Submitted by event organizers

Majestic trees, glorious flowers, impressive garden art and wonderful views are on show from 10 a.m.–4 p.m on June 8, at the biennial Garden Show sponsored by the Island Garden Consortium; San Juan Garden Club, Washington State University Master Gardeners and Horticultural Society. The Garden Show offers residents and visitors the opportunity to explore three local gardens for the cost of $15 ticket, obtainable at Browne’s Garden Center, Ace Hardware and Griffin Bay Bookstore. Tickets include directions to the gardens.

This year the gardens include one mature garden and two younger gardens. The first is a mere three years old and has become a passion for the owners, retired from California. Their new site has good soil with excellent drainage and, after seeking help at a local nursery, they have created a lovely garden with some unusual plants and some very familiar ones. Look at the plantings and see what water-wise gardening can look like.

The second is another young garden designed by the owner on a challenging sloping site with a wonderful view. Almost single-handed, this energetic gardener has created a garden with something in flower all year round. This is evident immediately you look at the peaceful curbside garden. She may have trimmed the Alyssum by now, but only if the ladybug young have hatched! They are too precious to disturb!

Every level offers something to look at. A stairway leads down to the peaceful area at the bottom of the garden. Here, the family can sit around a fire pit and enjoy the view of the sheep grazing in the neighboring field and colorful ornamental trees, roses and herbs around them.

The third garden is a mature garden that has been cultivated for almost three decades. For 28 years, the owner has gardened, without pesticides or herbicides, in this secluded spot protected by an almost invisible deer fence. We enter mid -garden and can reach the top terrace by steep stone steps, or take the easier curved grassy route. Here we find the first two trees planted too close together, but too good to destroy. Now they are magnificent as they embrace a secluded spot for a comfy chair.

On the next terrace are flowers and shrubs where something is in flower all year. It looks like our impression of an English country garden planted so densely that no weed would dare to invade

Below that is a calm area with a lawn, and fruit trees that include apples, Asian and Anjou pears, antioxidant-rich Aronia and a lonely, but fragrant female Kiwi. Towards the perimeter, is a delightful cottage with its own private garden reflecting the plants on the rest of the estate, a lovely vacation spot.

Proceeds will be shared between the three sponsoring organizations to support their community projects: premiums at the County Fair Flower Hall, Elementary School Children’s Vegetable Garden and the Mullis Center Demonstration Garden that provides vegetables for the Food Bank.