Garden Fantasia by Doreen Koch Allen
Sunday, June 24, 2018 9am–5pm
PROCEEDS benefit SEVEN LOCAL NON-PROFITS
From master gardeners, to garden hopefuls, to apartment dwellers and beyond. The West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT) is back for its 24th year, and ready to provide inspiration to all garden lovers. Jeff Daley, horticulturist and arborist for Seattle Pacific University and the sponsorship chairman for the WSGT, kindly gave me a moment of his time so I can help spread the word about this incredible community resource. Jeff is a Gatewood neighbor who has lived in our community for 61 years.
One thing folks might not know is the West Seattle Garden Tour is a non-profit organization. All proceeds from ticket sales and sponsors go directly to a yearly set of beneficiaries who are chosen when their goals match the mission of the Garden Tour; to promote horticultural based interests, educational projects, and arts programs within West Seattle and neighboring communities. How cool is that?! Beneficiaries of the 2018 Garden Tour include ArtsWest, The Arboretum at South Seattle College, Highline Seatac Botanical Garden, The Little Red Hen Project, Plant Amnesty, the Seattle Chinese Garden, and the West Seattle Junction Association. And with this year’s tour hoping to earn over $30,000, these seven beneficiaries’ resources will grow substantially.
So many of our Gatewood friends and neighbors have incredible gardens. To be honest, I have been known to peek around the bend, behind the fence, and over the bamboo just to catch a glimpse into how the heck they’ve created that unending row of sturdy Hellebores, or luscious bed of ferociously growing ornamental grasses. Well my friends, I’ve found the key to their gardens, and it comes in the form of a ticket to the WSGT. Once a year, we get to step foot in these personal works of art to be inspired and awed by nature herself. And of course, the humans who endlessly plant, trim, tend, and water.
As Jeff can attest, “As people are coming into the area and living in these homes that have been around for a long time, some might be into gardening, want to be gardeners, and might be overwhelmed at times. The Garden Tour can provide an opportunity to see ideas for your present or future garden. You are invited into regular peoples’ backyards, and often times these gardens are their passion.” I invite you to join your neighbors on Sunday June 24th from 9am-5pm for an unforgettable opportunity. See you there!
For tickets and more information, visit WestSeattleGardenTour.org