The Greater Victoria Flower Count results are in, and the District of Highlands has taken the title of the ‘Bloomingest’ community in the region.
Organized by Destination Greater Victoria and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, the 46th annual count ended March 10 with a whopping 65,245,471,605 blossoms counted since the kickoff on March 3. The District of Highlands counted more than 30 billion blossoms, and the District of Saanich came in second, counting more than 23 billion.
Paul Nursey, CEO of Destination Greater Victoria, was happy to see the community come together for the annual tradition, despite the challenges of COVID-19.
READ ALSO: 2021 Greater Victoria Flower Count sows seeds of compassion
“Our message this year was one of hope, renewal and rejuvenation,” he said. “We want the rest of the country to know we are thinking of them. When the time is right, we will welcome them to our community again.”
Highlands Mayor Ken Williams is pleased with the district’s count, which surpassed reigning champion, the District of Saanich.
“Highlands is rural in nature and blessed with an abundance of plants indigenous to our community,” he said. “Highlanders share a commitment to maintaining the natural environment which allows flowers to flourish across the municipality.”
Elementary schools also compete for the most flowers counted, and this year Cordova Bay Elementary school class, headed by Ms. Susan Holmes, took the cake – counting more than one billion blooms alone. The class earned passes to the Teahouse at Abkhazi Garden.
“All these flowers we have blooming represent the gigantic bouquet we are sending virtually to the rest of Canada,” said Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. “We are sharing our beautiful blooms and the joy of their splendor and to remind all Canadians that we are in this together. Across Greater Victoria citizens were able to count blooms safely outside with others during the pandemic. All Canadians will be enjoying their own flowers and blossoms soon.”
READ ALSO: 45th annual Flower Count is back in Greater Victoria
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