The Garden as Teacher
Stepping into Abkhazi Garden in Victoria is like entering a sanctuary. The air smells of wet earth and cedar, the path winds through flowering borders and moss-covered stone walls, and sunlight filters through tall maples and firs. I pause, listening to the hum of bees and the soft rustle of leaves.
Gardens, I’ve realized, are teachers. They remind us to move slowly, to notice growth, decay, and renewal. We follow pathways that blend European design, Indigenous plantings, and local flora. Each space tells a story — of human creativity, ecological mindfulness, and the delicate balance of care.
And then, there is the Abkhazi Tea House. Nestled in the garden, this charming tea room is more than a stop for refreshments. With its warm wood interiors, delicate pastries, and aromatic teas, it becomes a space for reflection — where the lessons of the garden continue over a cup of Earl Grey, rose petal tea, or chamomile. For a truly immersive experience, the Tea House offers high tea, featuring a beautifully curated menu of finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, fresh baked pastries, and seasonal desserts — each item crafted with care and a respect for local, seasonal ingredients. Sitting there, I feel a pause in time, a gentle invitation to taste the care that surrounds me.
Layers of History and Healing
Victoria’s gardens are more than aesthetic delights. The Abkhazi Garden, a restored estate garden, carries stories of love, migration, and resilience. The Tea House itself is a nod to the original family’s hospitality — a place where visitors can connect with the spirit of the garden while savoring thoughtful treats.
Whilst walking along the path, we came across ‘the summer house’ which was a single room, and there a caretaker was sweeping the path. She shared with us the love story and showcased it with pictures that were in the ‘summer house.’ She explained the healing power the gardens had on the couple.
The tale of Abkhazi Garden in Victoria is at its heart a love story as timeless as the garden itself. In the early 1920s in Paris, Prince Nicholas Abkhazi—an exiled Georgian royal—met Marjorie “Peggy” Pemberton‑Carter, a young woman of adventurous spirit. They became friends, parted ways, endured war and separation, and years later found their way back to each other: in 1946 they were reunited, married, and settled on the rocky one-acre site that would become this garden.
Together they built the garden they lovingly called “our child” — crafting stone paths, woodland glades, and garden rooms among Garry oaks and granite outcroppings. Though neither was formally a gardener, their devotion and sense of place created something magical. After their passing, the garden was preserved by the community – the care-take shared the story of the community fighting to buy it back from developers, so that their love story and creation would endure, before it eventually made it’s way into the hands of the Land Conservancy of BC. She went to explained that it has about 70 volunteers working on the gardens.
Arriving at Abkhazi Garden is like stepping into a secret garden story. From downtown Victoria, you trace Fairfield Road until you reach 1964 Fairfield Road—look for the modest gate marking the entrance.
Once inside, follow the gravel stone steps and meandering pathways that lead upward through garden “rooms” framed by natural rock and native Garry oaks. The house terrace and Tea House sit at the top, offering views down through the garden’s unfolding landscape.
We were there in November and look forward to coming back in the Spring.
Note: many of the pathways include stairs and gravel surfaces, so while some areas are accessible, parts may be more challenging for those with limited mobility.
“Every leaf, every bloom is a teacher,” I note in my journal. “Gardens remind us that patience, attention, and care create beauty that endures.”
Mindfulness in Motion
Tours invite visitors to slow down — to notice the texture of bark, the scent of native plants, and the rhythm of birdsong. Walking meditation becomes natural here: each step soft, each breath deep, each glance curious.
Pausing at the Tea House, I sip herbal tea, the warmth spreading slowly through me. The high tea presentation feels like a ceremony: tiered trays of delicate sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, house-made pastries, and seasonal desserts. Even the smallest details matter — the soft clink of porcelain, the aroma of freshly brewed tea, the light falling through the latticed windows. Gardens are healing spaces, not just for the body, but for the heart and mind.
Cultural Connections Through Plants
Many gardens incorporate Indigenous plants with ceremonial and medicinal uses: camas, salal, cedar, and sweetgrass. Guides explain their historical and spiritual significance, emphasizing respect and reciprocity. Visitors leave with a sense of connection — not only to the plants themselves, but to the human traditions intertwined with them.
Even the ornamental sections — roses, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas — tell stories of migration, trade, and cultural exchange. The Tea House, with its high tea menu showcasing local, seasonal ingredients, reflects the same values: care, tradition, and hospitality. The garden becomes a living museum, weaving together ecology, history, and human creativity.
A Moment of Stillness
I sit by a quiet pond after my tea, watching koi glide beneath the surface. Light dances on the water, leaves drift lazily, and a breeze carries faint aromas of lavender and pine. In this moment, I feel the lessons of the gardens:
Patience: growth takes time.
Attention: noticing small details matters.
Reciprocity: care given returns in beauty and abundance.
This is why mindful travel matters. Gardens on Vancouver Island teach us not only about plants, but about ourselves — how to observe, respect, and nurture.
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#vancouverisland #victoriabc #hellobc #mindfultravel #gardensofvictoria #abkhaziteahouse #hightea #ecotourism #vancouverislandretreat
