Press release
The Art of Gardening
The West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT) celebrates the art of gardening for its 19th year on Sunday, July 21, 2013.

This year’s tour showcases nine fabulous residential gardens. We are also pleased to welcome Debra Prinzing as our guest lecturer, who will present a noontime lecture at the Kenney.

About the West Seattle Garden Tour:
Begun in 1995 as a fundraising event for Arts West Theatre, the WSGT has evolved into an annual fundraising event for a variety of non-profit and educational organizations in West Seattle and surrounding communities. Each year the WSGT donates the net proceeds from the tour to Seattle area non-profit organizations that promote horticultural, educational, or artistic endeavors. In 2006, the WSGT became a non-profit organized under section 501 © (3).

In addition to Arts West, some of the organizations which have benefited from the proceeds of the WSGT have included: Seattle Chinese Garden, Delridge Neighborhood Development Association, Lincoln Park P-Patch, West Seattle High School Environmental Sciences Academy, Alki Wildlife Habitat Project, Highline Botanical Garden, Lafayette Playground, California Substation Project Park, Log House Museum, Highland Park Elementary School, the Camp Long Native Habitat Learning Project, Multifaith Works, Ethel Dupar Fragrant Garden Lighthouse for the Blind, Elisabeth C. Miller Library University of Washington Botanical Gardens, Junction Plaza Park Project, Nantes Park, Nature Consortium, Transitional Resources, Seattle Youth Garden Works, Plant Amnesty, Highland Park Elementary School, Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center, South Seattle Community College Arboretum, Seattle Tilth, Walking on Logs Landscape Restoration Group, West Seattle Tool Library, The Bloedel Reserve, Neighborhood House Youth Empowerment for Leadership Strength (YELS), Kubota Garden, Barton Street Community Garden and Community Orchard of West Seattle.

Last year’s tour was our most successful, attracting over 800 attendees as well as raising over $23,000 for our beneficiaries. Since its inception, the WSGT has donated over $230,000 to our beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries: This year, the proceeds from the 2013 WSGT will benefit: The Nature Consortium, Soos Creek, Arts West, Plant Amnesty, Seattle Tilth and Luna Girls on Alki.

Ticket Books:
Ticket books for the tour are $18 per person (children under 12 are free). Ticket book price includes admission to the lecture. Ticket books will be available throughout the Seattle metro area beginning in mid-June.

Ticket books will be available in mid-June and July at the following locations:
Admiral Metropolitan Market – 2320 42nd Ave. SW, West Seattle ; 206.937.0551
Junction True Value – 4747 44th Ave SW, West Seattle; 206.932.0450
Swansons Nursery – 9701 15th Ave NW, Seattle; 206.782.2543
Village Green Perennial Nursery – 10223 26th Ave. SW, West Seattle; 206.767.7735
Wells Medina Nursery – 8300 NE 24th, Medina; 425.454.1853
West Seattle Nursery – 5275 California Ave SW, West Seattle; 206.935.9276

2013 Guest Lecturer – Debra Prinzing:
Debra Prinzing is a Seattle- and Los Angeles-based outdoor living expert who writes and lectures on gardens and home design. She has a background in textiles, journalism, landscape design and horticulture. A frequent speaker for botanical garden, horticultural society and flower show audiences, Debra is also a regular radio and television guest. She is the author of Slow Flowers (St. Lynn’s Press, 2013); The 50 Mile Bouquet: Local, Seasonal and Sustainable Flowers (St. Lynn’s Press, April 2012); Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways (Clarkson-Potter/Random House, 2008), a Garden Writers Association Gold Award book, and The Abundant Garden (2005).

Debra is a contributing garden editor for Better Homes & Gardens and her feature stories on architecture and design appear regularly in the Los Angeles Times’ Home section. She writes for top shelter and consumer publications, including Country Gardens, Sunset, Garden Design, Organic Gardening, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Cottages & Bungalows, Metropolitan Home, Landscape Architecture, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Old House Interiors, GRAY and Romantic Homes, among others.

The Lecture:
Author and outdoor living expert Debra Prinzing will share her passion for local and seasonal flowers in a two-part talk. The first part – a hands-on demonstration – presents several seasonal floral design projects. Debra will discuss the best ways to harvest, process and prolong the vase life of the ingredients. Audience members will receive instructions, a recommended plant list and other floral design resources. Next, in an illustrated lecture, Debra will introduce you to the many inspiring flower farmers and floral designers who have contributed to the “green” flower movement. Learn about the eco-friendly growing and design approaches taken by these passionate individuals. You can borrow their sustainable practices for your own cut flower garden – and bouquets.

For additional information about the gardens, beneficiaries, sponsors, lecture and day of tour raffle items, visit our website: www.westseattlegardentour.com or e-mail us at info@westseattlegardentour.com.