Designing botanical gardens that appeal to kids is an art that has recently, well, blossomed. Whether set on single-acre plots, expansive formal estates, free-flowing meadows or in glass conservatories, many gardens now invite you to smell flowers, touch fuzzy leaves, feed fish and splash in fountains.

Spring is a great time to get reacquainted with the green outdoors, as tulips and azaleas provide the color you've craved all winter. At the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, an abandoned quarry awaits the inquisitive visitor and summer-long entertainment is the perfect antidote for the culture-seeking family.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA

BUTCHART GARDENS:
A short ferry ride from Vancouver, Butchart Gardens, a horticultural showplace, is a favorite of our Canadian nieces and nephew. Here, you can stroll through the Sunken Garden (an abandoned quarry) and climb the stairs of its towering rock garden. Hop from stone to stone across a stream in the Japanese Garden. Kids also enjoy the free summer entertainment, such as afternoon jazz performances and fireworks set to music. Admission starts at (price varies depending on season) $11 (Canadian) for adults, $5.50 for kids ages 13 to 17, $2 for kids ages five to 12, free for kids ages four and under. Call (866) 652-4422 for more information.



Joan Huyser-Honig is a freelance writer in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.