Brunswick County- A View from the Bridge
The Oak Island Beautification Club's 11th Annual Garden Tour and Plant Sale is set for Sunday, May 16, from 1 to 5 p.m. Among the nine gardens on the tour this year are a Certified Wildlife Habitat, a butterfly garden, a bird sanctuary with more than 200 plant and tree specimens, a water garden and the Sea Biscuit Bird Sanctuary.
The Plant Sale at the Oak Island Recreation Center begins at noon and lasts until all the plants are sold. It is the club's biggest plant sale of the year with hundreds of plants to choose from, including perennials and annuals, such as elephant ear, petunias, salvia, purple plant, Black-Eyed Susans, Zebra Grass, verbena, evergreen Japanese iris, Stella D‘Oro, Sago palm, Shasta daisy and culinary herbs. Prices range from $1 to $15 with most in the $3 to $6 range.
The Garden Tour begins as soon as you cross the bridge onto the island on Yaupon Way and goes all the way to King's Lynn Drive on the west end of the beach strand. Along the way you will have an opportunity to visit some extraordinary gardens developed by homeowners under the unique and demanding condition of sun, sea and sand. See what the Town of Oak Island and the Beautification Club have done at the Nature Center and the Recreation Center and don't miss the lovely plantings at Coastal Dentistry.
Tickets go on sale April 23, and are $6 in advance, $8 day of the tour. They can be purchased at Oak Island Recreation Center, Chamber of Commerce and Blue Crab Blue on Long Beach Road, Seaside With Coffee and Yaupon Tree on Oak Island, Curb Appeal on Howe Street and the Southport Visitor Center.
On the day of the tour, Rec Center plays host to a Master Gardeners' Plant Clinic where you can ask questions about specific plants, bring samples for identification or raise general issues about the challenges of coastal gardening. Beautification Club members will also be on hand selling plants and serving refreshments.
This is a self-guided tour. Along with your ticket, you will receive a map with directions to each of the nine locations, which you are free to visit in the order of your choosing.
