I am a garden tour addict! No matter how many gardens I’ve seen, I never tire of looking at new ones. I always learn something new and return home inspired to improve my own garden. Gardens reflect the personality of their owners as well as the neighborhoods they live in. Last weekend, I dragged my husband off to see native gardens on the Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour. If you missed it, or native plants aren’t your cup of tea, this weekend Sunday, April 22, you are invited to tour five private gardens on the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society annual garden tour. The exact gardens to be featured are still a well-kept secret but are expected to be wonderful examples of design in the neighborhood.
What better way to celebrate Earth Day this year than by supporting the tour whose proceeds are invested in local greening and beautification projects in the neighborhood such as re-landscaping John Burroughs Middle School. This year’s beneficiaries include three civic projects: The “Greening” of Fire Stations #61 at 3rd Street/Alta Vista and #52 at Melrose/Western with veggie gardens, fruit trees, with murals and fountains designed in conjunction with the firefighters in each station. And, greening the traffic island median at 6th Street and Norton Avenue, a gateway to Windsor Square and Hancock Park.
Organizers June Bilgore and Myrna Gintel have planned a day of touring gardens, followed by a lecture by Darren Butler on growing soil, not plants at the Getty House at 3:00 p.m. Two Dog Organic Nursery will also be on hand selling heirloom veggies.
“We hope everyone will have a glass of wine, relax, listen to Darren, and bid at the wonderful silent auction followed at 4:00 p.m. by a light supper of chicken kabobs, special rice, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, spicy pepper dip, pita, and 2 exotic salads catered by Istanbul Catering and Larchmont Grill,” said June Bilgore. “There’s Yogurtland for dessert with cookies, watermelon and assorted beverages. All for $65 per ticket!”
No doubt you will be inspired but after such a full day, you may need to rest up before you start working in your own garden! Or you can skip working and go to the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Garden Tour, April 29 in Pasadena and May 6 in Los Angeles.
Read earlier posts about the LA Garden Tour:
Tour Features Lecturer C. Darren Butler
