The Unique Way To Visit & Learn From Inspirational Gardens In Your Area

Avid gardeners always enjoy ways to celebrate gardening, whether it is visiting local nurseries, hanging out in the home improvement store's garden center, or visiting public gardens. And while there are fun ways to dig into gardening month every April, you can enjoy activities surrounding gardening year-round. There are some amazing gardens across the U.S. that are open to the public, like The Crosby Arboretum, the stunning Mississippi garden with 700 acres and thriving wildlife; or the incredible labor of love of famous Polish opera singer Madame Ganna Walska, Lotusland, the California garden that spans 37 acres and features over 3,500 stunning plant varieties. If you want to gain some inspiration for your own garden, and learn about new plants, look for garden tours in your area. A garden tour is a guided or self-guided walk-through of planned gardens where you can discover new flora and flowers you may not have in your own garden. Plus, it's a great way to meet other garden lovers. 

Depending on where you live, you may have access to tours of private gardens through the local garden club, or there may be larger public gardens that offer tours as well. Private garden tours give you the chance to see what ideas other gardeners have implemented, and chat with those who have a passion for plants and flowers, too. 

There are a few different ways you can locate garden tours in your area. The first is to do a quick internet search for local garden tours in your area. If you don't get any leads, you can change your search to garden clubs or garden societies and contact head members for more information. You may even be interested in joining local clubs if you are not already a member. You can also check with your local nurseries and garden centers for information on local clubs or tours. 

The Garden Conservancy site is another avenue you can try to find garden tours in your area. The conservancy sponsors the Open Days Program that has been up and running since 1995. This program gives owners of private gardens the opportunity to be included in Open Days garden tours which are typically held over one day per year for each garden. This is a nationwide program featuring private gardens across the country — and new gardens are registering all the time. The American Public Gardens Association website also has a great search feature for finding public gardens in your area, as well. 

Taking public or private garden tours gives you the chance to see how other gardeners are doing things. It can be a real inspiration to see certain groupings of plants and flowers or landscape designs that you may want to try in your own garden space. You also have the opportunity to learn about plants, trees, and flowers you may not have heard of before. Private gardens can be a big inspiration for home gardeners since the smaller size might be most similar to your own space. That can make it easier to imagine certain flowers and landscape ideas you want to try since you won't be comparing your garden to a massive, public one. 

Bring a camera, notebook, and pen so you can write down the names of any plants that catch your attention, or take note of designs you like. Pets are normally not allowed on garden tours, but supervised children are welcome. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, bring a water bottle to stay hydrated, and don't forget to pack a snack if you plan on being there awhile. Sun protection is also a good idea in the form of a wide brim garden hat or sunscreen. There are no public bathroom facilities for private garden tours, so make sure you know of nearby public facilities — especially if you're bringing kids. Public gardens will have facilities on site for visitors to use. Book a garden tour to soak up all sorts of gardening inspiration, while immersing yourself in the beauty of nature.