Almost a Secret Garden: Victoria, BC’s Abkhazi Garden

Tucked away on the community boundary of Fairfield and Oak Bay is garden with a story as amazing as its legendary rhododendrons.

The story is of the Princess Peggy and Prince Nicolas Abkhazi, their incredible lives had twists and turns and with the preservation of their garden by The Land Conservancy their love is eternally on display for the public to enjoy.

It was Peggy who purchased the land in a quiet neighborhood of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Peggy an orphan by the age of three was raised by her adoptive parents in Shanghai, China. Although her childhood looked idyllic, parents of means that could provide for a comfortable lifestyle that included travel, her adoptive Mother was very protective and limited Peggy’s ability to explore life on her own. On a family trip to Paris, Peggy did however encounter the exiled Prince Nicholas Abkhazi. Czarist aristocrat from a small province of Soviet Georgia Prince Nicholas escorted Peggy to galleries and all the Paris sights. Peggy and Nicholas’s weekly visits in Paris came to an end and Peggy’s Mother made sure that their relationship was confined to letter writing. Peggy and Prince exchanged letters for 18 years.

On December 7, 1941 (the same day as the Pearl Harbor) the Japanese attacked Shanghai and Peggy became a Prisoner of War. It was at the work camp that Peggy found her refuge and solace in gardening. Prince Nicholas also suffered during the war, taken prisoner by the Germans.

After the War Peggy determined there was no longer a life for her in Shanghai and planned to live in Brittan. Before she was going to relocate, she decided to visit her friends in British Columbia, Canada. Peggy fell in love with this Gardeners paradise and by 1946 she had purchased land and cleared it ready to begin her adventures in landscaping. Peggy received a delayed letter of profound thanks from Prince Abkhazi. Peggy had sent money via the Red Cross to the poor Prince who was released into poverty by the Germans in Paris. Peggy and the Prince resumed correspondence and not too long they finally declared their feelings for each other. They planned to meet in New York in September 1946. By November 1946 Peggy and the Prince were married in Victoria.

The two designed and built a house on the property to compliment the garden. The garden became well know for the robust display of rhododendrons. Prince Nicholas passed away in 1987 and Peggy in 1994.

It took a committed action by concerned neighbors, avid gardeners and friends to protect the land from development. It is now in the trust of The Land Conservancy.

The garden is on display from March through to September, however during the winter months you can still take in the experience of having breakfast, lunch or tea at the Princess and Prince’s house.

A best kept secret is the winter dinning options, but please share the secret! By dinning or shopping in the gift shop you are supporting the garden and The Land Conservancy. Lunch is served 11:30am to 2:30pm Thursday to Sunday, Tea and desserts service is 2pm to 3:30pm and on Saturday and Sunday you can enjoy breakfast from 8am to 11am. No reservations required, unless you are a group of six or more!

Visiting Abkhazi Garden:

The garden address is 1964 Fairfield Road, Victoria, BC, V8S 1H4.

For more information, please call 250-598-8096

You can take the city bus from Downtown direct to the Abkhazi Garden. The #7 departs from Humboldt Street, 15 stops and 24 minutes later you are at the gardens!

“The garden is about every passage of life: youth, adolescence, old age, even death.”

- Princess Peggy Abkhazi