Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Gig Harbor Garden Tour celebrates a quarter-century

Posted on June 25th, 2024 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

Garden lovers, rejoice.

Six local gardens will be open for viewing this weekend during the 25^th annual Gig Harbor Garden Tour. The tour raises funds for local organizations that focus on literacy, according to board president Jan Reeder. Over the past quarter-century, the tour has given away more than $500,000 to those organizations.

The Garden Tour takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 29; and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 30. Tickets cost $25 and are available online or at Ace Hardware, The Garden Room, Rosedale Gardens, Wilco, Wild Birds Unlimited, Sunnycrest Nursery, Garden Sphere Nursery and Willow Tree Gardens.

Garden Tour highlights

McMonnies

The terraced, cottage-style garden of Laura and Chris McMonnies is located on a slope in the heart of Gig Harbor with stairs connecting each level. Perennials, including hydrangeas, lavender and Japanese maples fill the site. There’s also a thriving kitchen garden.

Earle/Laurion

Louise Earle and her son Christopher Laurion have created a multi-generational garden that’s carefree and low-maintenance. A 60-foot rock waterfall serves as a focal point as the owners have maintained the site’s natural forest elements. Several distinct “rooms” provide areas for entertaining, cooking, eating and children’s games.

Deide

The Lee and Del Deide garden

Lee and Del Deide started planning their garden even before they broke ground for their new home. They added 800 tons of rock as the home’s foundation was being poured, forming steep terraces and creating spaces for Japanese maples, ground covers and assorted perennials that provide year-round color and texture.

Hudson

Valarie Hudson has filled her outdoor space with hanging begonias, climbing roses, fruit trees, magnolias, ornamental grasses and even golden hops that disguise the mundane features like downspouts found in homes in a new development. In the process, Hudson has created an English garden where seating areas invite one to linger and savor.

Bennett

The Bethany and Steve Bennett garden

Tucked into a secluded 1.5-acre spot on Crescent Valley Road, Bethany and Steve Bennett’s garden conforms to the natural contours of the land. Bethany’s Southern upbringing is reflected in the azaleas and other perennials and trees she has added over the years. The couple has even created a man-made beach at the top of a waterfall. As with many gardens, the Bennett garden is a constantly evolving work in progress.

Rogers

Patti Rogers’ garden is a study in shade, with an abundance of late-blooming plants such as hostas and ferns, plus sun-lovers like day lilies, rudbeckia and Shasta daisies. Rogers’ sense of whimsey is apparent throughout the space, with yellow birdhouses and other surprises tucked here and there.

Patti Rogers’ garden

BoatShop launch

For the past year, volunteers at the BoatShop have been restoring a classic 16-foot workboat with a 100-year history.

Called a “Davis boat” after the Davis family, who built hundreds of the craft in Alaska, the local skiff worked as a salmon handroller for many years. It passed among multiple owners before finally landing in Gig Harbor.

Here, it’s been christened the Sheri Ann and is now part of the BoatShop’s permanent fleet of rentable historic boats. The BoatShop will launch the Davis boat at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29, at 3805 Harborview Drive.

Davis Boat. Photo courtesy of the Boat Shop

At the library

The Non-Fiction Book Club meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, at the Gig Harbor Library to discuss “Poverty in America” by Matthew Desmond. The library is located at 4424 Point Fosdick Drive.
Families can sing and read together during Rock-n-Read, a combination story time/singalong led by The Harmonica Pocket, at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 27. Suitable for ages 2-10.
The library hosts “The History of Mystery: Taylor the American Mystifier” starting at 11 a.m. Friday, June 28. Learn the history of magic and a few classic magic tricks. All ages are welcome.

Live music

Ranger and the Rearrangers bring their lively Gypsy Jazz–Hot Club Swing repertoire to Fox Island’s Chapel on Echo Bay at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. The outdoor concert is free for chapel members or $5 for non-members. Reserve tickets here.
Steel Magic Northwest provides the music at the Waterfront Farmers Market from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 27, in Skansie Brothers Park.
The Dmitri Matheny Group “Does Mancini” in the Olalla Winery vineyard at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 28. Matheney, a flugelhornist, was a protégé of jazz legend Art Farmer. Tickets are $20 here.
Kimball Coffeehouse hosts the very dance-able Tim Hall Band on Friday, June 28. Doors open at 6; music starts at 7 p.m. Free and family friendly. Kimball Coffeehouse is located at 6659 Kimball Drive.

At the movies

“The Secret Life of Pets” continues through Thursday as the SumFest movie at the Galaxy Theatres Uptown. Showtimes are 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. every day. Starting Friday, the SumFest movie is “SpongeBob SquarePants: Bigger, Better, More Absorbent.” Showtimes are 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on June 28 and on July 1, 2, 3 and 4; and 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on June 29 and 30. SumFest movies are just $2.

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Galaxy on Wednesday, June 26, is “Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince” playing at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday’s Flashback movie is “Jaws,” showing at noon and 6 p.m. Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The city of Gig Harbor hosts an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, at the Civic Center about proposed updates to the land use element of the Comprehensive Plan. This element regulates housing density. City staff will be available to answer questions.

The Gig Harbor City Council meets for a study session at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 27, in the Civic Center to discuss plans for the 2025 legislative session and a proposed memorial art donation. The meeting can also be accessed via Zoom.