The unlikely true story of Jennie
Butchart, who saw the possibility of beauty in a hole in the ground and
built a public garden that attracts millions of visitors from around
the world.There was a time when Jennie Butchart
(1866–1950) knew nothing about gardening. She knew about chemistry and a
little about business, which came in handy when she and her husband ran
a cement plant on Vancouver Island. But their business venture turned
into an eyesore when the quarry near their house ran out of limestone,
leaving a huge, ugly pit in the ground. Every day, Jennie stared at the
pit in frustration. She wished there was a way to make it beautiful.
Then one day, she had an idea.
Little by little, Jennie worked
to make her vision a reality. She read books about gardening, gathered
seeds from around the world, and hired the best plant experts she could
find. Jennie and her team slowly transformed the barren hole into an
enchanting public garden, bursting with colour and life! The story of
Jennie’s brilliant idea to transform a barren pit into the world-famous
Butchart Gardens is beautifully illustrated for children. Jennie Butchart: Gardener of Dreams inspires young readers to see the potential in the most unlikely of places.
