There’s something so inherently hopeful about spring, and the joy that comes from seeing new life take root in nature is something that never gets old.
It’s also nice to get out, pause the incessant phone scrolling and see more of the neighborhoods around you, engage with others and find unexpected ways to add beauty to your own landscape. These garden tours are just the thing to spark that inspiration.
Have an event to add to this list? Email to [email protected].
THROUGH MAY 11
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch
Get ready for your photo op: The brilliantly colorful blooms of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus are a big annual draw at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. This year’s exhibition will feature a traveling exhibit for the first time. Artist Alex Heveri’s work will be showcased at the 55-acre ranunculus flower ranch. The exhibit will include over three dozen glass and steel sculptures of sparkling butterflies, dragonflies, bamboo, bees and insects. There will also be scheduled activities and programming throughout the season such as live music, family yoga, sunset meditation, wine tasting, flower workshops, tractor rides, a sweet pea maze and a tea garden.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through May 11 at 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad
Tickets: $17 to $27, and free for children under age 3. Season es are available, starting at $33.
Info: theflowerfields.com
MARCH 13 to 16
Cherry Blossom Festival at Japanese Friendship Garden
Stroll upper and lower gardens at the Japanese Friendship Garden’s 20th annual Cherry Blossom Festival, and enjoy serene views and colorful blooms, an annual tradition to welcome spring. The festival includes a lineup of special live performances, a wall of lanterns, community art, a children’s activity area, food vendors and merchants, and a beer and sake garden in the lower garden.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with last ission at 5 p.m. at 2215 Pan American Road E. in Balboa Park
Tickets: $18 pre-sale (single day); $20 day of; $25 VIP. Free for children 6 or younger.
Info: niwa.org/cbw
MARCH 15
Borrego Home & Garden Tour
Explore four homes and four gardens at your own pace during this primary fundraiser for the nonprofit Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association. The tour features a 1950s-era midcentury modern-style property with original 1952 built-in cabinets and mature native plants outside; a home with bold, vivid orange 1970s decor and tiny green tiles inside, and myriad cactus varieties outside; a hacienda design with a walled courtyard and pool; and a historic ranch brimming with desert charm and a landscape that has been worked by hand over 20 years. Closed-toe shoes, a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, water and snacks are recommended. No dogs, please.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets: $30 general ission, $24 ABDNHA , $20 ABDNHA volunteers. Buy tickets by March 9 and save $2 per ticket.
Info: abdnha.org/gardentour or or visit the ABDNHA Desert Nature Center, 652 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs; (760) 767-3098
MARCH 29
Spring Garden Tour – Escondido/Poway
San Diego Horticultural Society and Association of Professional Landscape Designers-San Diego District present the self-guided 2025 Spring Garden Tour, featuring eight private gardens in Escondido and Poway. With the theme “When in Drought, Garden With Plantitude,” this year’s tour highlights diverse landscapes with lush-looking, low water plantings. Among them are the garden of Dennis Mudd, CalScape founder and 2025 horticulturist of the year; APLD designer gardens; and gardens by Nan Sterman and Greg Rubin, past horticulturists of the year. Garden features include Hügelkultur techniques, capturing water in rain gardens, habitat gardens, creative re-use of concrete, converting pools to ponds, low-flow irrigation, permeable paving, mulching, native plants and more. No disabled access, and no pets or strollers permitted.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: $45 general ission, $40 SDHS , $40 APLD . Ticket sales are limited this year and must be purchased online, in advance
Info: https://sdhort.org/Tours
MARCH 30
California Native Plant Garden Tour
The Buena Vista Audubon Society and Oceanside Coastal Neighborhood Association present their 21st annual California Native Plant Garden Tour on March 30. Plant experts and neighborhood locals will lead the 1.5-mile walking tour of more than 18 native plant front-yard gardens in the historic seaside neighborhood of downtown Oceanside. Children will sell cookies and lemonade along the route.
Hours: Begins at 2 p.m. Meet at St. Mary’s School, 515 Wisconsin Ave., one block east of Coast Highway.
Tickets: The tour is free; donation requested for map.
Info: bvaudubon.org and ocna101.org
APRIL 12-13
Coronado Flower Show
The 103rd annual Coronado Flower Show, presented by the Coronado Flower Association and the city of Coronado, is the largest tented flower show in the U.S. and Coronado’s longest-running tradition, with a weekend of festivities. The 2025 show, themed “Cirque des Fleurs,” includes landscape displays, a variety of floral competitions, educational lectures and demonstrations, live bandstand entertainment, food, a beer and wine garden with locally crafted beers, and shopping. There’s also a Home Front competition that awards exceptional home and business gardens throughout the city.
Hours: 1 to 5 p.m. April 12, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 13 at Spreckels Park, 601 Orange Ave., Coronado
Tickets: $10 ission, sold only at the door; children under 12 itted free.
Info: coronadoflowershow.com
APRIL 18-20
San Diego County Orchid Society Show and Sale
Themed “Orchids of the Earth,” the annual spring show and sale will fill Room 101 and adjacent patios at the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. Plant sales will be on the large patio north of Room 101. Learn about orchid conservation and browse member sales and orchid supplies.
Hours: noon to 6 p.m. April 18 (early bird sales start at 10 a.m.), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 20 at Casa del Prado Room 101 and adjacent patios in Balboa Park
Tickets: ission is free.
Info: sdorchids.com
APRIL 26
Carlsbad Garden Club plant sale
The Carlsbad Garden Club will host a plant sale on April 26 at Plaza Paseo Real, 6965 El Camino Real in Carlsbad. The plant sale will be located in the upper courtyard, next to La Costa Coffee Roasting. There will be potted flowers, succulents and many other varieties of plants for sale. All proceeds Carlsbad schools’ garden programs and Mira Costa College scholarships for students enrolled in the college’s horticultureprogram.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets: ission is free.
Info: carlsbadgardenclub.org
MAY 2-3
Julian Wildflower Show
The Julian Woman’s Club will present its 99th annual Wildflower Show at the group’s clubhouse, 2607 C St. in Julian. Club collect specimens from the 855 plant species in the area surrounding Julian. The plant display ranges from desert cactuses to high mountain dogwood. The show focuses on how to nurture these “jewels of the backcountry” by learning about the plants, conservation efforts and what grows best in our climate and region. The event will include speakers, displays of local school artwork and science projects that are wildflower related, and items for sale, including books, seeds and plants, as well as an opportunity for raffle prizes including a quilt. The Julian Woman’s Club provides scholarships and s other local nonprofit organizations.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days
Tickets: ission is free, but donations are accepted toward a scholarship fund and community outreach.
Info: julianwomansclub.org/event/julian-wildflower-show
MAY 3
Clairemont Outdoor Living and Garden Tour
Get inspired by what Clairemont and Bay Park residents have done to make their outdoor spaces inviting and comfortable at the 28th Clairemont Outdoor Living and Garden Tour, a self-guided tour of a dozen unique gardens around the community. Get educated about making your yard productive (edibles, bee and butterfly sanctuaries) and sustainable (water reclamation, bioswales, natives and more) and get excited about what is possible in both small and large yards. Learn from the gardeners themselves, and from San Diego Master Gardeners and other experts at the Garden Tour Expo at Toler Elementary. The expo will include live music at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., breakfast and lunch for sale from Artesano Tacos, and community programs and educators.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the gardens; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the expo
Tickets: $20 early bird tickets are available online only; free for kids under 12. In-person $25 tickets will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. May 2 at Clairemont Town Square, 4821 Clairemont Drive; and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 3 at the Toler gardens and expo — enter on Ticonderoga. Online ticket purchasers will be able to pick up wristbands and programs at the same location.
Info: clairemontonline.com
MAY 3
Bernardo Gardeners Club Spring Garden Tour
Explore six standout gardens in Rancho Bernardo and Poway on May 3 as part of the annual Spring Garden Tour, presented by the Bernardo Gardeners Club. The self-guided tour, held rain or shine, will include vendors, complimentary refreshments and Master Gardeners available to answer gardening questions. Tourgoers can browse unique handmade crafts, jewelry and plants for purchase. No disabled access; walking shoes required. Children older than 12 are welcome. No pets, please.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tickets: $30, available starting March 1 at brownpapertickets.com or in person at Walter Andersen Nursery, 12755 Danielson Court in Poway, and El Plantio Nursery, 1322 San Pasqual Valley Road in Escondido. Day-of tickets at tour homes are cash or check only.
Info: bernardogardeners.org
MAY 3
Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival
The 28th annual Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival is back and being held at Cuyamaca College/The Water Conservation Garden/The Heritage of the Americas Museum, in El Cajon. The event, which includes the Coyote Music Festival, butterfly releases and specialty vendors, will also have food trucks, plant sales, animals and family-friendly activities. The Cuyamaca College Nursery, a student-operated nursery, has hosted the Spring Garden Festival for over 30 years. Student interns take the lead in planting and managing a diverse selection of plants, which are sold to the public at budget-friendly prices. The nursery remains a community resource for plant lovers and gardening enthusiasts alike.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets: ission and parking are free, at 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy., El Cajon.
Info: thegarden.org/spring-garden-butterfly-festival-2025
MAY 3-4
Vista Garden Club Flower Show
The Vista Garden Club presents its 89th annual Flower Show at Jim Porter Recreation Center, Brengle Terrace Park. The event will include plants for purchase that club have grown all year, as well as garden art created by .
Hours: noon to 5 p.m. Saturday for plant and garden art boutique, 2 to 5 p.m. for flower show; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday for flower show, plant and garden art boutique
Tickets: ission is free.
Info: californiagardenclubs.com/vistagardenclub
MAY 4
Spring Nature Festival
San Diego County Parks and Recreation, with from Nature Collective, a local conservation and science education nonprofit, presents a family-friendly spring festival on May 4 that celebrates nature’s renewal. The all-ages event, best suited for children ages 12 or younger, will be at San Dieguito County Park, 1628 Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Del Mar. Learn why flowers and pollinators need each other and discover ways you can help pollinators thrive. Nature Collective Discovery Booths will explore plants’ unique way of spreading their seeds — flying, floating or bursting into the world — and unique birds’ nests built by our feathered friends, from tiny “hummers” to intricate weavers. There will also be an Eco-Scavenger Hunt + Craft, live animals, face painting and a bounce house. Please bring reusable bottles and cups.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tickets: ission is free.
Info: naturecollective.org/event/spring-nature-festival-may-4-2025
MAY 4-JUNE 1
“World of Orchids” at San Diego Botanic Garden
San Diego Botanic Garden hosts its annual spring orchids showcase, “World of Orchids,” an immersive display in its 8,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed facility — the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory. In addition to the orchids that typically grow in the garden’s conservatory, displays will include plants on loan from private growers belonging to two local groups — the San Diego County Orchid Society and the Palomar Orchid Society — as well as orchids and materials from local businesses. Vendors on select weekends will sell unusual orchids and other merchandise. Hands-on classes will accompany the exhibition.
Hours: Garden is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Tuesdays) at 300 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Reservations highly recommended for “World of Orchids” and will designate an entry time.
Tickets: ission is an additional $7 for adults with the purchase of a one-day ticket or free with annual hip; no cash transactions. Daily $18 general ission, $15 military/student/senior 60-plus, $10 ages 3 to 17, free for under 3. hips start at $55 individual, $105 family.
Info: sdbg.org/world-of-orchids
MAY 10
46th annual Flower Show and Plant Sale
Poway Valley Garden Club presents its 46th annual Flower Show and Plant Sale at Old Poway Park. The theme for this year’s Horticulture Specialty Show is “Reimagining Nature’s Symphony.” The public is invited to submit entries in all divisions; see show schedule and details at powayvalleygardenclub.org. The plant sale in the gazebo next door to the show will include items for spring planting needs, garden art and garden gifts, including succulent dish gardens and hand-crafted birdhouses. Also on hand will be Farmer Roy, San Diego Master Gardeners, and representatives from the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center and Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Road, Poway
Tickets: ission is free. The event is ADA accessible.
Info: powayvalleygardenclub.org/flower-show
MAY 10
Mission Hills Garden Walk
With the theme “A Garden Walk Through Time,” the Mission Hills Garden Club presents its 27th annual Mission Hills Garden Walk on May 10. This year’s theme will be illustrated in many gardens, including the Grant TK-8 School organic Gecko Garden. The event will include local musicians and artists in the gardens, and there will also be a garden-oriented bazaar and food demonstrations.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: $40; free for children under 10. Sold in half-hour increments beginning April 1 at https://missionhillsgardenclub.org.
Info: missionhillsgardenclub.org/Garden-Walk
MAY 10-11
San Dieguito Art Guild Mother’s Day Weekend Art, Garden & Studio Tour
The nonprofit San Dieguito Art Guild presents its 28th annual self-guided, driving tour on Mother’s Day weekend, exploring eight North County homes where tourgoers can peruse more than 30 unique exhibits of locally made art and relax in each unique coastal or inland garden. Artists from the San Dieguito Art Guild will be in the gardens — showing and selling their paintings, ceramics, glass, gourd art, fiber arts, photography, jewelry and more. Free refreshments will be served. The eclectic group of homes, gardens, and art studios include a garden that has been almost 50 years in the making; an outdoor kitchen/bar; a chicken coop; a vineyard with several varieties of grapevines; a patio area with a spiral staircase; lawn that was replaced with special tiles made on site by the hosts; an ocean view; a rose garden; a built-in wine cellar; a brook; and twin staghorn ferns. Tickets are good for both days and homes may be revisited.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days
Tickets: $35 for purchase at the Off Track Gallery (937 South Coast Highway 101, Suite C-103, Encinitas), at offtrackgallery.com, or day-of at tour homes. Ticket sales begin in early April. Children 17 and under are free.
Info: sandieguitoartguild.com/events
MAY 10-11
San Diego Epiphyllum Society Mother’s Day Weekend Show and Sale
Get an up-close look at the “ultimate Epi flower show” during the San Diego Epiphyllum Society Mother’s Day Weekend Show and Sale, held at the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. As one of the largest epiphyllum hybrid (epi) flower shows in the country, the event showcases a large variety of epi blooms. Blooms come in a variety of colors with diameter ranging from less than 2 inches to more than 9 inches in width. A plant and cutting sale are on Saturday and Sunday, and flower show on Sunday. The event will showcase the latest Epiphyllum hybrids as well as many species and epicacti. The association helps maintain the San Diego Safari Park “Epiphyllum Trail” display, one of the largest public displays of epiphyllums in the world.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 10, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11 at the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. The flower show is Mother’s Day only, in room 101; the plant and cutting sale are both days.
Tickets: ission is free
Info: sdepis.org
MAY 17
Spring Garden Tour/Plant and Craft Sale
The Rancho Bernardo Seven Oaks Garden Club will host its annual Spring Garden Tour with plant and craft sale on May 17. The self-guided tour will feature six gardens in the Rancho Bernardo neighborhood. Tickets are sold in front of the community center the day of the event, at 16789 Bernardo Oaks Drive. Plants can be purchased in front of the community center along with unique crafts. This year’s event will include special, large plumeria cuttings that are not typically available, along with fig trees and other plants and arrangements. The Seven Oaks Garden Club, which started over 60 years ago, is very active in the community; hip is open to everyone and do not need to be a resident of Seven Oaks.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tickets: $20 general ission, $15 SOGC , sold day-of at 16789 Bernardo Oaks Drive. Cash and checks are accepted.
Info: tinyurl.com/42sddp44
MAY 17
Secret Garden Tour of La Jolla and Secret Garden Boutique
This unique event, a key fundraiser for the La Jolla Historical Society’s education and public programs, marks 26 years in 2025 and provides a rare opportunity to stroll behind the garden gates of some of La Jolla’s most beautiful secluded gardens. Engage with expert docents who offer historical and botanical insights, and enjoy live music and art displays. The Secret Garden Boutique at Wisteria Cottage, 780 Prospect St., will be open free throughout the day, with gardening accessories, plants and gifts available for purchase.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; registration opens at 9 a.m. at Wisteria Cottage, 780 Prospect St., gardens open at 10 a.m.
Tickets: $55 general ission, $45 for La Jolla Historical Society , or $65/$55 day of event. Platinum Tour tickets, which include complimentary brunch and tour bus shuttles, are $155/$145 in advance until May 9 or sold out.
Info: lajollahistory.org/secret-garden-tour
MAY 17
Fallbrook Garden Tour
With the theme “Strolling Through Our Hidden Gardens,” the Fallbrook Garden Tour will showcase seven unique gardens on a self-guided tour on May 17. Two of the gardens will also be featured on a National Garden Tour this year. Debra Lee Baldwin, bestselling author of “Deg with Succulents,” “Succulent Container Gardens” and “Succulents Simplified,” will be a docent at one of the gardens that day. The tour will start at Christ the King Church, 1620 S. Stage Coach Lane in Fallbrook, where tourgoers will exchange their ticket or show proof of purchase for a wristband, map and addresses of homes. Plant seeds and garden art will be available for purchase. Carpooling is encouraged; parking may be limited.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting from Christ the King Church
Tickets: $25, purchased in advance at Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, Fallbrook Major Market, Bonsall Major Marketplace, or online at paypal.com/n/payment/2FK4CUYA3582L; $30 for day-of tickets purchased only at Christ the King Church from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Info: fallbrookgardenclub.org and [email protected]
MAY 24
Spring Festival Plant Show and Sale
The Palomar Cactus & Succulent Society, serving San Diego’s North County, presents its annual Spring Festival Plant Show and Sale on May 24 at the Grace Presbyterian Church, 1450 E. Vista Way, Vista. The nonjudged show, ideal for those just starting with cacti and succulents, will include plants and pots for sale, and will offer workshops on succulent and cactus topics.
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Fellowship Room
Tickets: ission is free.
Info: palomarcactus.org and [email protected]
MAY 31
San Diego Floral Association Garden Tour
The annual garden tour presented by the San Diego Floral Association, “Urban Havens,” will feature the gardens on May 31 of historic homes in the Bird Park area of North Park and the Burlingame Neighborhood — on the eastern edge of Balboa Park, between North and South Park. This area has gone through a renaissance since SDFA last featured these neighborhoods on tour in 2013. Children welcome with adult supervision; no strollers and no dogs, please. The event is a major fundraiser for the nonprofit San Diego Floral Association, which is based in the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. The association has a horticulture library and produces a bimonthly magazine, California Garden, published since 1909. It also offers classes, lectures, garden tours and its annual eco fair, “Birds, Bees, Flowers and Trees” and annual holiday celebration, “Festival of Trees,” both in Balboa Park.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: $25 early bird special for , until May 10; $30 for all, May 11-30, at sandiegofloral.org/event-6122946; $35 day-of. Free for children 12 or younger.
Info: sandiegofloral.org/garden-tour
