The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, a community horticultural center in Palo Alto, has scheduled its 23rd Annual Garden Tour, “California Creative,” April 25 and 26. The event includes tours of five private gardens, a plant sale, a boutique, a luncheon, a visit with garden experts and a self-guided tour of Gamble Garden.
The tour showcases five private Palo Alto gardens, none of which has been open to the public before. All are located within walking distance of Gamble Garden. Each house and garden has been chosen for its style and design. All the gardens feature outdoor living areas. Their sizes range from small and intimate to larger gardens separated into several design areas. There will be guides at each location to answer questions.
• Tour: The tour is scheduled 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 25 and 26 at Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St.
• Lunch: Lunch will be served al fresco on the Gamble Garden grounds from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. Attendees are asked to send a check before April 18 for lunch reservations.
• Boutique: The Gamble Garden Boutique on the Gamble grounds will be stocked with many new items for the tour, including distinctive garden and home decor accessories, gifts for Mother’s Day, unique items for personal use and hostess presents.
• Over the Garden Fence: The sale will feature slightly used garden items, accessories and furniture.
• Plant sale: The Gamble plant sale will offer many plants propagated by Gamble Garden volunteers from Gamble’s own stock, plus succulents and drought-tolerant plants, flowers and herbs from specialty nurseries. Garden experts will be on hand both days with tips and advice on how and where to grow the plants.
• Ticket information: Advance tickets are $30 for members, $35 for nonmembers. Tickets purchased the day of the tour are $40. Visitors with tickets can begin their tours at any one of the five gardens or at Gamble Garden. Tickets are available by mail or can be purchased at Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301.
For more information, visit www.gamblegarden.com or call 329-1356.
Gardens on tour
The “Neighborhood Gardens of Old Palo Alto” tour features five gardens, each with distinct plant life, design, sculpture and functions. They are vignettes of outdoor living in Northern California.
• English Redux: This English Tudor home, built originally in 1924, was authentically remodeled on both ends of the house several years ago, causing the stucco garden walls to be moved. The entire property was relandscaped except for the most mature trees, including a gracious front yard, quiet garden, pool treatments, herb garden and family entertainment areas.
• 1925 Italian Villa: This custom home designed by a San Francisco architect has a history that includes a miniature railroad. Now a peaceful family garden with room for family gatherings and soaking in the spa, it was carefully redesigned by Bay Area landscape architects.
• New Family Manor: This tailored and open two-story colonial manor is the new family home of a couple with three sons. The garden has built-in entertainment areas for children and adults. The shade garden front yard is particularly lovely in the spring, and the back boasts masterful stonework and decking as well as landscaping.
• Cityscape: This Category Four Historic Registry home by Birge Clark has been renovated by several previous owners. The current owners took care to plan a wall treatment that enhances their views from the inner yard, deadens the sound and provides privacy. The gardens were restored from a car repair pit to a family garden with flowers, herbs, shade garden and water element for more sound softening. An outside fireplace was added in the Clark style.
• European classic: Having refreshed the inside of this 1920s Mediterranean house, the current owners sought a combination of classic European “rooms” with fresh, modern touches throughout the garden. Iron and stone furnishings, statuary, a knot garden and a cloister garden are wrapped up in a new stucco wall with tile toppings and landscaping with unique takes on old classic plantings.
