About 400 people attended the 26th annual tour of private gardens sponsored by Whatcom Horticultural Society. The weekend event, June 23-24, raised about $5,000 for the society's lecture series and for publication of its journal, "The Social Gardener."

Visitors saw a mix of gardens in Bellingham, including an intimate flower-filled garden, a conifer garden, a terraced hillside garden, and a rolling lawn with a breathtaking view of the water.

"The tour really determines the number of lecturers we can bring to Bellingham each year," says Pam Terhorst, society president. "It is put on every year with the help of about 60 volunteers and the garden owners. We are fortunate to have so many homeowners in Whatcom County who are willing to share their beautiful creations."