Sooke Secret Garden
and Artisan Tour
Saturday, June 7th and
Sunday, June 8th, 2025
10:00am to 4:00pm each day
Watch this page or our
Facebook page for more details!
Join us for the Sooke Philharmonic Society’s
annual fundraising event. Rain or Shine!
The Sooke Secret Garden and Artisan Tour is a great way to explore Sooke gardens and be inspired by their beauty and design. Over the two day tour, your ticket will offer such a rich variety of experiences—private gardens, artisan studios, live music, and the opportunity to meet Master Gardeners and artisans.
While the Tour has always included artisan vendors in the gardens, this year we have expanded the tour to include a few artisan studios as well. Of course, there will again be music performances by the Sooke Philharmonic musicians, as well as talented friends of the orchestra. The combined Tour will likely make for a memorable experience.
Special destinations will feature the Sooke Harbour House, Sooke Region Museum, Artisans Garden and Sooke Arts Council Gallery. Some garden owners will have plants for sale.
Call for Volunteers:
We’re looking for volunteers to help with the upcoming Garden Tour! Your duties will include greeting visitors, checking tickets, and answering questions. In exchange for your time, you’ll receive access to all garden locations for free when you’re not on duty.
If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator by phone 250-588-5852 or email lifeisgoodinsooke@gmail.com to sign up. We’ll send out a list of garden locations once finalized, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your location preference. It’s first come, first served, so sign up early to get your preferred choice!
We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you on the tour!
TOUR DETAILS
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Garden 1 (G1) — One of Sooke’s historic properties, was the site of the old Kirby Shingle Mill. The property is now redolent with a large garden featuring mature Pacific dogwoods, cedars, firs and a majestic 200-year-old Scarlet Oak. Understory plantings include rhododendrons, Japanese maples, fruit trees, hydrangeas, roses, herbs and native plants. In addition to the beautiful craftsman style home built in the 1930s, the owners enjoy a greenhouse and outdoor pavilion. Wildlife have been known to stop by this enchanting garden.
Garden 2 (G2) - Experience a full acre of varied foliage. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by a vast assortment of shrubs, perennials and large curving garden beds. The back yard has a year-round functional food garden including fruit trees and berry vines as well as a chicken coop and essential composting areas. The plant nursery has a changing assortment of plants and garden gifts for sale. A whimsical garden shed houses tools, the pet kennel and woodpile. This property offers a lovely shaded woodland garden with a network of walking paths to explore.
Garden 3 (G3) - The owner of this colourful back yard inherited a 30-year garden and has lovingly made it her own with her collection of vibrant and unusual plants, pots and metal and glass garden art. She is passionate about her hobby garden and packs it with colour and semi tropical non-hardy plants. Something different is added every year and this year, new plants include Agave and flowering cactus. Sixty or so plants winter in her garage. She brings these out in the spring, fertilizes them with aged chicken manure and black mulch, resulting in a riot of colour.
Garden 4 (G4) - A relatively maintenance free garden was mandatory for these owners with some mobility issues. Their landscaper transformed their previous garden into ‘a drop-dead gorgeous design’ so that they now have two beautiful yards well within their means to care for and enjoy!
Garden 5 (G5) - This beautiful Japanese inspired garden has been uniquely designed for year-round enjoyment. With a water feature, sculpted pines and other elements found in a Japanese garden, it truly is a tranquil and relaxing experience. Extensive lighting allows for evening enjoyment in this pleasurable and peaceful garden.
Garden 6 (G6) - From broom to bloom, these first-time gardeners uniquely designed their own private oasis on .4 acres in Stoneridge Estates. With four levels of gardens, there is also a firepit entertainment area, plus a pavilion to provide shade and relaxation space to enjoy the outdoors. The ever-evolving gardens contain a mixture of wild and cultured plants. Peek inside the greenhouse, catch the views of the Olympic mountains from the upper-level gardens.
Garden 7 (G7) - An amazing transformation has turned this formerly plain property on the Sooke Bluffs into a beautiful thriving garden in just 4 years! It’s filled with fuchsias, peonies, hydrangeas and iris…a loving tribute to the owner’s mother. A self-professed rose fiend, the owner has planted yellow, pink and purple roses in a circular bed and has a trellis for climbing roses. To enhance the front entry, the Japanese Maple, twisty baby locust and redbud are up-lit. The husband gets the credit for the edible garden, growing many varieties of exotic tomatoes.
Garden 8 (G8) - It’s worth the drive to this 7.5 acre oceanfront property to enjoy its attractive gardens and forest but there are other prominent features to see. Stroll through the property via woodchip boardwalk and slate walkways, cross a meandering creek using the bridges. Check out resident trout and koi in large tanks with viewing windows and find newts in the small ponds with waterfalls. Enjoy views of Wolf Island and the Olympic peninsula from an oceanside gazebo, then wander down to the dock to see the saltwater aquarium. Truly a spectacular property.
Garden 9 (G9)- A beautiful garden created within the last 5 years, it was the owner’s dream to reclaim the scrub on the hill below the house. So they did! Come see the succession of flowers in the gardens and pots with a mix of shrubs, perennials and annuals. In addition, there is a small waterfall cascading down the hill and three upper gardens and a greenhouse to explore. Share in the owner’s love for gardening by visiting this special place.
Garden 10 (G10) - A gardener’s garden lovingly created by its owner. Set on the Sooke Harbour, this acre of gardens features an orchard of apple, pear, cherry, plum, filbert, and persimmon trees as well as several types of berry bushes. There are ponds, streams, vegetable gardens, a large greenhouse and several perennial beds which have been planned to offer colour throughout the year. Of special interest is the unique collection of conifers collected over twenty or more years.escription text goes here
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PhoebeWood (A1) - Sourcing local woods, Phoebe Dunbar creates free form functional and decorative wood carvings.
Sharon Bussard Grove Pottery (A2) – One-of-a-kind hand made pottery made to touch your soul, create memories and enrich your home and garden.
Kathy Baker Artist (A3) – Kathy creates layered, ephemeral watercolours that capture memory, places and moments.
Cathy Hammond Art (A-4) A local artist living in Sooke who works from her studio, inspired by her surroundings. Her medium is oils and acrylics on canvas.
Becky Lawrence (A5) - A maker of modern and traditional quilts. She uses recollected and new cottons for wearable, durable, huggable quilts for all ages.
Angela Menzies Art (A6 -Specializing in disrupted realism, Angela flings, drips, and moves paint around until it resembles something knocking on your heart's door.
KutzArt (A7) - Inspired by nature, Kimberley Zutz paints from emotion and believes art is an expression of her inner thoughts and perceptions.Description text goes here
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Eileen Badiuk – “Galloping Goose Glass”
Artist Statement: Fused glass artist producing one-of-a-kind art glass pieces for the home and garden. Website:
Email: Eileenbadiuk@gmail.com
Facebook: Galloping Goose Glass
Gail Blais - “Glass by Gailanne”
Artist Statement: A home studio in Sooke, making fused glass bowls and plates, sun-catchers, plant stakes and vases, amongst other things.
Email: glassbygailanne@gmail.com
Facebook - Glass by Gailanne
Instagram - glassbygailanne
Cindy Blundell
Artist Statement: My work is garden art done in pottery.
Email: ckb55@icloud.com
Terrill Bodner
Artist Statement: Ramblin' Girl: A Journey to Tranquility on Two Wheels - featuring vibrant acrylic paintings.
Email: terrill@shaw.ca
Website: www.terrillbodner.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/terrillbodnercreative/
Doug Illman
Artist Statement: Resin artist of cribbage boards, Charcuterie boards, Marine animal artist, landscape artist focusing on photo realism.
Email: croctalk@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KelownaCribBoards
Facebook.com/doug.themuralguy.illman
Instagram: Instagram.com/dougillmanart
Website: murals1.com/
Carol McGinty - Painter
Artist statement: My paintings attempt to reflect the places, people and stories that surround us on Vancouver Island and occasionally, further afield.
Email: carolmcginty@shaw.ca
Website:
https://www.carolmcgintyartist.com/
Kailee MacMillan
Artist Statement: a contemporary artist known for her vibrant acrylic paintings that celebrate the breathtaking landscapes of the West Coast.
Email: fineartbykap@gmail.com
Facebook: Art by KAP
Website: artbykap.com
Instagram: artby_kap
Sherry Robb
Artist Statement: Sculptures, paintings, creations and design scenes inspired by nature's woodlands and the sea.
Email: sherry@sdrobb.com
Facebook:
Instagram: sherryrobbdesigns/
Website:
Joanell Storm
Artist Statement: Joanell paints West Coast landscapes in acrylic. She also creates fun wire drawings which can be hung indoors or out.
Email: jastorm@shaw.ca
Instagram: @joanellstorm
Sharlene Stushnov
Artist Statement:
Email: stushnov@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.artbystushnov.com/
Instagram: n/a
Website: https://www.artbystushnov.com/
Nicola Turner – Fibre Artist
Artist Statement:A Westcoast needle felter and weaver who creates nature inspired art from wool.
Email: Rovingbramble@gmail.com
Facebook: n/a
Website: n/a
Instagram: @rovingbramble
Teresa Waclawik
Artist Statement:
Email: twaclawik@telus.net
Facebook:
Website: teresawaclawik.com/
Instagram:
Friends of the Tour
Special Destinations
Sooke Region Museum
If you haven’t already purchased your ticket, this will be your first stop. Although the Museum doesn’t have a formal garden there are many native plants such as huckleberry, periwinkle, wild lilies, kinnikinnick and ferns sprinkled throughout the property. Take some time to explore the museum itself and the interesting gift shop and don’t miss the gigantic cross-section of log on display outside! You’ll be fascinated by the history here.
The Artisan’s Garden
Aptly named, Artisan’s Garden is a lush and peaceful garden center offering an abundance of plants for sale as well as a home goods shop specializing in local artist’s work and ethically sourced fair-trade artisans. Enjoy purchased treats from the coffee bar while you take in the magnificent ocean view and take home a plant or two to enhance your own garden!
Sooke Harbour House
Nestled along the breathtaking coastline of Vancouver Island, Sooke Harbour House offers a welcoming retreat where nature and comfort meet. Our boutique hotel combines the charm of unique west coast accommodations with unforgettable dining experiences, crafted by chefs who bring the best of locally grown, foraged, and sourced ingredients to life. Whether you’re unwinding by the ocean, exploring the surrounding natural beauty, or savouring fresh, seasonal flavours, Sooke Harbour House invites you to create lasting memories in a place where relaxation and adventure meet.
Sooke Arts Council
The Sooke Arts Council Gift Shop and Gallery embraces all forms of the visual arts from emerging makers of fine arts & crafts by artists across the Southern Vancouver Island.
The gift shop features themed art shows., painting, sculpture, fabric art, glass and photography.
Stop in and browse their selection of paintings, jewellery, textiles, clothing, home accents, gift cards and more!
DONORS
Thank You to Our Generous Donors
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our generous donors who have supported the Sooke Secret Garden & Artisan Tour. Your contributions help make this beautiful community event possible and not only enriches the experience for visitors but also fosters the growth of local artisans, musicians and gardeners. We are deeply thankful for your commitment to our community - together, we are creating something truly special.
Cafe VOSINO
Hallgren & Faulkner Law Corp.
Hub International Sooke
ML Sushi Take Out
Pharmasave Sooke
Sooke Fax & Copy Centre
Sooke Health & Fitness
Subway Sooke
Up Sooke
Village Food Markets
Our Supporters
The Sooke Secret Garden and Artisan Tour is grateful for the generous support of its sponsors from the community. We encourage you to support them in turn, while visiting Sooke or any time throughout the year!
How do we choose the gardens?
Many people ask how we choose the gardens for our Tour. Immediately after the annual Tour each year we face the challenge of finding new gardens for the following year. Word of mouth, asking local landscapers, advertising and simply driving around looking, are all useful ways of arranging the Tour from year to year. Our objective is always to select a variety of gardens, large, small, manicured, wild, some designed and maintained by their owners, others with the help of professional gardeners. We look for some with waterfront, some with edible gardens, some rural acreages and, we hope, an interesting tour of Sooke’s beautiful back roads. We often select a few from past Tours to show their development and offer further inspiration to visitors.
About the Tour
The annual Sooke Secret Garden and Artisan Tour is a major fundraiser for the Sooke Philharmonic Society and has delighted gardening fans as the Tour evolved over the years. Each year we find yet more beautiful and interesting gardens, and more gardeners who are willing to share the wonderful results of their hard work. We are grateful to them all, past, present and future.
The first Tour was organized in 2000 by Women in Tune, a group of dedicated volunteers whose mission was to raise funds for the performing arts in Sooke. With the Women in Tune’s decision to disband, the fundraising committee of the Sooke Philharmonic Society decided to re-establish the Tour as a major fundraiser for the Sooke Philharmonic Society.
Watch the 2021 Virtual Tour
Each year, Garden Owners in Sooke have generously opened their beautiful and interesting gardens for the Sooke Secret Garden Tour. Watch the 2021 video series featuring gardens from Sooke to East Sooke and music by members and friends of the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra.