History of the Government House Gardens
The current Government House grounds were originally designed in 1911 by G.K. Maclean, a landscape architect from Vancouver. After the fire of 1957 Robert Savery, a British-born and educated landscaper, updated the design of the Government House Gardens. The new design was greatly influenced by the style of traditional English gardens.
Previous to the fire of 1957, the western side landscape had only a few plots of hybrid tea roses in a lawn on a natural sloping grade, heavily surrounded by trees. However, Savery’s new landscape design changed the characteristics of the area and conditions were improved to allow roses and herbaceous perennials to grow.
The gardens flourished throughout the 1960s and 1970s when up to 17 gardeners worked on the property. The grounds were always well-maintained and many of the plants were grown in an onsite greenhouse. However, throughout the 1980s the number of staff gardeners fell to one and even with regular maintenance by contractors, the gardens deteriorated.
In 1991, the Honourable David Lam, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (1988–1995), initiated the Garden Volunteer Program to enhance the existing gardens, create new gardens, and improve the maintenance of the Government House grounds for public use and enjoyment. Dr. Lam’s plans were based on the involvement of volunteers, The Friends of Government House Gardens Society, who would maintain the gardens, raise funds and ensure the continuation of interest and support of the Government House grounds.
During his term of office, the Honourable Garde Gardom, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (1995–2001), encouraged increased access to the Government House grounds. Under his direction the Government House Foundation initiated a Wheelchair Pathway Project to make the gardens of Government House more accessible to all visitors, including the physically challenged.
In addition to encouraging and supporting the work the Friends, former Lieutenant Governor (2001–2007), the Honourable Iona Campagnolo, was a member of the Terrace Garden team of volunteers and maintained an area on the southeast side of the Terrace Gardens. Ms. Campagnolo was instrumental in a number of significant projects for the grounds during her tenure including: opening the Terrace Gardens to the public in 2004; overseeing the placement of an accessible, explanatory lookout point southwest of Government House; facilitating the opening of a public access pathway through the Woodlands; and creating the Caledonia Cascade, a small, accessible waterfall and pond located on the east cliff of the Terraces both to provide a transitional area between the Terrace Gardens and the Woodlands and in honour of British Columbia’s 150th Anniversary in 2008.
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