About Us
Who Are We?
Whidbey Island Garden Tour, Inc. is an all-volunteer, non-profit group established in 1996 to raise funds for groups that work toward the improvement of our island's common habitat. Over the past fifteen years, the tour has raised more than $285,000 for these groups.
What Groups Receive These Funds?
Each year, the garden tour board selects beneficiaries through a detailed application process. Below is a list of the 55 recipients since the inception of the tour.
- Bayview Community Hall
- Bayview High School
- City of Langley, Langley Community Garden
- City of Langley, Public Works Department
- Clinton Library
- Clinton Progressive Association
- Coupeville Garden Club
- Coupeville Middle School
- Coupeville Middle School Science Class
- Enso House
- Freeland Library
- Freeland Park
- Friends of the Clinton Library
- Friendship Force of Whidbey Island
- Good Cheer Food Bank Garden
- Greenbank Farm
- Greenbank Farm Management Board
- Greenbank Garden Club
- Island County Fair Association
- Island County Fair Compost Committee
- Island County WSU Master Gardeners
- Langley Middle School
- Langley Middle School Parent-Teacher-Student Association
- Langley South Whidbey Chamber of Commerce
- M-Bar-C Ranch
- The Magical Garden of Nature & Knowledge (a primary school project)
- Master Gardeners of Whidbey Island
- Maxwelton Salmon Adventure
- Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens
- Native Plant Stewards
- The Nature Conservancy of Washington (Ebey's Landing)
- Readiness to Learn Foundation
- Save the Trees
- Save the Woods on Saratoga
- Schools and Community Greenhouse Project
- South Whidbey Children's Center
- South Whidbey Commons
- South Whidbey Good Cheer Food Bank Garden
- South Whidbey High School PTSA
- South Whidbey Historical Society Board
- South Whidbey Intermediate School's Garden and Garden Club
- South Whidbey Lions Club
- South Whidbey Parks and Recreation
- South Whidbey Tilth
- Special Arrangements (a South Whidbey High School project)
- Super Sprouts/Forget Me Not Gardens
- Whidbey Animals' Improvement Foundation
- Whidbey Audubon Society
- Whidbey/Camano Land Trust
- Whidbey/Camano Island No-Spray Coalition
- Whidbey General Hospital Foundation
- Whidbey Institute at Chinook
- Whidbey Island Center for the Arts
- Whidbey Island Waldorf School
- Whidbey Watershed Stewards
How Many Gardens are on the Tour?
Each year, the garden tour board selects four or five of Whidbey Island's finest gardens representing a variety of styles, sizes, and design concepts. Our tour is highly regarded for the quality and diversity of the gardens it showcases. Over the years, 75 private gardens have been opened to the public for the tour and many of the owners have also continued to participate by serving as volunteers in various roles.
How Many People Attend the Tour?
The number of tickets, each of which is numbered and controlled, is limited to 1,000. Generally, about 700-800 individuals visit any given garden during the six-hour period the gardens are open on the day of the tour. We make every effort to make this a thoroughly enjoyable and safe event for both the garden owners and the tour patrons. We station our trained volunteers in the street and throughout the garden in numbers sufficient to direct parking, control access, manage traffic flow, and provide information. Areas off limits to the tour for safety and/or privacy reasons are clearly indicated.
Who are These Volunteers?
We have a network of individuals residing in our community who support the objectives of the tour and are willing to contribute their time and energy to making it a success. Many sign up every year and the expertise of these dedicated veterans is invaluable. Gardening enthusiasts, members of beneficiary groups, friends of garden owners, and garden owners from previous tours are among those who sign up when we put out the call for volunteers. In addition, all the garden tour board members serve on a voluntary basis. There are no paid positions associated with the tour.
How Can I Volunteer?
Persons interested in serving as volunteers to help with tour activities are encouraged to contact us. Please use the Volunteer Form available to you here.