Gonzales in Victoria in Capital, British Columbia — Canada’s West Coast (North America)
Abkhazi Garden
The Garden that Love Built
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 22, 2014
1. Abkhazi Garden Marker
Peggy Pemberton-Carter met Prince Nicholas Abkhazi, in Paris in 1922. Prince Nicholas, the last surviving son of an ancient line of kings of Abkhazia on the Black Sea, had been living there in exile since escaping the Bolshevik Revolution. They found themselves "amiable", taking walks together, visiting galleries and conversing in their common language of French. They kept in touch through correspondence and met occasionally over the next few years. Peggy and her mother lived in various places: England, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Egypt and China.
At the outbreak of World War II, Prince Nicholas joined the French army and was soon captured. Peggy spent the war in captivity in Shanghai. When the war ended, though they had not seen each other since 1933, they made the decision to be together. Peggy met her prince in New York in November 1946, married him and became the Princess Nicholas Abkhazi.
The Prince and Princess settled in Victoria, began to develop their one-acre property and build their home. They continued to improve the garden throughout their forty years together. In 2000, The Land Conservancy purchased the property to preserve the Garden, the legacy of the Abkhazis.
Erected by The Land Conservancy of British Columbia.
Topics. This historical
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Location. 48° 24.94′ N, 123° 19.57′ W. Marker is in Victoria, British Columbia, in Capital. It is in Gonzales. Marker is at the intersection of Fairfield Road and Shotbolt Road, on the left when traveling east on Fairfield Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1964 Fairfield Road, Victoria BC V8S 1H4, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Abkhazi Garden House (within shouting distance of this marker); European exploration in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Chinese Cemetery (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); a different marker also named Chinese Cemetery (approx. one kilometer away); Sahsima (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Estate of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); William Edgar Oliver (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Right Reverend George Hills, D.D. (approx. 1.1 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Victoria.
Also see . . . Abkhazi Garden. (Submitted on July 10, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 22, 2014
2. Abkhazi Garden Marker at Entrance
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 22, 2014
3. View of Abkhazi Garden
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 10, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 490 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 10, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
