Whidbey Island Garden Tour supports community programs that meet our mission objectives. Please read these testimonials about our community impact.
Whidbey Camano Land Trust - For over a decade, the Whidbey Camano Land Trust has been the beneficiary of grants from the Whidbey Island Garden Tour. These grants have been used to fill important funding gaps in our ecological restoration work – a field that is generally underfunded across the board. With WIGT funding we have purchased soil, mulch, native seeds and other important restoration supplies. With these materials we have been able to increase the habitat of rare plants, pollinators, and other island fauna on both Central and South Whidbey.
The latest grant award is helping WCLT restore native prairie at our Keystone Preserve. This preserve and its prairie are becoming a nexus of outdoor education for youth, regenerative farming, ecological restoration and first foods access for indigenous partners. WIGT funds are a important part of making this work happen.
The latest grant award is helping WCLT restore native prairie at our Keystone Preserve. This preserve and its prairie are becoming a nexus of outdoor education for youth, regenerative farming, ecological restoration and first foods access for indigenous partners. WIGT funds are a important part of making this work happen.
Langley Main Street Association - Downtown Public Space Beautification & Native Plant Landscaping
Support from the Whidbey Island Garden Tour has been transformative for Langley Main Street Association and our volunteer-led Tuesday Morning Garden Gang. The grant allowed us to upgrade and expand our public garden plots throughout downtown Langley without diverting funds from core economic revitalization projects. By funding high quality soil amendments, drought tolerant native perennials, and essential gardening tools, WIGT provided the resources needed to transition our public green spaces into resilient, beautifully maintained landscapes that anchor our historic commercial district.
The WIGT grant directly impacted:
Thank you to the Whidbey Island Garden Tour board, supporters, and garden hosts for investing in the environmental resilience and beauty of our island community!
Support from the Whidbey Island Garden Tour has been transformative for Langley Main Street Association and our volunteer-led Tuesday Morning Garden Gang. The grant allowed us to upgrade and expand our public garden plots throughout downtown Langley without diverting funds from core economic revitalization projects. By funding high quality soil amendments, drought tolerant native perennials, and essential gardening tools, WIGT provided the resources needed to transition our public green spaces into resilient, beautifully maintained landscapes that anchor our historic commercial district.
The WIGT grant directly impacted:
- Community & Visitors: Over 120,000 annual residents and visitors who walk, shop, gather, and rest in downtown Langley’s public spaces.
- Local Volunteers: Dozens of dedicated community members who gain hands-on horticultural skills, social connection, and civic pride through weekly maintenance efforts.
- Native Wildlife & Pollinators: Local bird populations, native bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects that rely on urban green corridors for food and shelter.
- Water Conservation: By replacing high-water annual bedding plants with drought-tolerant PNW native species and installing moisture-retaining mulch, the grant significantly reduced overall irrigation needs during critical summer months.
- Pollinator & Bird Habitat: The introduction of diverse, pesticide free flowering perennials creates a continuous bloom cycle from spring through autumn, offering vital nectar and forage for native pollinators and seed eating birds.
- Soil Health: The grant supported organic soil nourishment, building soil biodiversity and improving natural water retention, which reduces runoff into local marine waters.
Thank you to the Whidbey Island Garden Tour board, supporters, and garden hosts for investing in the environmental resilience and beauty of our island community!
South Whidbey School District Farm to School -
The South Whidbey School District's Farm and Garden program has been the beneficiary of WIGT several times over the years, and we are deeply grateful for all of their generosity and assistance. We have gotten assistance with many things, including an electric mower to keep our grounds clean and trim, necessary amendments such as potting soil and seed starting mix, metal watering cans for our students (especially our youngest) to help nurture our plants, and material for several projects involving bird life on the farm and especially attracting raptors. With our most recent grant we will be buying a fleet of sturdy, small trays of cell blocks which will allow us to engage our youngest students even more in the whole process of growing a plant from seed to snack. Every student at the South Whidbey School District spends hours and hours, year after year eating tasty, healthy snacks, learning about gardening and nature and having positive, engaging experiences with food and the environment. The Whidbey Island Garden Tour has been an essential partner helping us in that mission.
The South Whidbey School District's Farm and Garden program has been the beneficiary of WIGT several times over the years, and we are deeply grateful for all of their generosity and assistance. We have gotten assistance with many things, including an electric mower to keep our grounds clean and trim, necessary amendments such as potting soil and seed starting mix, metal watering cans for our students (especially our youngest) to help nurture our plants, and material for several projects involving bird life on the farm and especially attracting raptors. With our most recent grant we will be buying a fleet of sturdy, small trays of cell blocks which will allow us to engage our youngest students even more in the whole process of growing a plant from seed to snack. Every student at the South Whidbey School District spends hours and hours, year after year eating tasty, healthy snacks, learning about gardening and nature and having positive, engaging experiences with food and the environment. The Whidbey Island Garden Tour has been an essential partner helping us in that mission.
