Welcome to our website.  We hope you’ll find it useful and informative, recommend it to friends, businesses or clients, and above all, plan to attend our 5^th annual Sooke Secret Garden Tour to be held on Sunday, June 2^nd , 2013 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  It is a major fund-raiser for our Sooke Philharmonic Society, Orchestra and Chorus and has become very popular.  Over 600 visitors came last year and offered very positive comments.  We are excited to be show-casing the nine wonderful gardens we have chosen for this tour,  ranging from rural estates to smaller city gardens.  Our popular plant sale is  prominent again as is our collectible car display and the performances in several gardens by members of our orchestra.  Watch too for artists’ demonstrations and opportunites to purchase garden themed artwork.  Rain or shine we hope to see you there.

For ticket information, opportunities to advertise, or gather other information, please check for contact numbers on our site or reach me, Sue Hyslop, at 250-642-1397 or bshy@shaw.ca

 How do we choose the gardens?

Many people ask how we choose our tours.  Starting in May or June of each year we face the challenge of finding new gardens for the following year.  Word of mouth, asking local landscapers, advertising and simply driving around looking are all useful ways of arranging the tour from year to year.  Our objective is always to select a variety of gardens, large, small, manicured, wild, some designed and maintained by their owners, others with the help of professional gardeners.  We look for some with waterfront, some with edible gardens, some rural acreages and, we hope, an interesting tour of Sooke’s beautiful back roads.  If you have, or know of someone who has, a beautiful and interesting garden we’d appreciate hearing about it as we maintain a  list of  “to be considered” properties.

Mother’s Day is coming!

Tickets, which include a suggested route, map and short description of each garden,  are available at various outlets starting just before Mothers’ Day each year.  We are told they make great Mothers’ Day gifts

Garden Tour Tips

*  On Tour Day “last minute” tickets will be available at the kiosk at Saseenos Elementary School ( cash or cheque only here ),  Shoppers Drugs in Evergreen Mall, and Double D Gardens on Maple Ave.

*  Follow the garden numbers on the map and garden descriptions for the most direct route around the tour or choose your own.

*  Shuttle services if needed will be available as marked on the map.

*  Demonstrations and advice from Garden Experts will be available at various garden venues.

*  Bring a camera and notepad to record garden ideas and tips.

*  Wear comfortable clothing and non-slip shoes.

*  Be prepared for changing weather.

*  Bring bags or boxes for plant sale purchases.

*  Please respect the hosts and their privacy.

*  Look for out many volunteers who are there to assist you.

*  Always drive with caution on unfamiliar roads.

*  Fill your gas tank — no gas stations west of downtown Sooke!

Watch for the Blue & Green Balloons and Garden Tour Road Signs  – ENJOY YOUR TOUR!!

The Sooke Secret Garden Tour is grateful for the generous support of its sponsors from the community.  We encourage you to support them in turn — while visiting Sooke during the Tour or any time throughout the year!           For more information about our sponsors,  please click on “Learn more” . . . . . . . .

* The Sooke Garden Club – The  Sooke Garden Club was established in 1971.  Meetings are held on the 4^th Wednesday of each month at the Sooke  Legion Hall on Eustace Road.  Summer events are held outdoors at members’ homes.  At most meetings there are excellent speakers and nearly always a plant sale.  Membership is $15 for the calendar year and entitles members to discounts at various garden centres . For more information call Jane Blaney at 250 646 2573

* The Sooke Community Arts Council  – encouraging creative participation in and excellence in the arts in Port Renfrew, Jordan River, Shirley, Otter Point, Sooke and East Sooke.  For information on how to participate go to http://sookecommunityarts.com

* The Sooke Lions Club – information on the Sooke Lions Club support for community events can be seen at: http://sookelions.lionwap.org/

* The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 54, Sooke  – Serving veterans, ex-service personnel and their families as well as seniors and youth, the Legion significantly contributes to every aspect of community life.  For more information on the community activites supported by the Sooke Legion, go to: http://www.sookelegion.org

*  SEA SOIL™ – “Gardening truly made easy. Instead of buying 5 products to retain nutrients, moisture and strength in your garden – try a bag of SEA SOIL™” !”  Several bags of  sea soil have been donated to this year’s garden boutique for sale at at bargain prices! For more information on Sea Soil, go to http://www.seasoil.com

* Liz Roberts Design - with generous donations of time developing the graphics for the posters and the tickets

 The local Sooke Representatives are:

Double D Gardens   1985 Maple Ave S   Phone: 250 642 5469