s valuable to the historic gardens as the artifacts inside the house, some original plants (including lilac, summer jasmine, moss roses and English Hawthorn) continue to exist in the garden.



Where hedges of laurel, holly and false cypress had grown into trees or had killed original trees, (like the pernicious ivy), clippings of the original overgrown plants are propagated and maintained to their intended height as low hedges or decorative borders.



The most remarkable story of regeneration involves the pre-1920 hollyhock seeds which had lain dormant for decades near the woodland walk.

When the brush and ivy covering the flower bed were recently cleared, the seeds spontaneously germinated. Blooming each year in late summer, they reach heights of up to 4 meters (12 feet).



Several decades of overgrowth had obscured the vista towards the Selkirk Water. It has now been cleared to restore the spectacular view enjoyed in the 1890's, framed by the largest stand of arbutus (mandrona) trees near downtown Victoria.



Recent garden restoration has included the heart shaped rose bed (1994) and the one kitchen garden (1995). Head gardener Carolyn Herriot offers fall and winter workshops on heritage gardening. Heritage seeds from the Point Ellice House gardens are available through her company The Garden Path or in the Point Ellice Gift Shop.

The Garden Path
2069 Kings Road.
Victoria, B.C. V8R 2P6
phone:(250)592-4472
fax: (250)592-4473.
Point Ellice Gift Shop
2616 Pleasant Street.
Victoria, B.C.
Phone:(205)380-6506
fax:(250)388-7565

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Produced under contract to Industry Canada
Last updated: 26 August 1996
Produced by: Canada's Digital Collections Team
Content provided by: BC Heritage Properties, Province of British Columbia