(2023 Garden Tour reader photo, by Bill Schrier)

This year’s West Seattle Garden Tour is still more than two months away – on June 23 – but the WSGT is already looking ahead to next year in one important part of what they do – giving grants to other nonprofits. Here’s the announcement:

Each year, the West Seattle Garden tour, a 501(c)(3) organization, provides grants to other nonprofits for projects that fit our mission — to promote horticulture, education, and artistic endeavors within West Seattle and neighboring communities. We are now seeking grant applicants for 2025 and nonprofits with eligible projects are invited to apply.

Our 2025 grant application form and guidelines are now available at westseattlegardentour.org/apply-for-a-grant. Completed applications are due by July 15, 2024. Grant amounts historically range from $2,000-$6,000, but larger and smaller grants have been awarded. Successful applicants will receive their funds in March 2025.

The list of this year’s grant recipients is here. You can buy a ticket for this year’s tour here.

Though spring is still five weeks away, the baby blossoms you’ll eventually see in West Seattle Junction flower baskets this year are growing now. The Junction Association provided these photos from Van Wingerden Greenhouses in Blaine, raising the spring/summer color show again this year:

With basket season approaching, WSJA has opened this year’s adopt-a-basket opportunities – almost 100 this year, and you can adopt – aka sponsor – one for $189, supporting the nonprofit’s operations. You can sign up here.

Again this year, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will offer free seeds to teachers and parents for working with kids to learn about growing food. Right now, though, they need your help deciding what kind of seeds – here’s the announcement and request frm Kiwanis president Denis Sapiro:

The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle gave out about 200 packs of seeds to people at the Sunday Farmers’ Market last year. Kiwanis will again offer vegetable seeds and flower seeds this year. Teachers and parents can help select the type of seeds and number of packages of seeds Kiwanis will order this year. This is not a commitment to use the seeds nor for Kiwanis to provide all that is requested.

Here’s the survey – please answer it by February 5.

Kiwanis offers the Seed Project to boost family fun and joy and to provide an educational experience with hands-on activity! As the plant grows, you can transplant it into your garden. In the survey, please add your contact info (particularly your email address), so that we can let you know when the seeds will be available at the Farmers Market in the spring.

(WSB file photo)

Again this Sunday, the West Seattle Bee Garden is inviting volunteer helpers to buzz on over!

Come join the Fall gardening fun at the West Seattle Bee Garden, Sunday, October 8th from 11 am-1 pm.

Maintenance work will continue to remove the horsetail, other weeds, and general garden cleanup. Dress for the weather, bring garden/work gloves and a water bottle. Light snacks will be available. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow community members interested and passionate about bees, plants and caring for a shared outdoor community space.

Sign up here

Can’t make this one? To sign up to learn about future volunteer opportunities, write to: volunteerwsbg@gmail.com

The West Seattle Bee Garden is located at the north side of High Point Commons Park, at Graham/Lanham.

(WSB file photo)

One of West Seattle’s unique treasures needs some autumn TLC this weekend, and you are invited to volunteer. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:

Maintenance Day at the West Seattle Bee Garden:

This volunteer day will be this Sunday, September 24th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tasks will include building raised garden beds, transferring soil into these built garden beds, cleaning the apiary, and pulling weeds. Please make sure to dress appropriately (gloves, rain gear, covered shoes) for the weather and bring any tools you think would be necessary for these tasks. The garden has a limited supply of tools.

Volunteers will get a chance to meet with WSBG founder Lauren to get to know the history of the garden. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up using the following form to get a good head count to make sure there are enough refreshments.

Sign up here!

The Bee Garden is on the north side of High Point Commons Park, at Graham/Lanham.

One of the 28 highlights on today’s West Seattle event list is continuing until 4 pm – the Giving Gardens plant giveaway at The Heron’s Nest. As explained in this preview, these are edible-plant starts, grown by volunteers; your part of the deal is to take them home, plant them, and donate produce to people in need.

Heron’s Nest Sprouts is not the only volunteer-powered project at The Heron’s Nest today – youth volunteers are focused on a drainage-related project today, as site restoration continues:

(You’re invited to Volunteer Land Stewardship events like this most Saturdays and Mondays – check this calendar.) One more reason to visit – one of The Heron’s Nest’s periodic outdoor markets is happening until 5 pm:

If you’ve never been to The Heron’s Nest (featured in this 2021 WSB report), it’s just uphill from West Marginal Way, south of the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse – here’s a map.

If you enjoy growing vegetables – and helping others – here’s a way to do both this spring. It’s a new effort called Heron’s Nest Sprouts, and it’s offering free plant starts later this month for would-be giving gardeners. Here’s how organizers explain what’s planned – and what’s been happening to prepare for it:

Feeding hungry people in Seattle involves a complex patchwork of programs and funding, but part of the work is simply growing vegetables! Seattle is dotted with “Giving Gardens,” many situated at our community P-Patch Gardens–including Delridge, High Point, Solstice, and others in West Seattle–and they are an important piece of this puzzle, growing fresh produce for those in need. Gardens in the Seattle Giving Gardens Network pledge their harvest for donation to community food programs. Last year, the growers generated 44,400 pounds of produce.

For 15 years, Ballard Sprouts volunteers have supported these gardeners, growing over 20,000 vegetable starts each spring and donating them to the Giving Gardeners. This year, a new sister project has emerged to supplement their efforts: Heron’s Nest Sprouts.

On Saturday, April 15 from 10 am to 4 pm, about a thousand plants will be available to pick up for the first time at Heron’s Nest, where 12 enthusiastic volunteers have been quietly growing seeds in the greenhouse since February. Pots of lettuce, chard, pac choy, mustard greens and kale will be available. Any gardeners interested in growing to donate to their community can come to get as many free starts as you need. Seattle Giving Garden Network will happily get you started in growing to give.

An added bonus to this happy occasion is the first Art Market of the year at Heron’s Nest that same day, giving space to Indigenous and other artists to display and sell their work. The public is invited to come visit Heron’s Nest, browse the art, and learn more about the Giving Garden program.

Heron’s Nest Sprouts hopes to continue next year and expand its production, because after next season, the Sprouts program will lose their Ballard location. The goal is to develop several new sites similar to Heron’s Nest Sprouts to continue the work going forward. Anyone with an interest in starting a Giving Garden, volunteering with Heron’s Nest, or who knows of an available greenhouse location elsewhere in the city should email the Seattle Giving Garden Network at info@sggn.org.

Heron’s Nest is located at 4818 15th SW [map]. Turn west onto Puget Way from West Marginal Way, south of the Duwamish Longhouse, and follow a short winding road to the entrance. The property is being restored by a passionate group of volunteers with the mission of community outdoor education. Besides the greenhouse, there are raised beds, a chicken run, the forested Duwamish Greenbelt, and space for community events such as the art market, outdoor movies, skill workshops, a tool library, and sustainable and traditional indigenous farming practices. The Heron’s Nest site is available by reservation for workshop space, classes, all-ages activities, cultural education, gatherings, meetings, music, art, and more. Check the Heron’s Nest events page for their updated calendar.

Heron’s Nest is accepting online donations to further their efforts, and volunteer help is appreciated as work continues at the site. Email HeronsNestOutdoor@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer or rent the space.

Friends of Roxhill Elementary can help you grow flowers and other plants this spring/summer, while you help them. Here’s the announcement. of this year’s Flower Power fundraiser:

We are partnering with Flower Power Fundraising to sell flower bulbs, kitchen garden herbs, sprouts, seeds and more to bring some joy to your home garden or window sill this spring.

Check out our fundraising website:
friendsofroxhill.fpfundraising.com

They have a variety of plants for every climate. If you know a Roxhill student, enter their name in the field “Give Credit For This Sale To” when you check out. The student with the most sales will get to pick any item from the Roxhill School Spirit Store.

How does it work?
Use the link above to choose from 50+ types of flower bulbs, seeds and accessories for your garden. Friends of Roxhill receives 50% of the profits from every order. Orders are shipped directly to the person placing the order starting April 1 (there is a $6.99 shipping fee).

100% Grow Guarantee
● You can shop with confidence when selecting bulbs with a 100% grow guarantee. If you are dissatisfied with your purchase, Flower Power Fundraising will send a replacement.
● All of the flower bulbs offered are for planting in the spring season for summer blooms.
● Zones 7-10 are encouraged to place orders Mid-March to Early April for delivery and planting early-Mid April as soon as orders arrive.
● Seattle is in Zone 8. See website zone map for other locations.
● No shipping to Hawaii or Alaska.

Order deadline is May 15, 2023. Thank you again for your continued support of Roxhill Elementary.