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Clark County residents looking for natural gardening inspiration can explore nine local gardens maintained using earth-friendly techniques during this month’s Natural Garden Tour.
After two years of virtual events, the annual event will once again invite visitors to take self-guided tours of urban and rural gardens across the county. Visitors can take free, self-guided tours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 17.
From the heart of Vancouver to the headwaters of the Washougal River, featured gardeners have gradually transformed their landscapes in sustainable ways while enjoying the beauty and tranquility of gardening. The gardens featured on the tour demonstrate the array of components that make up natural gardens and prove sustainable gardening is achievable on any scale.
The tour includes three gardens in the Camas-Washougal area, including:
- Ken and Marge Crouch’s “Hill of a Garden,” 5310 N.E. 275th Ave., Camas: The Crouches have transformed their 1.7 acres of formerly clear-cut land into a diverse landscape using numerous gardening techniques. Using hundreds of native trees, shrubs and groundcover, they have reforested their hillside property into a lush landscape. Many of the plants found here attract pollinators, in addition to the multiple mason bee houses found on the property. This year the Crouches have begun harvesting rainwater from the roof of their home, which will be used to maintain plantings as needed throughout the summer months. Water is also redirected from their neighbor’s property into holding ponds, which ultimately seep into the ground and increase their groundwater resources. Stroll throughout the property on over 50 feet of paths made from river rocks and locally harvested stone.
- Liz Pike’s Shangri-La Farm, 26300 N.E. Third St., Camas: Different gardens are scattered around the farm, including areas for berries, vegetables, fruit trees and flowers. Vegetables and other starts are birthed in a greenhouse made from recycled materials. As you move through the farm, keep an eye out for free-range chickens and pollinator habitats, such as the various mason bee houses. Since the farm’s last participation in the Natural Garden Tour, a complex composting system has been installed and now on display, providing additional nutrients to everything grown on the property.
- James and Lisa Mahar’s “Cottage Garden Acres,” 3509 N.E. 397th Place, Washougal: Nestled above the Washougal River, this 21-acre farm has the beauty and solitude provided by the local deciduous forest. Features of this property include a flower garden catered toward native pollinators and native and native-compatible plants that provide habitat for winged invertebrates and other critters. The garden pond, fed by rainwater, provides drinking water for pollinators, birds and other amphibians. Rainwater collected from the barn rooftop is used to water the gardens and raised vegetable beds. Food waste and excess plant matter is fed to the chickens and goats, or composted.
Gardening naturally supports a healthy environment for the community while protecting local wildlife and waterways. Tour participants can learn techniques from local gardeners who grow fruits and vegetables organically, create habitats for vulnerable pollinators and other wildlife, utilize drought-tolerant plants and rain barrels to conserve water, rely on biological controls rather than pesticides and opt for reduced-size lawns or lawn alternatives. Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer participant questions at each garden.
Participants can explore gardens at their own pace – visiting as many of the nine gardens as they’d like. Booklets with a tour map and garden details, including accessibility levels, can be downloaded from the Clark County Green Neighbors website or found at six locations:
