Alleycat Acres and Central Cinema are leading a community bike ride around the Central District Saturday to tour the incredible back yard gardens in my neighborhood.

Biking from garden-to-garden last year was one of the highlights of my summer (well, ok, almost summer), so I’m very excited that there will be a community bike ride for the first time this year. Gardens stretch from Madison Valley to Jackson, so it’s a little far to cover entirely on foot, but too close together for transit. Sounds perfect for a welcoming group bike cruise, eh?

The CD Garden Tour runs from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and starts at 23rd and Union. The bike ride will meet at 11:45 a.m. for a noon start. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 the day of the tour.

Details, from me via CDNews:

To the uninitiated, the CD Garden Tour might sound boring. You could not be more wrong.

It turns out, many of your neighbors keep some of the most breathtaking gardens you have ever seen. Some have beautiful mosaic walkways handmade over years or even decades. Others are bursting with colors and smells, sometimes carefully manicured, sometimes terrifically wild. And you have an opportunity to tour many of these awe-inspiring back yards Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Bolstered in part by a big Seattle Times feature, last year’s tour drew well over a thousand people to wander through back yards around the Central District (see our photos from the day). This year’s tour (co-sponsored by CDNews) will feature some more activities at the tour’s 23rd and Union starting point, including performances by students from Meter Music School on Union, Mt Calvary church and UmojaFest. Also featured at the starting point:

Cascade Edible Landscapes will be selling pesticide-free veggie and fruit starts. Union Biscuit will sell wholesome dog treats. There will also be pottery by Sandi Berlin and garden themed greeting cards and calendars by artist Mary Magenta. Alleycat Acres’ two community gardens are Check it Out features. They are also organizing a group bicycle Garden Tour that leaves GT12 HQ at 11:45am.

This year’s theme is edibles, urban and kids’ gardens, and public art. And it can all be found “On The Street Where You Live,” their motto for the year. Residential gardens, community and teaching gardens, and local art will be highlighted.

In this bike-loving editor’s opinion, biking is by far the best way to get around during the tour. Featured gardens last year stretched from Madison Valley to Jackson, so a bike is useful if you want to see it all. If you want to ride with others, Alleycat Acres and Central Cinema are leading a community bike ride from garden-to-garden. Meet at 23rd and Union at 11:45 a.m. (leaves at noon).

If you buy your tickets now, they are only $7. They go up to $10 at the 23rd and Union GT12 HQ, so get them early. Tickets are available online or at City Peoples (29th and Madison), Central Cinema (21st and Union) and Leschi Market (103 Lakeside Ave).