree, and a large Japanese maple, provide shade to parts of this east-facing property. These trees create distinct zones where a variety of unique and rare plants flourish, adding to the garden’s charm and diversity.

Garden 2
This delightful urban garden makes the most of every inch of space. The front yard was regraded, and custom-built fences and gates enhance the area. The beds feature a range of perennials, including a stunning red tree peony, with alpine crevice gardens scattered throughout. In the backyard, raised beds are dedicated to growing food. One side bed holds artichokes, asparagus, rhubarb, and Camellia sinensis, the plant used to make tea. A single Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ (weeping redbud) stands out with its striking burgundy-purple foliage. In another side bed, rhododendrons (including R. stenopetalum ‘Linearifolium’) and Calycanthus (Carolina allspice) thrive in front of a row of oak leaf hydrangeas, which will eventually form a leafy hedge. Two smaller raised beds beneath a pergola house a variety of herbs. The central patio is crafted from over 100-year-old brick, salvaged from a kitchen renovation, adding a touch of history to the garden’s design.

Garden 3
This garden makes the most of its urban lot near Quadra Village, blending a woodland understory beneath two towering chestnut trees with expansive, sunny rock gardens. These rock gardens feature an array of unique and captivating plants, many of which were either collected or grown from seed over the past decade. While the garden’s blooms are ever-changing, visitors can expect a vibrant display throughout the seasons. Spring brings an array of colors, with bulbs, primulas, and alpine plants taking center stage. Peonies and irises also grace the space, adding to the garden’s rich diversity. The variety and abundance of plants ensure that there is always something of interest, making this garden a dynamic and engaging landscape year-round.

Garden 4
This garden embodies transformation. The only remnants of the pre-2020 yard are five towering Garry oaks and two large rhododendrons. The owners are not new to garden design, and in fact one of their gardens were featured in our 2017 tour. Here, they have created a space filled with plantings that contrast in colour and form. From the inviting front garden to the intimate courtyard, there is a seamless transition between public and private areas. The front garden showcases textural contrasts, with boxwood shaped by naturalistic cloud pruning. Concrete retaining walls, equipped with hidden lighting, define planting beds. In spring, rhododendrons add vibrant color. The courtyard gate is framed by a magnolia sieboldii and a large evergreen honeysuckle vine. The courtyard features azaras microphylla underplanted with 10 white rhododendrons that bloom in succession. Pathways are edged with beesia, Japanese forest grass, and saxifraga. Hydrangeas, rhododendrons, fatsia japonica, grevillea, camellia japonica, magnolia grandiflora, and trachycarpus fortunei surround the patio.

Garden 5
Designed by Rebecca Lang, this cherished garden offers a peaceful refuge from the city, delighting the senses at every turn. A vibrant tapestry of textures and colors unfolds with each new perspective, while the soothing sounds of falling water and the hum of bees and hummingbirds fill the air. Waving grasses complement flowering perennials and fruit trees, and the greenhouse teems with citrus, alongside the promise of olives and avocados. Slate paths edged with creeping thyme lead to secluded seating areas, or you can go up the stairs to the balcony for sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains and Sooke Hills. The front yard, inspired by Palm Springs, provides an additional space to relax, reflect, and enjoy the beauty around you..

Garden 6
This beautiful 0.89-acre property boasts a variety of native trees, raised garden beds with fruit trees, and four large water features, including two ponds with waterfalls, a recirculating waterfall, and a stream. The herb garden and raised vegetable gardens further enhance the landscape. A private guest house and a children’s play area add to the charm. Vibrant spring blooms, including tulips, azaleas, and rhododendrons in rich shades of red—beloved by the homeowner—adorn the garden. The back patio features a pergola and a reclaimed old-growth fir table, crafted from logs salvaged from the water. A cedar gazebo provides a tranquil haven, ideal for contemplation. A newly added storage and playhouse area, designed for the homeowner’s grandson, is complemented by a cedar tree bench beside it, offering a peaceful space to enjoy the surroundings. All pathways, entries, and exits are wheelchair accessible.

Garden 7
Description coming.

Garden 8
This enchanting half acre garden is distinguished by the variety of bronze, concrete and clay sculptures created by the owner. The striking rock features and mix of mature Gary Oaks, Douglas Fir and Bigleaf Maples work together to create a tranquil sanctuary. Owner designed and built from scratch over the past 10 years, the garden includes a separate studio, peaceful sitting area by the pond, and several private nooks that invite quiet relaxation. The landscape is further enriched by an array of Japanese Maples, hostas, perennials, vegetable gardens and fruit trees, making this property a charming blend of art and nature. Sculptures are available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds going to the Conservatory.

Garden 9
Sunrise Garden is a hidden gem overlooking the Salish Sea, originally designed as an English garden in the 1930s. Over the years, it has transformed into a series of enchanting garden rooms, drawing inspiration from the vibrant style of British designer Vita Sackville-West. The Meditation Room, accessed through a lych-gate, features a peaceful blend of hostas, aquilegia, primulas, and ornamental grasses, all shaded by a quince tree. A secret gate in a laurel hedge leads to the Shade Garden, a lush haven of Solomon’s Seal, Astilbe, bluebells, and hydrangeas. The Vegetable Patch flourishes with herbs, edible flowers, and a charming greenhouse made from recycled windows. The Seaside Garden bursts with spring bulbs, peonies, poppies, perennials, and shrubs. Notable sculptures by BC artist Godfrey Stevens enhance the beauty, and beneath a towering evergreen, a rock sofa offers the perfect spot to enjoy the afternoon sun.

Call for Volunteers

Call 250.386.5311 or email gardenvolunteers[at]vcm.bc.ca to sign up for a Garden Sitter volunteer shift. Duties include greeting guests, checking tickets, and answering patron questions.

Volunteers receive a complimentary ticket for the tour and an invitation to an appreciation event hosted by our Garden Tour Volunteer Sponsor, Berwick Royal Oak.

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History of the Garden Tour

The Garden Tour has been a treasured annual event in the community since 1982, bringing music lovers together to enjoy beautiful private gardens and delightful music from students of the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

About Ann and George Nation
Ann and George Nation_Garden Tour

Ann and George Nation created the Mother’s Day Musical Garden tour as a way to raise funds for the Victoria Conservatory of Music. The couple, along with a dedicated group of their friends and volunteers, organized every aspect of the tour – coordinating the gardens, publicity, sponsorship, plant sale, and offering tea and music to the hundreds and thousands of visitors who have attended the Garden Tour over these many years. George, an avid gardener, grew every single plant and cutting that he submitted every year to the Plant Sale; there are many people today who can look at their own magnificent gardens to see what is now a beautiful tree or plant that was created by the hands of George Nation!

The Nations nurtured the tour to become one of the most loved and successful annual charitable fundraising events in Victoria. They also continued the work started by Ann’s mother by providing very generous, loyal financial support that helped sustain the Conservatory over all of those many years. Their enormous contribution was recognized by naming the “Ann and George Nation Conservatory School of Classical Music” as a lasting legacy when the organization celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2014.

George passed away on March 12th 2017 at the age of 97, and Ann passed away on June 1, 2019. We honour them for their energy, spirit, and unfailing support of and dedication to music education.

Times Colonist House Beautiful Features

Many of the Mother’s Day Musical Garden Tour homes and gardens have been featured in the Times Colonist House Beautiful feature. Look back at a few of our favourites:

May 2, 2015 | Sounds of Music in the Gardens

July 23, 2016 | Kid-friendly character in the Uplands

May 6, 2017 | Modern vintage in Fairfield

May 5, 2018 | A heavenly abode of heritage in Gordon Head

April 27, 2019 | A ship-shape seaside garden

May 10, 2019 | Mid-century Rockland gem

May 9, 2020 | Son of Victoria gardening legends has passion for landscapes

April 24, 2021 | From debris to delight, Sunnymead garden takes shape over 3 decades

April 30, 2022 | Spectacular water feature the beating heart of verdant landscape at Ten Mile Point home

May 4, 2024 | A lifelong love affair with stones home

Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors
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Newport Property Management logo 600px
Garden Sponsors
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Munro's Books logo 300px square
MAC Renovations logo 300px square
Canadian Tire logo no tag 300px square
Notable Sponsors
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Costa Verde logo 300px square
Parker Johnson Industries logo 300px square
Bartlett Tree Experts logo 300px square
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In-kind Sponsor
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