March 15, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Tofino, Gardens
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I’ve passed by the botanical gardens in Tofino plenty of times, but on a sunny March day, I finally decided to check it out.
Since it was still winter, the honour system was in effect. I plunked the suggested off-season donation of $5 into an envelope, tossed it through an open window (fingers crossed they find it!) and borrowed one of the field guide binders to help me navigate the winding garden paths.
The gardens were much bigger than I expected – they go all the way back to the mudflats! Many of the trees and plants were in winter-mode (ie. not blooming), but there was still neat stuff to see. I found giant art sculptures, wooden huts, huge trees and a even a dry-docked boat along the paths.
It took me about a half-hour to walk through the gardens, but I could imagine spending at an hour or more on a sunny, summer day when all was in bloom.