Victoria is welcoming the season in style as the city's iconic floral orca sculpture makes its annual return to the Inner Harbour. Now on display at the corner of Humboldt and Government Streets, near the Fairmont Empress Hotel, the colorful living artwork signals the shift from spring to summer in the provincial capital.

Standing over 13 feet tall and stretching 19 feet in length, the sculpture features two life-sized orcas breaching from a sea of ​​flowers. Created from more than 10,000 individual plants, the display is a collaboration between local horticulturalists and artist Sandra Bilawich.

Each plant was grown at the City of Victoria's Beacon Hill Nursery and carefully arranged to form the orcas and surrounding waves. The plant palette is as detailed as it is diverse. The sculpture’s deep purple body is made from Alternanthera dentata (Purple Knight), while the ocean wave beneath is crafted with Festuca glauca (Festina). The orcas' distinct markings incorporate a mix of Helichrysum thianschanicum (Icicles), Dichondra argentea (Silver Falls), and Santolina chamaecyparissus. Their spouts are represented by wispy Nassella tenuissima.

Weighing more than 5,500 kilograms, the entire display must be craned into place each year — a feat of both artistry and engineering.

Now in its 15th year, the floral orca installation has become a much-anticipated seasonal feature, drawing tourists and locals alike to snap photos and celebrate the city's green-thumbed creativity.

Visitors to downtown Victoria can see the display throughout the summer months as part of the city's larger efforts to animate public space with nature and art.Check out the orcas next time you are in the downtown core!