Going Native Garden Tour 2009

Since 2003, the Bay Area's pioneering native garden tour has showcased gardens featuring California native plants. This community-based tour is free of charge to the public upon successful registration. Each tour features about 45 gardens, most of them private home gardens, which are open on tour day for viewing by the public in a do-it-yourself, open house format.

The goals of the tour are to demonstrate reduced water use, reduced chemical and pesticide use, improved habitat, and the unique aesthetic appeal of gardens designed with California native plants.

Take a virtual preview tour through the gardens on the 2008 Going Native Garden Tour.

Garden Previews for Volunteers: Tour volunteers can now visit tour gardens throughout the year through a series of Garden Preview events organized expressly for them. Tour volunteers work one 3-hour shift on tour day (Sunday, April 19, 2009) at one of the gardens either as a docent or as a greeter. Other volunteers work on the steering committee on tasks like garden selection, publicity, website, registration, and sponsorships. To sign up, please fill out our volunteer registration form.

Garden Submissions: If you live in Santa Clara County or San Mateo County, and California native plants are a significant percentage (50% or more) of your garden, we invite you to submit your garden for inclusion in the Going Native Garden Tour 2009 by filling out the Garden Submission Form. The deadline for submitting gardens is Thursday, January 15, 2009.