A Day Trip to Hilton Head in Full Bloom
All Saints Garden Tour
story by MEGAN THIBAULT MORRIS
After a two-year lapse, the popular All Saints Garden Tour returns to the local event scene in 2022! This 33-year tradition gives access to private gardens around Beaufort County and delights participants with the majesty of the Lowcountry.
As the spring season brings new blooms and lush growth, Garden Tour Co-Chair Nancy Renner gave us the full scoop to prepare for the big tour day.
“Mark your calendars for the third Saturday in May,” she said. “There is a wonderful variety of gardens to enjoy, fascinating gardeners to meet, and plenty of opportunities to be inspired!”
In fact, the six featured gardens on the tour will showcase everything from small-scale to large-scale design, do-it-yourself homeowner projects to professional landscaping, and newly designed gardens to well-developed gardens. The mix is perfectly curated by the All Saints Episcopal volunteer team, which is coordinating this community event.
Those who enjoy the tours will not only benefit from the experience, but they will also take part in fundraising for important community needs. Funds collected through Garden Tour ticket sales will provide much-needed support to local charities that address the categories of hunger, homelessness, literacy, or aging. The charities selected vary some each year, but a key requirement is that the charity’s total income is less than $650,000 per year. This ensures that the grant from the Garden Tour will make a significant impact.
The chosen charities to receive a grant for the 2022 All Saints Garden Tour are: the Hunger Coalition of Hilton Head, Antioch Educational Center, St. Stephens United Methodist Church Outreach Food Bank, Family Promise of Beaufort County, Crossroads Community Support Services, and Hilton Head Island Safe Harbour.
The Garden Tour is a well-respected goodwill project established in 1987 by the Episcopal Church Women, who developed the event years before the All Saints Church was even built. For some years, the proceeds helped build the Church, and, today, all proceeds benefit the local charities chosen.
Nancy and the other volunteers find it very meaningful. She reminisced that her first encounters with the Garden Tour were as a tour participant while her family vacationed on Hilton Head. Then, when they decided to move to Beaufort County, she became more involved. Thanks to her co-chair Barbara Peterson, the All Saints Board, and the 600+ patrons of the annual tour, it is again slated to be a beautiful success.
So this is your chance to gain a new perspective on the place you live or are visiting. It’s a chance to see remarkable gardens and meet fascinating people. It’s entirely self-guided, so make the day your own as you tour four Hilton Head gardens and two Bluffton gardens on Saturday, May 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
As you prepare your lawns, flower beds, porch gardens, and more for the warmer spring weather take advantage of this opportunity to see ideas and gain knowledge about gardening in the Lowcountry.
How to purchase tickets:
Go online to www.allsaintsgardentour.wordpress.com before May 6 to purchase tickets and receive them via mail.
Tickets purchased between May 7 and May 19 must be picked up at the church.
Tickets may be purchased at local nurseries and businesses in early April – a list will be posted on the website.
You may pick up or purchase tickets at the church Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., beginning in April.
If tickets are still available on May 21, you may purchase them at the church from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
The price of the tickets are $35 each.
The All Saints Episcopal Church is located at 3001 Meeting St. on Hilton Head Island.
