In brief
Mill Creek garden tour: Tour seven new and established gardens in styles ranging from rustic to Roman at the Mill Creek Area Garden Tour.
The tour is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and is presented by the Mill Creek Garden Club.
Additional events include an artist showcase and items sold by a local craftsman at one garden.
Tickets are $12.
For tickets, call 425-273-0418.
Alternative Homes Tour: The third annual Alternative Homes Tour on Whidbey Island is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
“The focus is on eco-friendly, well-designed, joyful houses that express their owners’ character, interests, and aspirations,” said Linda Beeman, one of the organizers of the tour.
After the tour, ticket holders are invited to a reception at the home of Grethe Cammermeyer and Diane Divelbess in Langley from 3 to 6 p.m. for a light supper and opportunity to meet local and state Democratic candidates.
Tickets are $20, $3 for ages 10 years and older.
For information or to order tickets, call 360-579-4553.
All about lavender: The Sequim Lavender Festival takes place Friday through Sunday.
Eight farms in the Sequim-Dungeness valley open their fields to visitors hosting a variety of lavender-centered activities. Learn about lavender lore and agricultural history, view demonstrations and participate in workshops and horticultural programs. Harvest some lavender for home and learn how the herb is organically grown, harvested, and turned into dozens of different products using dried blossoms or steam-distilled lavender oil.
Each farm is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Purchase a $6 Festival Support Button for admission to all farms. Free tour buses provide transportation to the farms from downtown Sequim.
In addition to the tours, downtown Sequim hosts a huge street fair with more than 125 craftspeople and vendors of lavender. The festival is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
The street fair also features musical entertainment, local foods and an Olympic Peninsula wine tasting. Programs, maps and festival sportswear will be available.
For information, call 877-681-3035 or visit www.lavenderfestival.com.
Parade of Ponds: The fifth annual Parade of Ponds, a tour of home gardens with water features around the Puget Sound area, is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 24 and 25.
Tickets go on sale in mid-June for $15 at Russell Watergardens, 24808 Redmond-Fall City Road, Redmond.
Proceeds benefit uncompensated care at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center.
For tickets or information, call 800-844-9314 or visit www.russellwatergardens.com.
Snohomish Garden Tour: Snohomish Garden Club hosts its 20th annual Garden Tour from noon to 5 p.m. July 25.
The tour features eight Snohomish area gardens and the Garden Tour Market located in the Old Snohomish Village.
This year’s tour features a stop at Karen Guzak and Warner Blake’s home. Guzak and Blake placed third in the 11th annual Pacific Northwest Competition for Home Gardeners.
Additional highlights include a chance to meet TV and radio personality Fran Sorin. Sorin will be at one of the tour gardens.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased the day of the tour at the Carnegie Building, 105 Cedar Ave., Snohomish. Advance tickets are available at various locations.
For information or tickets, call 360-568-2526 or visit www.ci.snohomish.wa.us.
Ugly couch contest: Sure Fit Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of ready-made slipcovers, announces the 10th anniversary of its annual “Ugly Couch Contest.”
Submit a photo of your ugly couch to potentially win $5,000 and Sure Fit products.
Entries will be accepted through Aug. 6. Ten semi-finalists will be chosen and their couches posted online for the public to vote on from Aug. 12 through 25.
The three finalists will receive an all expense paid trip to New York to appear on “Live with Regis &Kelly” in September, where the studio audience will vote for the grand-prize winner.
For official rules, visit www.surefit.com.
Meerkerk Medley: The fourth annual Meerkerk Medley fundraising dinner is from 5 to 9 p.m. July 31.
Guests have the opportunity to dine in private homes followed by gourmet desserts, fine wines and live music by Azul in the Meerkerk Rhododendron Garden in Greenbank on Whidbey Island.
Tickets are $40. For tickets or reservations, call 360-331-5816.
Annual container contest: The Arlington Garden Club is hosting its annual Container Contest.
In addition to small, large and hanging containers, a prize will also be awarded in the wacky category. The wacky category consists of any planted container that was not originally intended to hold plants.
One prize of $50 will be given in each category. A special prize will be awarded to the “People’s Choice” winner, which covers all categories.
Containers will be judged at the Arlington Garden Club’s 70th birthday garden party on July 24 at 28802 Highway 9 NE, Arlington.
Containers must be brought in for judging from noon to 6 p.m. July 23.
Garden party tickets are $5.
For complete rules and details, call 360-403-7769.
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