Last Chance to See

There are so many things that are gone now that I wish I'd seen before they left us. The hanging gardens of Babylon, the dodo bird, Napoleon and Josephine in their heydey (did he really walk around with his hand in his jacket like that?).

And, in what may be that last chance the public has to walk through the amazing world-class botanical garden known as Heronswood before the Burpee Company sells it off for development, the Garden Conservancy is hosting a tour of gardens on Bainbridge Island and Kingston that will include this one-of-a-kind heritage level garden. It's happening on July 21 and the cost for touring the garden is only $5, well worth the price of gas and the hour-and-a-half drive to get up there.

A group I've blogged about before, the Pacific NW Horticultural Conservancy, was originally formed to try to preserve this treasure from development, but negotiations with the Burpee Company broke down several weeks ago over Burpee president John Ball's refusal to allow the property to be appraised. Members of the PNHC board will be there touring the garden and will be wearing their "PNHC/Preserve Heronswood" buttons, so if you go, look for them and give them a pat on the back and wish them good luck in their mission.

Details: Tour of Heronswood Garden sponsored by The Garden Conservancy. At Heronswood, 7350 N.E. 288th Street, Kingston, Washington. Phone 1-888-842-2442 for information.