Finnerty Gardens
Encyclopedia
Finnerty Gardens is a public woodland garden
located on and maintained by the University of Victoria
in Victoria, British Columbia
, Canada
. Its main feature is the sizeable collection of rhododendrons artfully arranged throughout the 2.7 hectare
(6.5 acre
) site. There are 500 variations of rhododendrons and rhododendron hybrids on the grounds, in addition to 1,600 trees and shrubs, mostly of native varieties. There are numerous paths and benches throughout the garden winding through and around three pond
s located on the site.
and was soon transported to the University. The original site was 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) in size and maintained by many local plant enthusiasts known as the Friends of the University Gardens. As the gardens grew, dozens of nurseries and private owners began to donate plants to be planted in the gardens and soon after, an additional 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) was opened up to planting. In 1988 the gardeners decided to undergo a major transplant due to the poor soil conditions in the original section of the gardens. In September of that year over 300 plants were moved. Since then, Finnerty Gardens has continued to expand and thrive still in the hands of the Friends of the University Gardens.
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
located on and maintained by the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its main feature is the sizeable collection of rhododendrons artfully arranged throughout the 2.7 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
(6.5 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
) site. There are 500 variations of rhododendrons and rhododendron hybrids on the grounds, in addition to 1,600 trees and shrubs, mostly of native varieties. There are numerous paths and benches throughout the garden winding through and around three pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s located on the site.
History
Finnerty Gardens was born in 1974 when Mrs. Jean Simpson of Cowichan Lake died and left her and her husband's 54 year old rhododendron collection to the University. It was at the time the largest collection in British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and was soon transported to the University. The original site was 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) in size and maintained by many local plant enthusiasts known as the Friends of the University Gardens. As the gardens grew, dozens of nurseries and private owners began to donate plants to be planted in the gardens and soon after, an additional 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) was opened up to planting. In 1988 the gardeners decided to undergo a major transplant due to the poor soil conditions in the original section of the gardens. In September of that year over 300 plants were moved. Since then, Finnerty Gardens has continued to expand and thrive still in the hands of the Friends of the University Gardens.