See garden spring into bloom
Experience the garden that love built at the Abkhazi Garden Open House, 1964 Fairfield Rd., on Saturday.
The event offers a chance to meet some of the people behind the heritage site and view the garden in its most spectacular season.
The garden is a joy to look at, with natural glaciated rocky slopes, ancient Garry oak trees and gorgeous vistas.
But what sets it apart is the love story of the Prince and Princess Abkhazi. The exiled Georgian prince and his Shanghai-born wife, began creating the garden in 1946.
For the couple, who did not have children, the garden was a labour of love.
Spring is the best time to see its carpets of bulbs in bloom, setting the stage for the conifers, Japanese maples and 50-year-old rhododendrons.
You can stop by to experience the garden and stay to enjoy afternoon tea.
The garden is administered by The Land Conservancy, a non-profit land trust that protects important habitat for plants and properties with historical, cultural, scientific, scenic or compatible recreational value.
Admission is by donation. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. .
Rock and Alpine Garden Society hosts show and sale
You can see hardy wild plants from mountains throughout the world at the Spring Show and Plant Sale, hosted by the 91原创 Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society, Friday and Saturday at the Cadboro Bay United Church, 2625 Arbutus Rd.
The show will include a wide variety of rock and alpine, succulent, woodland and wetland plants in pots or arranged in troughs and miniature gardens.
Alpine plants are usually the first plants to flower in spring. The date of the annual event varies every year to allow for a different range of plants to be exhibited.
Early shows typically include kabschia saxifrages and later ones (such as this year) contain campanulas and gentians.
The 91原创 Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society, which hosts the show, was founded in 1921 and could be the oldest alpine gardening club in North America.
The show part of the event runs on Friday and Saturday.
The sale part, featuring plants donated by club members, starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday and will continue until all plants are sold.
There will also be seed sales, an art display, a silent auction and tea.
Admission is by donation. The show runs from 1 to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
For more information, go to .
Fundraiser supports animals in need
The Fetching Ball, a fundraiser for the Victoria Humane Society, is sure to get your tail wagging at Ogden Point鈥檚 Pier B on Friday.
Billed as a cocktail 鈥減awty鈥� to help out our furry friends, it includes human and canine entertainers, a puppy-petting station and food and drink. There will be dog demonstrations by the Mutley Crew team.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the acquisition of a facility for the Victoria Humane Society.
All animals in the care of the society are housed in foster homes.
Once the homes are full, animals have to be turned away, no matter how much they are in need.
With a facility of its own, needy dogs and cats can be housed until they find their forever home.
Since 2013, the Victoria Humane Society has rescued and re-homed more than 4,000 animals.
Tickets to the 19-years-and-older event cost $125. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m.
For more information, call 250-818-4755 or go to .
Put on your tartan for Tartan Day
Pay tribute to Victoria鈥檚 Scottish and Celtic heritage by joining the ninth annual Tartan Day celebrations in Centennial Square on Saturday.
Hosted by the Victoria Highland Games Association, the event commemorates the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish declaration of independence, in 1320.
Kick up your heels or listen to a pipe band or the band Knacker鈥檚 Yard. There are also Highland dancers, Irish dancers, heavy events demonstration and Gaelic Choir.
It鈥檚 a day to put on the maple leaf tartan, Canada鈥檚 official tartan. The observance of the day in Canada originated in Nova Scotia in the 1980s.
The event is free. It runs from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, go to .
Chance your arm at pitching horseshoes
No experience is necessary to take part in Horseshoe Mania, a community event at Glanford Park, (behind the soccer field), 620 Kenneth St., on Saturday.
The all-ages event, hosted by the Greater Victoria Horseshoe Pitching Association, provides an opportunity to try your hand at the lawn game.
Pitching horseshoes 12 metres gives participants a light cardio workout and is an activity that can be taken up by the whole family.
The entry fee is $10. Sign-in begins at 8:30, with game play running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, go to .
Ecosystem needs restoring
Help to restore a Garry oak ecosystem by joining the battle against Scotch broom at the Langvista Broom Bash, held at the Langvista Covenant in Mill Hill Park on Saturday.
Organized by The Land Conservancy, the restoration project鈥檚 long term goal is to save the endangered white-topped aster (a native wildflower) near the summit of Mill Hill Park.
You can volunteer to pull broom in bloom to see the colourful show of the native wildflowers that grow in the Garry oak meadow. Tools, gloves and snacks will be provided. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Meet at Legacy Ridge. From the Trans Canada Highway, take Exit 14 and head south. Turn left on Strandlund Road and continue to the T-intersection. Turn right on Selwyn Road, left on Mill Hill Road, right on Langvista Drive, right on Kingsview Ridge and right on Legacy Ridge. Park in the visitor stalls at the top of road. Carpooling is recommended as parking is limited at the site.
For more information, go to .
Buy Ukrainian favourites at Easter fair
Get your fill of Ukrainian cuisine at the Easter Food Fair at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, 1110 Caledonia Ave. (at Cook Street), on Saturday.
Enjoy Ukrainian Easter breads and frozen food, including handmade perogies, cabbage rolls, vegetarian borscht, beet horseradish relish and Ukrainian kielbasa.
You can also telephone 250-384-2255 to pre-order for pick-up.
A hot lunch will be available.
Admission is free and the event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The church is wheelchair-accessible. For more information, go to .
