‘Great inspiration’: Secret Garden Tour of La Jolla returns May 20
The event, featuring six or seven gardens — depending on the option purchased — also offers a party the night before. Proceeds will benefit the La Jolla Historical Society.
Despite the 1960s theme (in honor of the La Jolla Historical Society’s 60th anniversary), the gardens that will be featured in the upcoming Secret Garden Tour of La Jolla have inspirations from the 1920s to 1990s.
The two-day event, presented by the Historical Society, starts with a Friday soiree at 6 p.m. May 19 at a private La Jolla home, followed by the main event starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20. On the day of the tour, the Secret Garden Boutique will be open to the public on the Wisteria Cottage grounds at 780 Prospect St.
The garden locations are kept secret until the day of the tour but will span the 92037 ZIP code, with properties in Bird Rock, Muirlands, The Village and more. Thus, each is “a little different … with its plantings and its themes,” event chairwoman Meg Davis said.
The event offers two options: a self-guided tour of six gardens that can be viewed in any order, and a Platinum Tour that includes an exclusive seventh garden, plus transportation with a docent and lunch.
This year’s Platinum Tour has been modified to provide lunch in the middle of the tour instead of starting the tour with a brunch. “We will start the day at a convenient location in The Village and folks will head off and visit several gardens and then break for lunch at a historic property in The Village,” said La Jolla Historical Society Executive Director Lauren Lockhart. “And then at the end of the final tour, you will end up back at the first location, which is walking distance from Wisteria Cottage.”
Calling the tour a source of “great ideas and great inspiration” for what guests can do in their own gardens, Davis said her favorite garden has been on the tour before but the homeowners “have put a lot of work into [it] over the years. People that have been on the tour will see what they’ve done and where they have taken the garden. They did some remodeling on the house to accommodate the garden, and there are a lot of personal touches. So it is very creative and really beautiful.”
Lockhart said one of her favorites is a garden focused on drought-tolerant plants. “It feels really lush and full and has interesting sculptural elements,” she said. “It has a modern aesthetic, and I think people will be surprised by that one.
“A number of the garden locations have a really rich history of La Jolla embedded in their site. So we are excited to share that history as part of the garden experience.”
As in past years, artists will paint in each garden and musicians will welcome guests and help set the ambience. Each location also will feature a tabletop display that complements the garden.
“A number of the garden locations have a really rich history of La Jolla embedded in their site. So we are excited to share that history as part of the garden experience.”
— Lauren Lockhart, La Jolla Historical Society executive director
Leading up to the tour will be a “reimagined” Friday-night garden party, also with a ‘60s theme.
The intimate gathering will include hors d’oeuvres, wine and music from the Gand Band, composed of La Jolla residents and historic-home owners Joan and Gary Gand.
“It will be in a beautiful Mid-Century Modern house with amazing views and will feature classic cocktails from the 1960s,” Davis said. “We will encourage people to dress in ... clothing from the early ‘60s to the late ‘60s. There is so much going on that night.”
The party also will serve as the kickoff to a silent auction that ends at the conclusion of the tour. A new focus for the auction will be “special tours and unique experiences you can’t get anywhere else,” Lockhart said.
Lockhart called the Secret Garden Tour “one of our most important fundraisers,” with proceeds helping to fund Historical Society programming.
“We love that in addition to all the attendees experiencing the gardens, they help us sustain our work all year long,” she said. “The revenue goes to our free public programs and our exhibitions that are offered with free admission. It is vital to our organization’s success.”
The Secret Garden Boutique, open to the public with free admission throughout the day May 20, will have gardening accessories, plants and gifts by local artisans available for purchase. Because the event falls on World Bee Day, many of the crafts and supplies will center on the importance of bees to local and global ecosystems.
Tickets for the Friday-night Secret Garden Party are $75, or $65 when purchased with a Platinum Tour ticket.
Self-guided tour tickets are $55 in advance and $65 the day of the event. Platinum Tour tickets are $150 in advance and are not offered the day of the event. Historical Society members get $10 off any tour ticket option.
Learn more at lajollahistory.org. ◆
Get the La Jolla Light weekly in your inbox
News, features and sports about La Jolla, every Thursday for free
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the La Jolla Light.
Become a press patron
At a time when local news is more important than ever, support from our readers is essential. If you are able to, please support the La Jolla Light today.
