A Touch of Pink

It kept jumping out at me... I've been going through my photos while I work on a blog post on a more serious topic, and playful pink enticed me to spend time with it. So here it is... my discoveries of pink around Victoria.

Of course, Victoria is known for its cherry blossoms; the earliest varieties bloom from early March. So, I begin with a nod to the beautiful, and ubiquitous, cherry:

Cherry arbour on Menzies Street

And one more blossom photo, showing how it can transform a building landscape:

Victoria Regent Hotel

There are many other pinks besides cherry blossom, however, and this post explores a few ways that pink makes a building, mural or window display stand out from its neighbours. Here is a sample of what I've discovered. I'll begin with several buildings; these are all in James Bay.

Pinehurst, an 1889 heritage house now part of a Capital Regional District housing complex

Gingerbread Cottage bed and breakfast, James Bay

Toronto Street house finished with intricate design work

Dallas Road and Government Street

It's hard to miss Floyd's Diner!

One of three repainted doors on Menzies Apartments (the others are yellow and blue). The owner has transformed the building by removing the old concrete which used to be in front.

Here is an "After" picture:

One final image of a James Bay house.

And now, moving on from buildings to window displays.

A stand-out window display for a manicure salon

Another window display in a different manicure salon

Display in the Bay Centre from a over a year ago

Window from Shenanigans Bookstore, Cook Street

Mural in the Cook Street Village area

Window display in a cannabis store last Christmas season

As well as windows, I've discovered many "pops" of pink in unlikely places.

Sidewalk mural at Ogden Point cruise ship terminal. This was painted just before Covid shut down the cruise ships, so the mural weathered for a couple of years before being enjoyed by passengers disembarking from the cruise ships.

Power pole on Parry Street in James Bay

Mural downtown. Shooting stars are native to the Garry Oak meadows, but I've not seen any yet. In real life the pink is brighter than depicted in this mural.

Installation I discovered downtown a few months ago; I haven't been back to check but I doubt it's still there.

Part of a mural on a flower shop, Oak Bay Avenue

I'll finish this quick perusal of pink with a few shots of pink combined with a colour whcih I often see it paired with, gold. I wouldn't have thought those two colours would work well together, but they are surprisingly pleasing.

Pink roses and amber hues of paint

Aptly named Rosewood Manor is surrounded by roses

Heather in front of a golden hued house on Dallas Road. I've seen much use of iron plate in sculpture, building finishing and signage around Victoria. Perhaps another blog idea! 

James Bay United Church

A pleasant surprise -- native fireweed

And one last image: In early summer Beacon Hill Park is full of outlandishly colourful azaleas and rhododendrons. They are so tropical in feel, they appear to be out of place in our sombre west coast climate. Here is one such Beacon Hill flower from a flowering shrub.

An exhuberant pink from Beacon Hill Park

I hope you've enjoyed my tour of "pink"! 

Sarah