Come Visit the Gardens of Puget Sound this Summer

Since the registration date for the Puget Sound Garden Fling is right around the corner, we’d like to tell you more about the incredible gardens and events we have lined up for you in July. 

Paulsen Garden

We'll begin with a welcome reception Thursday evening at Point Ruston along the beautiful Tacoma waterfront. Sip a glass of wine and nibble hors d’oeuvres while taking in the view of Puget Sound and the mountains. This will be a fun opportunity to connect with your fellow Fling attendees by catching up with old friends while meeting new ones.

Friday morning will take us to the Point Defiance ferry dock where we’ll hop a short ferry ride to Vashon Island, a lovely rural paradise. We’ll tour a gorgeous quintessential Pacific Northwest garden featuring a naturalistic waterfall and pond, along with an array of rare plants planted along its slopes. A visit to a charming historic home and garden on the bay will be followed by a visit to Froggsong, an expansive “Northwest Formal” estate garden. After lunch and a garden tour, we’ll board the buses for the ferry trip back to Tacoma where we’ll tour a stunning shade garden with an array of art sculptures.

Gray Garden

Saturday we’ll start our day at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, where we’ll have a chance to wander through a Victorian-inspired stumpery, an alpine garden, a tropical conservatory and much more. Shopping opportunities abound in the nursery and gift shop. We’ll also have a chance to view the incredible specimens on display at the adjacent Pacific Bonsai Museum. Our next stop will feature a Tuscan-inspired semi-formal garden and a plantaholic’s beloved sanctuary. We’ll have lunch in the lovely garden of a local flower farmer before heading to a family-owned nursery where we’ll have fun shopping for plants and garden decor. Next up is a tranquil woodland garden with extensive raised vegetable beds, followed by a visit to the garden of another Fling team member Camille Paulsen @tahomaflora, where we’ll dip our feet in the pool and enjoy the beautiful mountain views. Our final stop will be Lakewold Gardens, where we’ll have a chance to stroll the historic 10-acre grounds before enjoying a banquet dinner and preview presentation of next year’s Memphis Fling. 

Heronswood Garden

On Sunday, we'll head to the Kitsap Peninsula to explore the numerous garden rooms of Heronswood, former garden of well-known plant explorer Dan Hinkley and his partner Robert Jones. Currently owned and operated by the Port Gamble S’Klallam tribe, this botanical garden is a plant lover’s mecca. After lunch, we’ll visit a carefully curated garden with a fabulous collection of hydrangeas before heading to our final stop of the day where we'll tour two bluff top gardens overlooking Puget Sound. The Brindley garden features colorful drought tolerant plantings and a stunning view, while Windcliff, Dan Hinkley’s famed private garden, is known for its extensive collection of rare plants from all over the world. What a memorable way to wrap up the Fling!

If you opt to attend Monday’s post-Fling tour of Seattle’s finest private gardens, you’ll be treated to gardens of every kind: from a small urban space designed for outdoor living to a plant collector’s exuberant garden; and from a hillside garden with intricate mosaics to a tropical jungle with waterfalls and exotic plants. We are excited to show you the horticultural wonders of the Pacific Northwest!

2024 Fling Planning Committee

Camille and Paula