Tour Fallbrook gardens May 4

FALLBROOK – The community is invited to spend a day with family and friends at the Fallbrook Garden Club's 2019 Garden Tour and Plant Sale which starts at the Fallbrook Historical Society, 260 Rocky Crest, where tickets are exchanged for maps. Visitors can also purchase an assortment of plants

Seven beautiful and unique home gardens in the Fallbrook area will be featured. Docents will be present at each garden to assist with any questions.

One stop on the tour is a five-acre parcel, just minutes from Live Oak Park. It has its own live oak mini forest which makes a unique and inviting backdrop to the rest of the garden. The homeowners' use of terra cotta planters, integrated succulents, handmade and other found objects, results in a Mediterranean feel with an eclectic and creative series of breathtaking views.

The front yard of another property is an example of how to transform a steep slope into a garden oasis, complete with a waterfall and 30-foot meandering stream. In the backyard, a unique greenhouse, handmade out of upcycled French doors, creates a lovely potting area and backdrop for the white picket fenced-in vegetable and herb garden.

The third spectacular garden covers 2 acres, which contains many outdoor "rooms" representing a wide-range of garden themes. Visitors will see a tropical sanctuary, a woodland garden and an Asian-inspired retreat along with beautiful and unique drought-tolerant specimens. This abundant property has been profiled in several garden magazines and is well-known by local garden enthusiasts.

Another stop showcases unusual gardens with a combination of drought tolerant flowering plants, grasses and trees that are not found in most gardens. Succulents and some tropical plants are mixed in to add color and contrast while maintaining a low water demand. Although integrated, each area of the garden has a different look and feel.

The dramatic plantings at the entry to another well-known local garden give only a hint of the exotic abundance that waits inside. Numerous pathways wind their way through an otherworldly landscape of succulents, cacti and many other unusual drought-tolerant plants, complemented by unique artworks. Most of the garden is designed to subsist on little or no irrigation at all. The extensive desert-themed garden has been profiled in numerous newspapers and national magazines.

Not all high impact yards are massive. The sixth garden shows what can be created in just half an acre by using the owner's collection of unique and special specimen plants artfully arranged to provide a strong sense of color and form. These homeowners leveraged their expertise and love of drought tolerant plants to create a fascinating, yet peaceful backyard retreat. In addition, the large, semi-private side yard has been creatively designed as a potting and nursery area perfect for the active home gardener, while a newly planted front yard ensures consistency within this lovely, but traditional, gated community.

A walk through the seventh garden on a two-acre rustic property will delight any gardener interested in seeing the fruit of this homeowners' extensive knowledge of plants that drink responsibly. Anyone who loves rare and unique plants should make sure to visit this garden.

Gates open at the historical society at 8:30 a.m. Gardens will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance from the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, Major Market's Fallbrook location only and http://www.BrownPaperTicket.com. Tickets will be $25 the day of the tour.

The garden tour is held every other year and is the club's major fundraiser. Proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund and numerous community projects. It is the ninth garden tour in the club's 88-year history. More than 60% of the more than 180 members volunteer with the event. Additional information is available at fallbrookgardenclub.org or for questions email [email protected].

Submitted by Fallbrook Garden Club.