||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB |||
Gardeners are natural teachers and learners who love to share what they know about growing plants. This year’s garden tour theme highlights Orcas properties that offer Beauty, Bounty and Sanctuary that enhance the natural environment for plants, animals, insects and people.
The Orcas Island Garden Club invites you to join us at our 2025 Garden Tour on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets for the tour cost $25 per person and can be purchased in person at Darvill’s
Bookstore in Eastsound or online at www.orcasislandgardenclub.org
Supervised children age 12 and under are free. No dogs or strollers are allowed inside gardens. Bring your boots and raingear – the tour will take place rain or shine. All the gardens are open both days throughout the tour.
Five lovely properties are featured on this year’s tour, reflecting the garden owner’s unique vision and style. Each offers unique learning opportunities and fun activities such as gardening demonstrations, garden artists, Master Gardener and noxious weed information, and live music.
Gardens on the 2025 Tour
As you enter Tekla Farms, look for a variety of heirloom highbush blueberries, including Spartan, Jersey and Rubel. Adjacent to the blueberry field, wander through the field of lovely early summer flowers that may include ranunculus, peonies and sunflowers. Explore the medicinal herbs, including chamomile, lemon balm, feverfew and anise hyssop. All the fruits, flowers and herbs are available for U-pick when in season.
Learn about how they utilize wool for seed starting, fertilization, water retention and crop rotation. Create your own wool seed bomb for your garden. Visit their garden helpers: friendly Valais Blacknose sheep and resident bird floc ‘The Muster Marans.”
Located in a picturesque valley, Orcas Isle Farm surrounds you with over 1,500 cider specific apple trees. The property features over 15 different English and French apple varieties and early American heritage varieties which once thrived on the island over 100 years ago. The newly planted pear orchard includes 7 different varieties of Perry pear trees. These pears and apples will be made into cider once they are harvested. Learn how to create a sustainable orchard using compost and foliar sprays that keep pests and diseases at bay. Look for the beaver lodge that houses one of the few beaver colonies living on the island. Enjoy a taste of cider.
As you approach the Barefoot Nature Trail property, you are welcomed by Harry, a giant ‘Bigfoot’ and you know that a unique experience awaits you. The Barefoot Nature Trail invites you to use all your senses as you explore the native habitats of open fields, forest, wetland and pond. Kick off your shoes and let your toes touch the dirt, leaves, and mud. Walk this sensory-rich one-mile nature trail that is used by students at Orcas Island Public School Outdoor Education program. Learn how to create your own home garden barefoot trail. Visit the Art Barn where you can see Inese Westcott’s large format landscape artwork.
Located at north end of Doe Bay, Fir Peace Farm is a member of the Salish Foodraising community garden network. Tucked in an open area surrounded by forest, this farm hosts more than ten families growing their own food together. This community garden provides volunteers participants with abundant organic vegetables, fruit such as apples and peaches, herbs and flowers as they work and learn together throughout the growing season. Stop at the outdoor kitchen and sample some soup. Learn more about seed starting and how to start your own cooperative neighborhood community garden.
Situated above Doe Bay hamlet, Orcas Farm produces an abundance of fruit, flowers and vegetables using natural and regenerative methods to enhance soil health and provide pollinator and beneficial insect habitat. Enter the garden through the large sculptural gate, crafted by local metal artist Zach Lech and wander the paths of this diverse market garden filled with veggies and assorted annual and perennial plants. Tour the farm’s greenhouses and learn about the farm’s history and nursery operations. Before you leave, you can purchase a wide variety of plants.
By supporting our annual Garden Tour, you’ve helped the Orcas Island Garden Club to:
- Fund speakers for nine monthly gardening programs (always free and open to the public),
- Award $1000 of community grants to local non-profits (this year to Indralaya and Odd Fellows) and
- Sponsor Project Blossom that distributed more than 1,000 daffodil bulbs free to the Orcas community to help us learn more about plant habitats on our island.
We hope you can join us at the garden tour as we welcome summer and celebrate our love for plants.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
FYI My ukulele group will be playing Saturday at Fir Peace Farm and Sunday at Tekla; both times at 1 pm or so…hope to see you all out there….looking forward to checking out these gardens too…..
Beautifully-written description of this year’s Garden Club Tour ~ that has me committed to singing with the Uke Group at Fir Peace Farm on Saturday & visiting the Tekla & other sites on Sunday ~ with thanks to Kathy Collister for creating the Uke Group (that kindly includes other instruments, like guitars & vocal chords, as well).