Hatley Castle - late autumn

A few weeks ago my husband and I took our kids on a little adventure to Hatley Castle. We were a couple weeks too late to enjoy the true beauty of the Japanese gardens as many of the maple leaves had already fallen, but the kids were still happy for hours exploring and I found a few hints of autumn color to photograph.

Hatley Castle (1908) was built for James and Laura Dunsmuir and designed by Samuel MacClure. The edwardian estate originally had 10 formal gardens, a Lord Burnham greenhouse and conservatory.

The conservatory was once filled with orchids from India and had a banana tree growing in the middle dome. Every room of the castle always had fresh flowers in it from the conservatory! How nice! The greenhouse is all that is left today, which is pretty amazing considering it is from 1914.

Kids love stepping stones and bridges, so Japanese gardens are perfect!

There is a lovely rose garden too. Some how roses at this stage are still beautiful!

Hatley Castle is a great place to spend a few hours and a nice place to take out of town guests. Tours of the castle are also available. Many couples also choose the castle and grounds for their wedding day. Check website for more info.  http://www.hatleycastle.com/