Kildara Farms

Kildara Farms feels like a little piece of English countryside set beside the sea.

Only minutes from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal in North Saanich, the certified organic farm brings together country gardens, a mature apple orchard, ocean and mountain views and a working landscape that has a life far beyond the weddings held there.

The gardens are full of the details people usually try to add to a venue later.

Roses climb fences and trellises. Lilies and ornamental grasses fill the beds. Driftwood gates lead toward the orchard. Guests can wander, play bocce among the gardens or simply stay outside while photographs are happening nearby.

At the heart of the celebration is the Great Barn, built with posts and beams milled from the property itself. Expansive views look across the farm toward the ocean, while the restored loft above gives the wedding party a private place to get ready without ever leaving the venue.

That lets the day unfold in layers.

Morning in the loft. A ceremony in the garden. Cocktails outside. Dinner among the orchard scenery. Then dancing in the barn as the air cools beyond the open doors.

And because Kildara is still a real farm, the romance never feels staged.

The orchard belongs here. The fields belong here. The flowers were growing long before the wedding arrived.

For couples who want a Vancouver Island celebration that feels elegant but still rooted in the land, Kildara Farms offers something wonderfully hard to fake.

Country beauty that is actually country.

• Mountain views
• Gardens and grounds
• A barn for the celebration
• Wedding packages
• A patio or terrace