“Surfacing” the nearly 12,000lb flower sculpture of a mother orca and her calf, is once again back in front of the Empress!
It takes months of preparation and is made up of 10,000 individual plants. The re-planting of the display’s frame takes place each spring at the Beacon Hill Park Nursery.
The orcas are planted with Alternanthera ‘Purple Knight’, and Santolina chamaecyparissus. Festuca glauca ‘Beyond Blue’ has been used for the wave and Eragrostis ‘Wind Dancer’ for the spout.
In 2010, the City of Victoria and the Downtown Victoria Business Association collaborated to introduce “Surfacing”, inspired by similar garden structures in Burnaby and Old Montreal’s Mosaiculture Garden.
The unique garden display is designed to enhance Victoria’s downtown and is a popular photo opportunity for locals and over three million visitors to Victoria each year.
It will remain on location until the fall.
