Tours
The ARS 2024 convention is pleased to offer a pre-tour, a post-tour and
four concurrent tours on Friday during the convention:
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All tours leave from Four Points hotel in Bellingham
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Wednesday, May 1st - Pre-Tour
Meet and greet and convention registration for tour participants will be at 6:00 pm on April 30 on the B'Town patio.
Food and drink is available from the restaurant and will be on your own.
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Snohomish County ARS private gardens - 7:30am to 6:30pm (limit 56*) (7 seast available as of 4/4/24)
(signup deadline April 21)
The Smith Garden
The KeyHole Garden with lunch, joining Pilchuck Chapter at their annual spring picnic.
The Nicoletti Garden
The B & C Gardens
Friday May 3rd - four all day tours
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Skagit & Island County tour - 8:00am to 5:00pm (limit 54*) (TOUR SOLD OUT)
WSU research station - Master Gardener's, Native Plant, and WWFRF Fruit gardens
Drive by of Roozengaarda Tulip display garden
Meerkerk Garden with wine provided, optional box lunch available**
Deception Pass State Park, West Beach
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Green Tour to Whatcom County - 8:00am to 5:00pm (limit 19*) (TOUR SOLD OUT)
Vartanyan Estates Winery - wine tasting included, optional box lunch available**
Corkery Garden
Suchy City Garden
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Blue Tour to Whatcom County - 8:00am to 5:00pm (limit 19*) (TOUR SOLD OUT)
[There is a remote possibility for an increase in the number on this tour so a wait-list is being generated. We are not changing the registration form as this is remote, but if you are interested, please email Richard Fairfield at wineryduck@yahoo.com. We will keep the list and if the seats open up, we will send an email out by April 18 to the list stating how many seats are available, to be given to the first to reply with a firm commitment to pay. The cost will remain at $95 and $10 for the optional lunch.]
Suchy City Garden
Corkery Garden
Kosa Garden with Champaign punch provided, optional box lunch available**
Rockmoore Garden
Samson Estates Winery - wine tasting included and potential tour
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Red Tour to Whatcom County - 8:00am to 5:00pm (limit 19*) (8 seats available as of 4/4/24)
Hovander Homestead Park and Tennent Lake Fragrance Garden (signup deadline April 21)
Old Town Bellingham for on-your-own tour and lunch at any of a number of establishments
Corkery Garden
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Sunday May 5th, - Post Tour - passports required
Vancouver British Columbia - 8:30am to 7:00pm (limit 55*) (12 seats available as of 4/424)
University of British Columbia Botanic Garden (signup deadline April 21)
Van Dusen Garden - optional restaurant brunch** or cafeteria on your own
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** Optional meals purchased on the registration form - see "meals' page for details.
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* Limits are set by bus size and garden constraints - register early.
Snohomish County Pre-Tour
There will be a pre-meeting on Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on the patio of the B'Town restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Take this opportunity to meet and greet the other participants, get your registration packet, and perhaps get dinner.
All food and drink at this gathering will be on your own.
Departing promptly at 7:30 a.m. and returning at 6:30 p.m.
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The Smith Garden in Woodinville Wa
The Keyhole Garden in Clearview Wa
The Nicoletti Garden in Snohomish Wa
The B & C Garden in Arlington Wa
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Refreshments and snacks provided along the way and includes a picnic lunch
hosted by the Pilchuck Chapter at their annual spring gathering.
Skagit & Island County Tour
SOLD OUT
Departing promptly at 8:00 a.m. and returning at 5:00 p.m. Join us for a comprehensive road trip through
Skagit Valley farmland and beautiful Whidbey Island Wa.
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Skagit Co. Master Gardener's Discovery Garden, North West Native Plant Garden and North West Fruit Garden.
Driving past tulip fields, LaConner Wa, the Swinomish Reservation and over Decpeption Pass we arrive at Meerkerk Gardens for a docent lead tour of this classic ten acre garden and with wine and optional box lunch.**
We journey north to Deception Pass State Park for a stroll on West Beach. Our return to Bellingham travels through Edison Wa and Bow Hill
** box lunch ordered on the registration form
Whatcom Green and Blue Tours BOTH SOLD OUT
Two separate small bus tours through Whatcom County rotate in opposite directions and are about 80% the same. These are unique and perhaps rarely seen gardens. Plenty of rural road trip views along the way.
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Departing promptly at 8:00 a.m. and returning at 5:00 p.m.
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Both tours will visit:
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The RockMoore Garden, fifty acres of mature temperate rain forest, on the Nooksak River. Many non-native garden delights featuring Rhododendrons. This garden property sits on a toe of a huge pre historic landslide of fossil imbedded sandstone, with many large sized boulders.
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Alan and Nancy Suchy’s cityscape garden in Bellingham proper for refreshments along with the tour.
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Landry and Susan Corkery’s Garden, a seven acre temperate forest garden features many Camilla’s, Rhody’s, conifers, hardwoods, and companion plants.
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Green Tour Unique - SOLD OUT
Blue Tour Unique - SOLD OUT
** box lunch ordered on the registration form
Whatcom Red Tour
Departing promptly at 8:00 a.m. and returning at 5:00 p.m.
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Our Red Tour offering travels due north to Ferndale Wa for a morning visit to Hovander Homestead Park and Tennent Lake Fragrance Garden.
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From Ferndale we drive south along the Nooksack River thru Blueberry Farms to Old Town Bellingham along the waterfront for a mid day tour of your choice, and lunch on your own at one of the incredible variety of eateries.
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We finish the days activities with a drive south along the waterfront through Fairhaven, and Chuckanut Dr., to the Corkery Garden for a guided tour, refreshments, (wine), snacks with our hosts Landry & Susan Corkery.
A twenty minute drive brings us home to The Four Points.
TO SEE
Vancouver BC Post Tour
Departing promptly at 8:30 a.m. and returning at 7:00 p.m. This tour will cross the border into Canada and head to the University of British Columbia for a self guided tour of their Botanical Garden. The main garden path is paved and relatively level.
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A short and scenic drive takes us to Van Dusen Botanical garden for brunch at Shaughnessy’s Restaurant (order separately on the registration form) or in the cafeteria overlooking the garden. You’re on your own to purchase wine for lunch, so please bring your credit card. We will self guide across this fifty acre park but arrangements can be made for a guided tour in electric carts, no walking necessary.
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Remember, passport or enhanced driver's license is required for this tour
