Welland Legacy Park

Two hundred and thirty-five fruit trees with over one hundred and forty varieties of heritage apples are found at the orchard that forms the Welland Legacy Park. There are kiwi, quince, cherry, paw paw, hazel nut, medlar, grape, pear, plum, and fig trees growing on the two thirds of a hectare parkland. The land was donated to the Town of View Royal by the late Rex Welland, an apple and bee elder as well as a former member of the fruit growers on Vancouver Island. There are Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) plants as well. About half of the property is protected under a covenant with The Land Conservancy of British Columbia. The park borders the Galloping Goose Trail and has a great view of Portage Inlet. There are Douglas fir, Chilean pine (monkey puzzle) and eucalyptus trees as well as other unique species of plants on the property. Lifecycle Project Society hosts workshops for plant maintenance and education. There is a sixty-five meter long paved path, bordered by black chain link fence, along the homestead from Burnside Road W to the park. A composting toilet is in the lower section of the park near the gate from the Galloping Goose Trail. There are also several bee hives on the property and a couple of sheds. Several trees including many apple trees and the Chilean pine tree are separated from the parkland by a black chain-link fence. Tawny Park, Knockan Hill Park, the Galloping Goose Trail and Chancellor Park are nearby.

Geographic location N48° 27’ 55” W123° 25’ 16”

Welland Legacy Park can be reached from Hwy1. Turn off on Exit 8, Helmcken Road, and head northward toward the Victoria General Hospital. Continue on Helmcken Road to Burnside Road West. Turn right onto Burnside Road. Take the second right onto Eaton Avenue and left onto Stancil Lane. The park is at 1215 Stancil Lane or the end of the road. There is limited roadside parking on either Stancil Lane or Burnside Road W. City buses travel along Burnside Road and the park can be accessed from the gated chain-linked fenced paved pathway between 1247 and 1245.

Banfield Orchard

This post is updated here.

Banfield Orchard

Banfield Orchard

The Banfield Orchard is a small community orchard in Victoria West, Victoira, BC. It is located beside the tennis counts in Banfield Park. There are apple, pear, fig, chestnut, mulberry and plum fruit trees in the two hundred and eighty eight square meter area. The garden is fenced with a high wire fence, to keep the deer at bay, and has two artistic gates. If you have trouble recognizing your fruit trees, like me, this is the place to examine fruit trees and leaves and, if you time it right, pick a fruit or two.

 

Geographic coordinates N48° 26’ 15” W123° 23’ 16”

 

Banfield Orchard can be reached from Blanchard Street. Turn west onto Bay Street and continue across the Ellice Point Bridge. At the first lights turn right onto Skinner Street (a sharp right puts you onto Tyee Road). Skinner Street turns to become Craigflower Road a couple of blocks along. Banfield Orchard is on the right of the Craigflower Road just past Raynor Street. There are a couple of small parking lots associated with Banfield Park which are close to the orchard. A city bus travels along Craigflower Road from downtown.