Wow! Time has truly escaped me this spring and I thank my fantastic blog-o-sphere audience for their patience. And, as a special way to thank you, be prepared to be inundated with tons of new posts and updates leading up to Garden Tour weekend! See - I told you I've been busy!

First....
A big thank you to one of our favorite NW garden writers, Val Easton for the fantastic write-up about this year's Garden Tour. Check it out here! 

And Don't Forget....

Renowned Plantsman, Dan Hinkley

 If you have not already purchased tickets to attend the pre-tour lecture with renowned plant expert & explorer, Dan Hinkley you can stop by the Blue Heron or purchase online by linking here. If you have never had the opportunity to see Hinkley up until now, you have no idea what you've been missing out on! Hinkley's enthusiasm for plants is permeating and his fondness of unique and interesting plant color & texture in his design style is truly inspiring.

The Gardens at Windcliff

This Sunday, join Hinkley as he shares his personal journey designing the gardens that define "Windcliff", the sunny bluff perched above the Puget Sound that he & his partner call home. The gardens at Windcliff provided Hinkley with a second chance to reinvent his garden design style after leaving behind the shady forested property of his previous home and the inspiration that launched his career & well known rare plant nursery, Heronswood. Hinkley will share the diverse palette of plants he incorporated into the aptly named Windcliff property where plants are exposed to a variety of challenging sunny, blustery & dry conditions considered unique to many NW gardeners living near the Sound.

The lecture will take place this Sunday, June 10th at 3pm at the Blue Heron and wine & appetizers will be included with the ticket purchase.  Tickets purchased online through Brown Paper Tickets will be $30 or stop in at the Blue Heron to purchase a discounted Lecture & Garden Tour ticket combo for $45!

Plunge Pool Custom Designed by Terry Welch for the Carhart Garden

Check out....
the June edition of the Island Arts publication for a 6 page spread with fantastic photos and information about this year's Garden Tour.The publication has been mailed out to Vashon residents and is available for pickup around town at most stores.







Finally....

Check in often as the countdown to the Vashon Garden Tour weekend has begun, 16 days to be exact! We'll not only explore the 5 fantastic & unique gardens that comprise this years tour but I'll highlight some of the fantastic garden artists that will be featured in the gardens and also introduce readers to the lengthy list of speakers offering free garden talks & demos during both tour days providing tour participants with the knowledge & inspiration to get out in their own garden & grab the buttercup by the horns...or rather roots!

Marenakos Bench

 Also new this year & a huge opportunity to get you started on the right path in your garden, we will be giving away over $1500 in raffle prizes including a custom stone bench by Marenakos, a 14 cubic foot garden cart stuffed with all the essential garden tools from Vashon True Value and so much more!