From the Chair
Garden Tour 2013
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 5th annual Sooke Secret Garden Tour to be held on Sunday, June 2nd , 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!!
