Victoria's Trademark Hanging Baskets Mark Return of Summer

Since 1937, the City of Victoria has thrilled residents and visitors with a tradition that marks both the arrival of summer and clinches our reputation as a “city of gardens”. The tradition of hanging hundreds of flower baskets around the city has been a welcome sight each year for locals who await them as a sign of summer. For visitors, they’re another one of those things that makes Victoria such a magical place to visit.

David Grayson has been a gardener with City of Victoria for 30 years. As he waters the “sun baskets” at the Beacon Hill Park Nursery, he explains how each  basket is made up of 25 plants with 9 varieties. Once they fill in, they are spectacular and weigh in around 45 pounds. I pry him for gardening tips of course while I’m there…Check out this guide to making a Victoria style sun basket.

This year the 1,300 hanging baskets will begin their reign atop the trademark Victoria light standards on Monday, June 6th. Before most of us are up and sipping coffee, City of Victoria staff will be out for hours installing the beautiful baskets. There are two types of hanging baskets — sun baskets and shade baskets — hanging throughout downtown streets which are watered by hand by attentive city staff.

Victoria’s hanging flower baskets come down late September where they are composted and the process of growing next year’s plants begins all over again — while we carry on through our generally mild coastal winters. It’s still just as sweet when the baskets come back anyway, isn’t it?

Mel Z – Middays 10am – 3pm on Ocean 98.5