Spring 2025: A Vibrant Vashon Island Emerges
The skies are bluing up, pops of color are flowering on the roadsides and trees, and although we may still be mucking about in rubber boots, the days are getting longer and brighter. Spring is imminent and there’s no prettier place (we think!) than right here on Vashon. Get spring-inspired with a few local island events and know where to find reinforcements for all your green thumb pursuits!
Celebrate Spring & Get Growing on Vashon
- April 19, 11 a.m. - Noon: The Great Eggstravaganza (Egg Hunt) @Ober Park – The springtime family affair on Island, Children ages one through 10 are invited to look for colorful eggs filled with treats and prizes throughout the park (Note a 10 a.m. event will be held for children with autism or other unique sensory needs, run in partnership with SEPAC, Vashon-Special Education Parent Advisory Council).
- April 26, 9 a.m. -Noon: Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club Plant Sale @Island Home Center - This much-anticipated one-day event, held on the last Saturday of each April, is the culmination of six months of planning, propagation, and execution. The sale offers diverse variety of ornamental and edible plants cultivated and donated by club members.
- May 3 through Sept. 27., 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Vashon Farmer’s Market @Village Green is presented by the Vashon Island Grower’s Association. Find proven flower and veggie starts in spring from local nurseries and farms, get the freshest produce, eggs, honey, crafts, and just-prepared foods, and meet your producers face-to-face!
- June 21 and 22, 10 a.m. -5 p.m., 34th Annual Vashon Garden Tour – As spring hands off to summer, The Vashon Garden Tour is an annual fundraising event for Vashon Center for the Arts. You’ll roam the private gardens of some of Vashon’s greenest-thumbed residents and leave awe-inspired. Proceeds from Garden Tour tickets and sales in VCA’s special gallery garden exhibit support the nonprofit’s work. Early bird price: $36 good for both days. This event is proudly presented by Windermere Vashon, and our own Beth de Groen. Purchase tickets here.
Spring Yard Prep
We use the expression “curb appeal” a lot in real estate, although on Vashon, curbs are extremely rare! Still, March is prime time for yard cleanup. Our rakes are out and “the purge” is on: Cutting back old plants, pruning shrubs, and dividing (and replanting) clumpy perennial blooms. We find that sometimes your home’s best exterior impressions come from addressing the “hardscapes” first: Pressure-washing dirt and moss from paths and rooftops, and making sure those patios, driveways, and retaining walls are tidy and maintained.
Need a hand?
Looking for help getting your yard in order? Several retail nurseries also offer services that come to you for seasonal sprucing such as Kathy’s Corner and the garden-coaching and design services of Little Bird Gardens. The Vashon Island Chamber of Commerce (https://www.thisisvashon.com/) is a great resource for Island service providers, whether you need a complete landscape overhaul or just a routine “mow and blow.”
You can also just stop by the Windermere Vashon office at 17429 Vashon Highway SW and peruse the local service providers’ business cards in our entry hall (be sure to leave us a few cards if you have a Vashon home or garden related service!). Happy spring!
