When Georgian prince, Nicholas Abkhazi fled his homeland after world war two, he re-settled in Victoria BC Canada in a relatively modest property of one acre.

But his wife Peggy had ambitions and as they were childless their energies went into building a garden fit for a prince and princess.

Together, their labour of love produced an extraordinary garden, one that embraces the natural landscape, taking its shape from the underlying rocks, screes and gullies to express something entirely unique.

The couple were passionate about plants and made careful choices to exploit the best of the cool, wet climate while ensuring a visual feast through all seasons of the year.

Having spent time in China she was very fond of Rhododendron but knew they needed shade so planted groves of Garry Oaks under which were planted a wide range of Rhododendron species and hybrids designed to provide colour from early January through to June.

Many were prized gifts from local nurserymen and today represent a valuable collection including hybrids named after Nicholas and Peggy.

To complete the woodland paradise feel they also added a wide variety of bulbs and spring flowers including Trillium, Canna, Cyclamen and Lilies along with Bluebells, Daffodils and Tulips. There are also plenty of rock and alpine plants and very fine examples of Japanese Maples and weeping conifers.

Emerging from the moist shade of the woodlands, paved paths meander past the old garden shed cum summerhouse and on up to the higher, rocky plateau by the house from which an arresting view unfolds.

The vista includes not just the gardens, but outwards over the immediate lands towards the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic mountains over the border in the USA. It is a wonderful location and they have made the most of this unique little parcel of land to create a world famous garden.

It is a garden full of character and a multitude of facets, each reflecting the beauty of carefully combined plantings. And in Peggy's own words, “The garden is about every passage of life: youth, adolescence, old age, even death.?”

In 1989, after the death of Nicholas, her life long love, Peggy sold the property and it was soon targeted for a housing development but The Land Conservancy of British Columbia intervened in the interests of Canada and garden lovers worldwide and today it is maintained from the income from visitors and many benefactors around the world.

And although it was undoubtedly a labour of love, a favourite quote of the Canadian princess was .......

“A garden is a perpetual reminder that there are no shortcuts to the important things in life.”