Sidney springs ahead with most blossoms

VICTORIA, B.C. – The 48th edition of the Greater Victoria Flower Count ended on March 15 with a multi-billion bloom bouquet. Community and elementary school engagement were strong, with 33.4 billion blossoms counted over the week-long event.

The winner of “Bloomingest” community this year is Sidney, with a total of 7.58 billion blossoms counted. The runner-up community this year is North Saanich, with 7.56 billion blossoms counted.
Elementary school participation is a major component of Greater Victoria Flower Count. This year’s winning elementary school class is Ms. Jessica Manness’s class at Hillcrest Elementary School in Saanich. The Grade 4 class counted 1.56 billion blossoms and has won a special trip via L.A. Limousines to the ultimate floral experience at Butchart Gardens. (max. cohort/class size of 30). The winner of the photo contest draw will be notified by end of day March 15.

Flower Count is rooted in a tourism promotion started by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce in the 1960s. In those days, a delegation would dress in Victorian-era clothing and hand-deliver daffodils to people to Prairie cities. The publicity stunt generated favourable coverage of our region as a desirable destination. The event shifted in 1975 to having residents count flowers, and the fun but spirited contest continues to this day.

“Our civic pride is in full bloom today,” Sidney Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith said. “Our warmth and vibrancy as a community is reflected in the devotion shown by our municipal staff, who beautify our parks and boulevards, and our residents who take so much care in their yards and gardens.”

“Congratulations to Hillcrest Elementary school and Ms. Jessica Manness’s class on winning this year’s Greater Victoria Flower Count,” said Paul Nursey – CEO, Destination Greater Victoria. “This was a special flower count for the visitor economy. We are welcoming back visitors with open arms and want them to enjoy everything Greater Victoria has to offer. This includes our numerous flowers and gardens.”

“It was great to see our community come together for another successful Greater Victoria Flower Count,” said Bruce Williams – CEO, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. “The blooms were out and residents responded by submitting their counts from across the region. Congratulations to Sidney and Ms. Manness and thank you to our sponsors and prize donors for making it such a great event.”

Sponsorship and Support:
The 48th annual Greater Victoria Flower Count is proudly sponsored and supported by Destination Greater Victoria, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Butchart Gardens, Fairmont Empress, Black Press, Used Victoria, CHEK, John Overall, Ocean 98.5, and L.A. Limousines.
The Bloomingest community will be announced on CHEK News at 5 p.m. on March 15.
 
Backgrounders

Elementary School Contest Details:
Students in this year’s winning class will win a trip to Butchart Gardens travelling in style via L.A. Limousines:. (max. cohort/class size of 30)

Social Media Contest Details:
Entrants received one (1) entry by tagging #FlowerCount in related garden and floral posts on Instagram. The winner by direct message on March 15, 2023. Our winner will enjoy the time-honored tradition of Fairmont Empress Afternoon Tea for you and a guest! Enjoy a seasonal menu of savoury tea sandwiches, fresh scones with fruit preserves and cream, and a selection of mouth-watering sweets as you look out over the natural beauty of the Inner Harbour.

Hunting for hidden blooms:
Used.ca hosted a contest to find the bloom during Flower Count Week. Each day one lucky person went home with a fabulous prize package packed in a Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce #ShopLocal bag filled with local goodies sourced by Destination Greater Victoria including a Goldilocks Goods beeswax food wrap, Silk Road Tea sampling kit, an assortment of Rogers’ Chocolates, honey from Country Bee Honey Farm, and a seasoning blend from Kove Ocean Foods to make your meal a success. The goodie bag will also include a $25 gift card to a local restaurant.

As Flower Count comes to a close, a grand prize winner will be chosen to receive all of the items above plus a Pacific FC swag bag and a $50 gift card to Barb’s Fish and Chips.

About Fairmont Empress
Recognized as one of the Top 21 Iconic Hotels in the World by National Geographic Traveler magazine and honored by Travel + Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Awards for Top 3 City Hotels in Canada, Fairmont Empress is located in Victoria, BC overlooking the city’s sparkling Inner Harbour. A Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond property that offers 431 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, Willow Stream Spa with signature West Coast experiences, and Q at the Empress featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine, award-winning wine list and regionally focused cocktail culture. World-famous Tea at the Empress is served in the Lobby Lounge with stunning harbor views. The Grande Dame property completed a $60+ million restoration in 2017 that celebrated its proud history while moving the hotel into a new era of modern luxury and transforming the iconic property into a must-visit destination. In 2023, the property introduced a revamped Fairmont Gold Experience, including a major renovation to the Fairmont Gold lounge and conversion of 22 rooms to Gold Experience rooms. Located on Vancouver Island, Canada’s Castle on the Coast is the ideal starting point to explore British Columbia’s stunning natural and expansive beauty.
 
About Destination Greater Victoria
Destination Greater Victoria (Greater Victoria Visitors and Convention Bureau) is our region’s official, not-for-profit destination marketing organization working in partnership with nearly 1,000 businesses and municipalities in Greater Victoria.
 
About Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Since 1863, The Chamber has served Greater Victoria by working together to build good business and great community for all through advocacy, networking, professional development, and innovative services as changing times require. In 2020, the Chamber Champions initiative added a powerful resource to provide leadership and guidance to our organization. Current Champions are: Megson FitzPatrick (soon to be Acera Insurance), Berwick Retirement Companies, BC Ferries, Big Wheel Burger, CHEK News, CIBC, Cold Star Solutions, H2 Accelerator, Knappett Projects, Mike Geric Construction, MNP, PARC Retirement Living, RBC, Scotiabank, Seaspan, Starlight Investments, TD Canada Trust, TELUS Business, Times Colonist and the University of Victoria. Find out more at Victoriachamber.ca.