Our History

History of the Garden Tour

The Episcopal Church Women’s group of All Saints initiated the All Saints Episcopal Church Garden Tour in 1987. This was in the earliest years of the church’s existence when the congregation was meeting in the library of the local high school. The purpose at that time was to provide some visibility to the new church and to bring the congregation together on a common project that would be both attractive and fun. At that time, raising money was not a primary goal.

After two years it was decided to expand the organization of this growing project in order to benefit charities in our local community. A Garden Tour Board made up of volunteers was formed to oversee future Garden Tours.

Since the beginning, the Tour has been an unqualified success and has attracted more and more garden lovers every year. As are the garden tours in our neighboring communities, the All Saints Tour is awaited each spring with eagerness and joy. Almost every church member is involved in one of the many responsibilities connected with the Tour, whether it is as a parking attendant, kitchen crew member, or as a hostess at one of the gardens.

All Saints is pleased and proud that all the profits from the Tour are distributed to local needs in the community. Different beneficiaries are carefully considered and chosen each year by the Garden Tour Board and presented to the church vestry for approval.  The grant recipients for 2018 are listed on the home page.

Since its inception, the All Saints Garden Tour has donated in excess of $500,000 to local charities, including non-profit organizations that support local citizens and especially the youth, seniors, infirm and disabled, as well as our most impoverished neighbors. Currently, the All Saints Garden Tour is seeking applications from charities in Beaufort or Jasper Counties in South Carolina that are primarily involved with responding to the challenges presented by homelessness, hunger, aging, and illiteracy.

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