2025 Orcas Island Garden Tour
The 2025 Orcas Island Garden Tour celebrates beauty, bounty, and sanctuary. As you explore the five lovely properties on this year’s tour, take time to enjoy all the beautiful plants and discover how each location reflects the garden owner’s unique vision and style. Every one of the gardens demonstrates unique aspects for growing a wide variety of plants.
GARDEN A TEKLA FARMS, LAURA & BRIAN TORMA: 5320 Orcas Road (Orcas)
As you enter this garden, look for a variety of heirloom highbush blueberries, including Spartan, Jersey, and Rubel. Adjacent to the blueberry fields, wander through the field of lovely early summer flowers that may include ranunculus, peonies, and sunflowers. Explore the medicinal herbs, including chamomile, lemon balm, feverfew, and anise hyssop. All the fruits, flowers and herbs are available for U- Pick when in season. Learn about how we utilize wool for seed starting, fertilization, water retention, and crop protection. Create your own wool seed bomb for your garden. Visit our garden helpers: our friendly Valais Blacknose sheep and our resident bird flock “The Muster Marans”.
Directions: From the ferry landing, take Orcas Rd. towards Eastsound. Drive north about 3 miles and look for sign on left (west).
GARDEN B ORCAS ISLE FARMS, JOE MENTOR & LISA PEDERSEN: 4797 Orcas Road (Orcas)
Located in the picturesque valley, you are surrounded by over 1,500 cider specific apple trees as you enter the orchard. The property features over 15 different English and French apple varieties, and in addition, early American heritage varieties which once thrived on the island over 100 years ago. Our newly planted pear orchard is comprised of 7 different Perry pear trees. These pears and the apples will be made into cider once they are able to be harvested.
Learn how to create a sustainable orchard using compost and foliar sprays that keep pests and diseases at bay. Look for the beaver lodge that houses one of the few beaver colonies living on the island. Have a taste of our cider!
Directions: From the ferry landing, take Orcas Rd. towards Eastsound. Drive north about 5 miles and look for the sign on right (east).
GARDEN C BAREFOOT NATURE WALK, INESE & EVAN WESTCOTT: 631 West Beach Road (West Beach)
As you approach the Barefoot Trail property, you are welcomed by Harry, a giant “Bigfoot,” and you know that a unique experience awaits you. The Barefoot Nature Trail invites you to use all your senses as you explore the native habitats of open fields, forest, wetland, and pond. Kick off your shoes and let your toes touch the dirt, leaves and mud. Walk this sensory-rich one-mile nature trail that is used by students at Orcas Public School Outdoor Education program. Learn how to create your own home garden barefoot trail. Visit Inese’s Art Barn where you can see her large format landscapes artwork.
Directions: From Orcas Road turn left (west) onto West Beach Road. At Island Hardware, veer right. When you reach the cemetery, look for sign on left and the Bigfoot.
GARDEN D FIR PEACE FARM, STEVE BERNHEIM & SUSAN BAUER: 137 Byrle Hall Road (Doe Bay)
Located north of Doe Bay, this garden is a member of the Salish Foodraising community garden network. Tucked in an open area surrounded by forest, this farm hosts more than ten families growing their own food together. This community garden provides volunteer participants with abundant organic vegetables, fruit such as apples and peaches, herbs, and flowers as they work and learn together throughout the growing season. Stop at the outdoor kitchen and sample some soup.
Learn more about seed starting and how to start your own cooperative neighborhood community garden.
Directions: From Eastsound, take Crescent Beach Road to Olga and go east to Doe Bay. At Doe Bay, drive Pt. Lawrence Road another 3/4 mile, continue straight onto Byrle Hall Rd. Take the left at the top of the hill and follow the signs to garden.
GARDEN E ORCAS FARM, GEORGE ORSER & MOLLY DONOVAN: 120 Byrle Hall Road (Doe Bay)
Situated above the Doe Bay Hamlet, this working farm produces an abundance of fruit, flowers and vegetables using natural and regenerative methods to enhance soil health and provide pollinator and other beneficial insect habitat. Enter through the large sculptural gate crafted by local metal artist Zack Lech and wander the paths of this diverse market garden filled with veggies and assorted annual and perennial plantings. Visitors can tour the Farm’s greenhouses and extensive nursery operation. George will be on hand to share his knowledge of gardening and farm history. There will be ample opportunity to purchase a wide variety of plants.
Directions: From Eastsound, take Crescent Beach Road to Olga and go east toward Doe Bay. At the Doe Bay resort, proceed around the corner (over the one lane bridge) for another 1⁄2 mile to Byrle Hall rd. continue up Byrle Hall to see the Orcas Farm sign – head straight up dirt drive to the garden & parking.
