35th annual Placer County Mothers' Day Garden Tour is most attended ever

The Placer County Master Gardeners recently hosted their 35th annual Mother's Day Garden Tour. Each year, Master Gardeners select local gardens with a variety of styles, plantings and artistic flair from around the county for a special tour to captivate home gardeners. Master Gardeners are on hand to answer questions and help guests view these private properties that offer so many attractive and educational features. Visitors are inspired by these landscapes, getting ideas to incorporate into their own home gardens, whether large or small. The garden homeowners proudly discuss the history and plantings in their beautiful unique yards. The spectacular tour this year hosted more than 650 people, the largest attendance ever. Six fabulous gardens in Auburn, Loomis and Granite Bay were featured at this successful event. The Artist's Garden is a delightful, eclectic setting of dappled sunlight filled with many of the creations by the imaginative owner. In the grand, artfully planted Water Wheel Garden, guests stroll along walkways, pausing at the restful pond highlighted by a slow-turning antique water wheel. The Inspired Garden with its huge granite boulders and mature oaks, has striking specimen trees, waves of flowering greenery, pops of color and cozy places to relax. The Zen environment of the Tranquility Garden is a past tour favorite and has expanded by adding more pathways, plants, bridges to cross, more water and other features for guests to enjoy its magical and mystical effects. The Shared Garden has a breathtaking massive central pond with waterfalls surrounded by blooming perennials, vibrant water plants and a large open sitting area under mature olive trees. The Water Wise Garden uses the UC Davis WUCOLS (water use classifications of landscape species) website recommendations. From these recommendations, the homeowners created a peaceful creekside haven filled with color and texture, wandering pathways through a charming woodland with California natives and a "natural" pond. Put a reminder in your calendar to attend the 2023 Mother's Day Garden Tour. It's the perfect outing for families of all ages year after year. In the meantime, readers can find Master Gardeners to ask garden questions at the Auburn Farmer's Market, Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon; the Lincoln Fowler Ranch Farmer's Market, Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and the Roseville Farmer's Market on Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Readers can also contact Master Gardeners for answers to gardening questions on the PCMG hotline at 530-889-7388. The Placer County Master Gardeners also help the community by providing public workshops, speakers by request, an annual calendar/gardening guide (available at local nurseries), advice at school and community gardens, and the Curious Gardener Newsletter available for all to subscribe at https://pcmg.ucanr.org/Curious_Gardener_Newsletter/. For more information, visit: https://pcmg.ucanr.org/.