The mother of garden festivals is back.
The Buds and Blooms Spring Garden Tour returns to Federal Way on Mother’s Day weekend. Tour the city’s greenery and floral treasures from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 12-13.
Shuttle service is available at multiple sites. Featured tour locations are PowellsWood Garden, the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection at Weyerhaeuser, a pair of stunning gardens presented by the Federal Way Symphony, and opening weekend for the Federal Way Farmers Market in its new location.
Day-of-event festival tickets are $20. Children age 12 and under are free. Rain or shine, it’s an exploration of Federal Way that’s suitable for anyone who loves Mother Nature.
Kids activities and demos include rhody pruning, a garden treasure hunt, Kusamonmo seasonal dish plantings, arts and craft activities and garden storytelling.
The farmers market will host a pancake and ham breakfast at 9 a.m., served by Three Chicks Catering. Breakfast is $5 and includes coffee and orange juice. The market is located along South 324th Street outside The Commons Mall. Festival tickets will be available at the market.
The rhododendron and bonsai gardens rank among the world’s best. PowellsWood is an immaculately landscaped wonderland in the middle of Federal Way. All sites serve as hosts for lectures and demonstrations by horticulture gurus. Most sites serve snacks and treats, and some promise live music.
An all-access passport ticket and shuttle buses are available for the private garden transportation loop. Tickets can be purchased at Sacajawea Middle School, 1101 South Dash Point Road, and the Rhododendron garden on the Weyerhaeuser campus.
The festival is returning after a one-year hiatus. Buds and Blooms has secured approximately $36,000 from the lodging tax fund, which is specially designated for tourism activities in the city.
Visit budsandbloomstour.org to learn more.
FW History lesson
The Historical Society of Federal Way is leading a celebration starting at noon Saturday at the remodeled Denny Cabin, located at the West Hylebos Wetlands Park on South 348th Street, just west of Pacific Highway South. The cabin was built in 1889 for Seattle pioneer David Denny. The two-story log cabin was moved from Seattle to Federal Way in 1966.
