Abkhazi Garden, Oak Bay

Abkhazi Garden is in the seaside community of Oak Bay, one of thirteen communities that form the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. This spectacular rock garden was acquired by The Land Conservancy of British Columbia in the year two thousand. The property and garden were initially landscaped by the Marjorie Abkhazi, who was born in Shanghi, China, and her husband, Prince Nicholas, a Georgian noble, in nineteen forty-six. The TLC website describes their history and the landscape development of the garden. The rocky garden shows glacial striations in its granodiorite bedrock of Wrangellia Terrane. The garden is landscaped into distinctive garden rooms that include a rhododendron woodland, the south lawn, a Yangtze River, supported by three ponds, the summerhouse, the east path and the house terrace. There are many notable plantings in this garden such as the Spanish fir tree (Abius pinsapo), wood anemone, winter aconite and fawn lilies. The original family home hosts a Tea House with unique pastries and artwork. There is admission cost to enter this garden. Gonzales Hill Regional Park, Gonzales Beach Park, and Margaret Jenkins Elementary School Green Space, in Victoria, are nearby. The Branch Coffee Shop and Demitasse Café and Garden Center are also nearby.

Geographic Location N48º 24’ 56”  W123º 19’ 33”

Abkhazi Garden can be reached from the Trans-Canada Highway. Continue along the Hwy 1 into Victoria as it becomes Douglas Street. Turn off Douglas onto Hillside Avenue to head east. Stay on Hillside Avenue as it becomes Lansdowne Road. Continue along Lansdowne Road to reach Foul Bay Road. Turn right onto Foul Bay Road and continue along Foul Bay Road to Fairfield Road. Turn left onto Fairfield Road and look for the garden is on the left at 1964. It is nestled between the residential homes.  There is limited street parking in this residential neighborhood.  City buses travel close to this park.

Bob Mountain Park

 

Bob Mountain Park is in the District of Metchosin, a coastal community in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. This park is a long narrow area that includes a steep sloped section that leads down toward the Matheson Lake Regional Park and the Galloping Goose Trail. Selectively logged in the early nine hundreds, the forest is composed of cedars, Douglas fir and ferns.  Grasses, mosses and smaller plants cover areas around exposed rock. This five hundred and sixteen meter long forest trail drops about 40 meters down along its path toward Matheson Lake Regional Park. Bob Mountain Park is about twenty meters wide along most of its length. Its rough trail is bordered by the homesteads on both sides.  The trailhead is along Liberty Drive near Metchosin Wilderness Park and Buckbush Swamp Park. The upper section is well trodden by dog walkers, hikers and mountain bikers. There is no hilltop in this park called Bob Mountain yet there is a one hundred and forty meter high peak within the parkland that appears unnamed on most maps. Matheson Lake Regional Park, the Galloping Goose Trail – Metchosin, Buckbrush Swamp Park, Metchosin Wilderness Park and Montreal Hill Park are nearby.

Geographical location N48º 21’ 58” W123º 34’ 53”

Bob Mountain Park can be reached from the TransCanada Highway (Hwy 1) when you exit at the Millstream /Veteran Memorial Parkway exit. Head south along the Veteran Memorial Parkway to reach Latoria Road. Turn right onto Latoria Road and continue along to reach Happy Valley Road. Turn left onto Happy Valley Road and then right onto Rocky Point Road. Continue along Rocky Point Road to reach Liberty Drive. Turn right onto Liberty Drive and follow along the curves in the road to reach Woodley Ghyll Drive. Turn left onto Woodley Ghyll Drive and look for the trail marker at the intersection. There is a partially covered shelter on this corner with limited roadside parking. City buses travel along Happy Valley Road and Rocky Point Road.

Madrill Green Space

The Madrill family of My Chosen Café, Pizza, Sugar Shack and the Critter Corner provided the name for this connector trail. Madrill Green Space is in Metchosin, B.C., a coastal community in the Greater Victoria Regional Area. The green space is a two hundred and thirty meter connector trail from the cricket pitch near Happy Valley Road to along William Head Road. The trail is a rough grassy covered trail with a slight slope to William Head Road. The green space is bordered by cedar hedge trees and a wire and wooden fence along a grass field. This is a terrific place to stretch your legs after enjoying a snack or meal at My Chosen Café venues or after watching a cricket game, horse event or other community events hosted by the District of Metchosin. The Cricket Park, Bike Park, Metchosin Riding Ring and museum are nearby. Hillman Green Space, Sea Bluff Park and St Mary’s Green Space are also nearby.

Geographical Location N48º 22’ 40” W123º 31’ 56”

Madrill Green Space can be reached from Highway 1 when you exit at the Millstream /Veteran Memorial Parkway exit. Head south along the Veteran Memorial Parkway to reach Latoria Road. Turn right onto Latoria Road and continue along to reach Happy Valley Road. Turn left onto Happy Valley Road. Continue along Happy Valley Road and look for the school building on the left. There is a small parking area. City buses travel along Happy Valley Road toward Metchosin Road.

Ferncliff Park

Ferncliff Park is in the District of Metchosin, a coastal community in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. This trail connects to the Galloping Goose Trail – Metchosin. The rough footpath is though the shaded understory of Douglas Fir trees and lies on a sloped terrain.

Geographical location N48º 24’ 16” W123º 32’ 48”

Ferncliff Park can be reached from Highway 1 when you exit at the Millstream /Veteran Memorial Parkway exit. Head south along the Veteran Memorial Parkway to reach Latoria Road. Turn right onto Latoria Road and continue along to reach Happy Valley Road. Turn left onto Happy Valley Road and continue to Winter Road. Turn left onto Winter Road and then, after crossing over the Galloping Goose Trail, turn right onto Dallimore Road. Look for the trail to access the GGT at the end of road.  A short stroll along the GGT trail leads to the junction with the trail into Ferncliff Park. Alternatively, the trail can be accessed from along Ferncliff Place between homes 1050 and 1060. City buses travel along Happy Valley Road.

Hillman Green Space

 

Hillman Green Space is in the District of  Metchosin, a coastal community in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. The bridle and pedestrain trail borders along the western side of the Metchosin Golf and Country Club greens. The trail is shaded by small shrubs and a few older Douglas fir and cedar trees. Fenced pastures for chickens, dogs, horses, cattle and sheep form the eastern border along the narrow green space. A wooden pedestrian bridge, Mac Page Bridge, crosses over Bilston Creek. This creek has a watershed area of 3154 hectares and transports water from the slopes of Mount Wells and Triangle Mountain into the Salish Sea at Witty’s Lagoon.  A unique bench, dedicated to Mac Page, lies near the bridge. It provides a terrific spot for respite and for a moment to enjoy the sound the creek. The dirt and gravel footpath is about one thousand meters long and connects Hillman Road with Pears Road. The Galloping Goose Trail and Witty’s Lagoon Park are nearby.

Geographical Location N48º 23’ 21” W123º 33’ 33”

Hillman Green Space can be reached from Highway 1 when you exit at the Millstream /Veteran Memorial Parkway exit. Head south along the Veteran Memorial Parkway to reach Latoria Road. Turn right onto Latoria Road and continue along to each Happy Valley Road. At the junction with Rocky Point Road and Hillman Road make a left turn onto Hillman Road. The road is a rough dirt road and the trail access is at the end where there is limited parking. City buses travel along Happy Valley Road toward Metchosin Road.

Seaspray Park

Seaspray Park is in the District of Metchosin, a coastal community in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. At two tenths of a hectare, this nature park is nestled in between two acreages in the Albert Head/Duke Point neighborhood. There is little to indicate that this park is a community area except for a small gravel parking area on the side of the turnabout at the end Seapsray Drive. Cedar and fir trees compose most of the canopy trees with a few big leaf maple trees. The undergrowth includes salal, broom and ferns. This can be a peaceful place to visit.

Geographical Location N48º 23’ 43” W123º 30’ 2”

Seaspray Park can be reached from the TransCanada Highway (Hwy 1). Exit the highway onto the Old Island Highway into Colwood. Follow the Old Island Highway as it becomes Sooke Road. Turn left onto Metchosin Road and continue along Metchosin Road to reach Chapel Heights Road. Turn left onto Chapel Heights Road then right onto Seaspray Road. Continue to the end of the street and look for the park between homes 384 and 389. City buses travel along Metchosin Road.

Thetis Cove Green Space

The Town of View Royal, BC, has some unique waterfront views of Fisgard Lighthouse, forested areas, watery reefs set with the backdrop of the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. This is one of those amazing places. Thetis Cove Green Space is located on a ridge along View Royal Avenue in View Royal, B.C. The view is eastward across the waters of Thetis Cove and Plumper Bay, which are part of Esquimalt Harbour, toward Richards Island and Thetis Cove beach. There is a rough pathway to the beach. Portage Park, the CRD Rail Trail and Beaumont Beach are nearby.

Geographical location N48° 27’ 2” W123° 26’ 7”

Thetis Cove Green Space can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway also called Hwy 1. Turn south onto Admirals Road at the McKenzie Avenue-Admirals Road junction. Continue along Admirals Road across the bridge over the Gorge Waterway. Turn right onto the Island Highway and pass under the railway bridge and take the next left onto View Royal Avenue. The Four-Mile Pub and Restaurant is located at this intersection. The green space is located to the left as the avenue curves to the right. There is limited parking near the green space. City buses travel along the Island Highway and View Royal Avenue.

Fort Victoria Green Space

The wooden stockade and bastions of the recreational vehicle park called Fort Victoria is a replica of the eighteen forty-three wood framed barracks. The green space is near this three hundred site recreation vehicle park which is also framed by cedar hedges trees on the east side. One of bastions hosts a museum with information about the construction of Fort Victoria on the east shore of the inner harbour of Victoria, B.C. The E&N Railway track and trail passes through the south side of this camping and recreation vehicle park. This is distinguished by the Palmer VIA rail station platform and shelter. A small electrical substation is located just west of the shelter while a little grass covered area is maintained on both sides of the railway track near the entrance to the park. This green space is along the E&N Rail Trail –View Royal. View Royal Park and Kislingbury Lane Green Space are close by.

 

Geographical location N48° 27’ 37” W123° 26’ 34”

 

Fort Victoria Green Space can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway (Hwy 1). Exit onto Helmcken Road and turn south. Continue past the first traffic circle to the second one, near Craigflower Creek, and turn Pleasant Lane. Continue along Pleasant Lane to Burnett Road. There is limited parking near the entrance to RV park along Burnett Road.

Two places for information about Fort Victoria can be found at http://www.fortvictoria.ca/  and http://bcheritage.ca/fortvictoria/fortlife/

Adanac Street Green Space

This post is updated here.

Adanac Street Green Space

Oswald Park

This post is updated here.

Oswald Park