General Information:
*****Tickets are on sale now!******
We will have 6 beautiful gardens to visit this year, and you may start at any garden you choose. The tour is self guided to allow you to set your own pace and visit all of the gardens throughout the weekend. As with previous years, each of the gardens are unique, while honoring this year's theme! Master gardeners will be on hand should you have any questions at the gardens on the tour.
Price of admission to the Garden Tour is $10.
Children 16 and under are FREE.
**Garden Tour Tickets can be purchased on the home page of our website and at the following locations:
Parkview Nursery
2 Riverside Locations
3841 Jackson St.
4377 Chicago Ave.
Wild Birds Unlimited
10456 Magnolia Ave.
Riverside (west of Tyler)
Louie’s Nursery
16310 Porter Ave.
(at Van Buren) Woodcrest
Mrs. Tiggy-Winkles
3675 Main St., Riverside
**Tickets can also be purchased on site both days of the event at the Riverside Elks Lodge**
Elks Lodge
6166 Brockton Ave., Riverside
Gardens open 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sat & Sun, April 25-26.
2026 Gardens!
Casa Sierra Vista
Architect and impressionist landscape painter Carl Hoermann constructed Casa Sierra Vista as he traveled the southwest and Mexico throughout the 1930s. The site is situated with an artist's eye towards capturing the best of the Southern California light and commanding views of the local mountains and the deserts beyond. While maintaining the majestic oaks and soaring palms, the intervening gardens have been lovingly reworked over the last decade to become a haven for wildlife and a peaceful retreat that feels far away from the city on its doorstep. Entering the garden, nasturtiums in sunset colors cascade over the wall, leading up to the sloped gardenscape in the foreground of the home. Meandering paths navigate an ever-changing landscape constructed of recycled and reclaimed materials where fruit trees and avocados dominate and grapes and vegetables quietly intertwine among the salvias, fragrant roses, and scented geraniums; all culminating in the heady evening scent of angel trumpets. While exploring the property grounds, visitors will find seating nooks in different corners of the garden, allowing for the property to be observed from different perspectives. Potted plants are interspersed throughout, providing texture and color at every turn. Nature abounds with hummingbirds and songbirds drinking from a large water fountain, and woodpeckers hanging out over towering palm trees. Casa Sierra Vista began with broad strokes of an artist's brush and the owners are forever grateful to be caretakers that fill in the finer details.
Jardín Curiosa
Joél and their Father moved into their home in the historic Woods streets neighborhood just 4 years ago and Joél has quickly transformed the generic yard into a garden oasis. Moving from Utah, they brought their late mother’s 25 year-old indoor Guiana chestnuts, where in our warm climate they thrive in containers outdoors. Their mother was an avid gardener and gave them a solid foundation of gardening from a very young age. It was important to ensure the plants she loved and the plants they loved could co-exist in harmony. The garden originally had a dozen or so mature trees and shrubs, all of which remain currently. Joél is only the second homeowner and felt a strong desire to keep what was there and to honor the family who called this home for many decades. Adding to the landscape, a traditional cottage garden was created with an informal abundance of flowers, herbs and vegetables. Classic cottage favorites include hollyhocks, roses, sweet peas, nasturtiums, zinnias, and salvias to name a few. There is also a growing collection of California natives interspersed throughout, such as the holly leaf cherry, white sage and of course, California poppies. Joél is an organic gardener and biodynamic methods are utilized to create a stronger ecosystem for insects and other beneficial creatures. Walking through their garden reminds Joél how they felt as a child; watching bees and butterflies alongside their mother, while she fussed to get things just right in her own yard. It is hoped that visitors will take away that gift of observation; the intuition we had as children where we stopped in our tracks to notice what was there surrounding us.
A Garden for Nature Lovers
California native plants are growing in popularity, and if you’re looking to start your journey in growing these beneficial plants, Michele’s native garden is sure to spark inspiration. A conservation biologist by trade with 16 years of environmental field work under her belt, Michele has honed in on which plants work well in a home garden setting. Michele and her husband purchased their home in 2017 after the house was vacant for a year, and the garden consisted of primarily dead plants. Michele’s image for reimagining and healing the garden was to plant natives that have beautiful/unique scents, as well as colorful flowers; since these are not often associated with native plants. Visitors to the garden will enjoy the fragrant sage planted throughout the garden, as well as the colorful monkeyflowers. A pond in the corner of the backyard attracts native songbirds and hummingbirds. Cattails standing tall above the water provide a place for dragonflies to rest. It is this spot where Michele enjoys spending time in her hammock. Adjacent to the backyard pond, you will find a meadow of yarrow, native grasses, and wildflowers growing in place of a traditional grass lawn. The outer perimeter of the property has been landscaped to include native grasses, buckwheats, and mallows to name a few plants. It is here where you will find a native mock orange (Philadephus lewisii), given the name due to the highly fragrant orange blossom scented flowers. Michele hopes her garden will show visitors that helping wildlife by rewilding our yards can be both beneficial and beautiful.
The World is My Garden
A long time attendee of the Garden Tour for over 20 years, Boni has enjoyed visiting the gardens each year and remembers coming home beaming with excitement from all the creativity. She would recite the highlights to her husband, Ashis and kids; often making them go with her again the next day! Boni would say to herself, “One day I will be on this tour!” and her day is now here! When they bought their home in 1992 the front yard was lightly landscaped and the backyard was completely barren. They each separately drew out garden plans, and upon comparing sketches; found they both depicted a pond in the exact same corner! At the time, life was busy with 4 children and no time to think about building a pond. Inspiration came from their many travels to exotic places such as Costa Rica, Morocco, Zanzibar, and Nepal to name a few. This drove them to plant an assortment of plants such as hibiscus, jasmine, roses, camélias, neem, moringa, curry leaf, bay leaf, banana, guava, Asian pear, sapote, pomegranate, and plum trees. It wasn’t until Covid in 2020 with the now grown kids at home quarantining that Ashis announced it was time to build their pond and that they would build the pond themselves! Through research, visiting other gardens with ponds, and the advice of Eric the Ponddigger; the digging began! In 2 months their pond was completed with a stream and small waterfall! They later added a tea house, reiki garden, bird house, succulent garden, river rock bed, greenhouse, vegetable garden, Shishi-odoshi, a Meera garden and the list goes on!!! Boni’s favorite places in the garden are the Tori gate which represents the entrance into a peaceful space leaving your worldly chaos behind, the aquatic herb garden where the edible plants are (watercress, taro leaves, & kang kong), and the river rock garden where family and friends can paint a rock and leave a little bit of themselves behind. Boni hopes visitors will be inspired by knowing that with determination, passion, and hardwork, something simple as a dream sketch can materialize into the garden of their own.
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Wldflowers Garden
When Brittany and her husband moved into their home 22 years ago, there was no garden to speak of on the property. On her visits to the gardens of her friends, as well as the many botanical gardens she and her husband have visited on their travels, she was awestruck by the creations of others. There was one particular visit where Brittany found herself asking a gardener to share their secret for creating such an amazing garden. Their reply was, “It’s simple, just dig a hole and put a plant in it!” Brittany thought it sounded so easy, but also found it daunting at the same time. Eventually, after a few years of living in their home and staring at a blank slate, she finally got brave enough to dig that hole! Brittany’s love for cooking prompted the reworking of her front yard. Her and her husband removed their lawn and planted herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees. Irises provide color in the foreground, along with purple lavender. Raised beds were installed for the ease of growing fruits and vegetables in a controlled environment. Towering Camelias grow against the home, along with ferns and other shade loving plants. Brittany also realized she had a love for cacti and succulents and began collecting a variety of unique specimens. Visitors will find quite the variety potted on the front porch as well as the sitting space in the backyard. The backyard slopes upward providing a beautiful view of downtown. Brittany strategically placed her potting studio at the top of the slope where this view can be enjoyed, as well as a large viewing deck. Be sure to appreciate the fragrant Bay laurel specimen tree on your way up and down. Having an eye for art, she has incorporated plants into many different types of art objects, and non traditional planters. Friends have gifted her unique treasures, and various garden art has been collected from their travels. These embellishments make her garden more personal and serve as reminders of loved ones and cherished travels. Brittany’s garden is an example of how you can take inspiration and use it to create your own flair! Don’t be afraid to dig that first hole!
The Kennel Garden
If you’ve never had a chance to visit the redwood trees in Northern California, now is your chance, since here you will find redwoods towering 50 feet tall. The Kennel Garden, given its name due to it previously being the home to many canine friends, has grown and evolved over the course of 40 years. The garden contains a unique variety of plantings based around three small kennels. Homeowner Pat has built and planted everything you see in the garden from the home, to the fencing, to the stepping stones made with the use of dog bowls. In the front of the home palm trees create shade for walking paths that are surrounded by ferns, nasturtiums, and birds of paradise. A water fountain surrounded by shade loving clivia and cyclamen found near the front porch creates soothing sounds for passerbys. An active spring runs through the back of the property where dogs have enjoyed catching crawdads. Walking across a foot bridge flanked by bamboo, visitors find themselves at a secluded seating area complete with a barbeque for cooking up food for guests. Various winding pathways take you throughout the gardens revealing additional seating nooks where visitors can rest and enjoy the scenery. Pat has always had a general interest in landscaping, and learned about plants firsthand while working at nurseries in college. Visitors will find many uncommon trees, plants and shrubs, as well as a traditional rose garden. While walking through the landscape, it is important to remember to not just look at what’s in front of you, but to also look up and observe the characteristics of the trees towering above.
Do you have a beautiful garden you might be willing to share? We are always looking for interesting gardens to have on our garden tour. Contact us to discuss your garden with a committee member.