WALLA WALLA — Enjoy a day touring 10 private gardens, shopping for garden art and getting your plant and insect questions answered during the Walla Walla Community Hospice's fifth annual Pond and Garden Tour on Sept. 9.

"All of the gardens include at least one pond or water feature in the design. Plus we'll have some extra features in each garden," said Laurie Klicker, marketing coordinator for the hospice.

One garden owner will have his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and accessories on display. Another garden features a dovecote, home to the owners' homing pigeons.

"We like to find gardens that reflect the personality of the owners," Klicker said.

Many of the gardens also will have vendors showing garden and pond accessories. Blockhead Stone Making will display its custom-made concrete stepping stones in one. Richard Czyhold, Czyhold Metal Design, will have his whimsical metal animals made of old tractor parts and farm machinery in another.

Washington State University Master Gardeners will be stationed in one garden to answer questions on growing, planting and maintaining outdoor plants, shrubs and trees.

Two artists, Joyce Anderson of Walla Walla and Jean Ann Mitchell Milton-Freewater, will be set up in different gardens and painting throughout the day.

The self-guided tour runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs $20 per person. Only children 12 and older will be admitted. No tickets will be sold at the gardens.

"You can do them in any order and take as much time as you want to enjoy each one," she said.

Tickets are limited to 500 and must be purchased in advance. They are available at Bright's Candies & Gifts, 11 E. Main Street or at the Walla Walla hospice office, 1067 E. Isaacs Ave.

Tickets also may be ordered by phone with a credit card, 509-525-5561. There will be a $2 shipping and handling charge.

More details about the tour are available on the Walla Walla Community Hospice Web site, www.wwhospice.org.

All funds raised from the tour will be used to provide quality hospice care in Walla Walla, Columbia, and northeast Umatilla counties.