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Foothill gardens open for Mother's Day tour

Six Loomis and Granite Bay sites to welcome visitors

Love butterflies? A butterfly garden is among the six gardens on the Mother's Day Garden Tour, presented by the Placer County master gardeners.

Love butterflies? A butterfly garden is among the six gardens on the Mother's Day Garden Tour, presented by the Placer County master gardeners. Kathy Morrison

This Sunday, skip the crowded holiday brunch and take the mom in your life (or yourself) outside – and up out of the soon-to-be-hot Valley. Six fabulous gardens await in Granite Bay and Loomis on the Placer County master gardeners’ 36th Annual Mother's Day Garden Tour.

“We have been trying to get one of these gardens on the tour for three years,” said Kortne Phillips, co-chair of the event, along with Cooki Vonasek. “This may be our best tour yet,” she added.

The tour window is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, rain or (likely) shine. Tickets with maps are $20, available now through the day of the tour at the Green Acres Nursery & Supply sites in Auburn (the former Eisley’s), Rocklin and Roseville; cash or check only. Children under 12 are admitted free.

Here’s how the Placer master gardeners describe the six gardens on the tour:

– The Reimagined Garden: This homeowner has completely transformed her “water hungry” landscape into a “water wise”, easy to care for spacious setting with a diversity of drought tolerant flowering plants that attract the local pollinators. It’s a peaceful, relaxing place to just sit and watch the evening sun set. 

 – The Estate Garden: Behind the grand gates, explore elegant acres complete with large reflecting ponds filled with koi and water lilies, an incredible collection of plantings and wandering pathways that lead to a breathtaking vista. Caution: some steep stairs and uneven walking surfaces.

–  The Butterfly Garden: The uniqueness of this garden is evident right away. Its charm beckons you to see more, and more there is. Creative features greet you at every turn. Look closely and discover butterfly shapes in unexpected ways along with impressive design elements widely placed throughout the garden.

 – The Tranquility Garden: The feel of Tuscany welcomes you immediately with towering Italian Cypress, old world stonework and tile, and distinctive decorative urns. Follow the pathway to a fabulous entertaining area secluded among the redwoods with lots of striking surprises.

 – The More is Better Garden: When you love plants and just have to have more but nowhere left to plant them, what do you do? This homeowner’s answer was to put them in pots! Now you have a mobile landscape that adds a completely new dimension that is flexible, colorful, and totally unique. 

  – The Traveler’s Garden: Inspired by their extensive local and international travels, this garden oasis is bursting with an extensive collection of amazing plants, flowers, water features and eclectic art treasures. Every pathway is an experience to be discovered in this vibrant and dramatic party-ready retreat.

For more information on the garden tour, visit the Placer master gardeners’ website, https://pcmg.ucanr.org/

Gardeners around Sacramento have a wealth of garden tour opportunities this weekend. There is of course the East Sac Garden Tour, which Debbie posted about Monday, happening both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Also, the River Valley Garden Club in Rancho Murieta presents its Garden Stroll on Saturday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. Seven gardens in Rancho Murieta are on the tour; they will have artists in residence at each. Tickets are $25, available through Friday at the Rancho Murieta Ace Hardware  (in the shopping center across from the main entrance to Rancho Murieta) and on the day of the tour at the Rancho Murieta Association Building, 7191 Murieta Parkway.

This event also will feature plant sales and a raffle. Information: (916) 730-7403.

-- Kathy Morrison

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For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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