Hidden Gems II

We discovered another hidden gem in Victoria within walking distance of our condo. In fact, we have passed it many times walking from Gonzales Beach to Safeway via Foul Bay Road. It's called the Abkhazi Gardens. Our friends, Tom and Isabel, invited us to join them for lunch there after viewing the Emily Carr exhibit at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

The garden began when Marjorie (Peggy) Pemberton-Carter bought the property in late 1945 and built a summerhouse on its grounds. She began landscaping the land then received a letter from an exiled Georgian Prince, Nicholas Abkhazi, whom she had met in Paris in the 1920s. They married in November of 1946 and settled in a house built on the land in 1947. They each brought their own creative energy to the gardens and worked on them for 40 years.

The house and garden are now owned by The Land Conservancy of BC who acquired the property in 2000. They created a restaurant/tea room and gift shop in the home and it is here we had a delicious lunch.

The tea room had a few tables scattered over a stone patio but we chose to sit inside, enjoying the view from what was originally Peggy and Nicholas' sitting room. Glen had a refreshing beet salad while I had a cup of chunky tomato soup. Both were excellent. We then enjoyed Peggy's lunch of a crisp salad with balsamic vinaigrette and smoked salmon nestled on homemade bread, smothered with a dill/cream cheese spread. Beverages were tea, coffee, apple juice or water. I chose the Abkhazi Tea blend created by Silk Road Tea. It had a delicate flavour with a hint of vanilla finish. Glen drank Salt Spring Island Coffee with a flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Tom enjoyed freshly-backed scones with clotted cream and jam which I imagine is also served during the restaurant's afternoon cream teas.

He and Isabel left to deal with their alarm company while Glen and I wandered the gardens for about a half hour. It costs $10 per person to view them which helps cover the maintenance costs. Apparently, in the spring, the rhododendron garden is spectacular but we saw lots of summer flowers and enjoyed the pond with its resident turtle. We also saw a Spotted Towhee and Chestnut-backed Chickadee. An Anna's Hummingbird came to the feeder outside the dining room.