The Monterey Bay Master Gardeners have conducted tours of selected gardens every year for the past eleven years. These tours demonstrated successful garden practices that reflect agricultural research conducted by agricultural scientists of the University of California's Cooperative Extension program and other research centers. These garden tours have all been one-day events in the early fall, and have featured the gardens of Master Gardeners.

In 2008, the MBMG has built upon on its experiences to update the annual tour in major ways. First, the organization has partnered with local water agencies to select gardens for the tour through a competitive process that focuses on "water-smart" gardening practices.

Second, the 2008 Water-Smart Gardens Tour will be on two consecutive days in August: Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th. The additional day will require little added preparation by the garden owner, and will allow more people to see these exemplary and inspirational gardens.

Third, instead of rotating the tour annually among three regions of the Monterey Bay area, the MBMG will hold an expanded tour throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay area. Twenty-one gardens will be on tour during the two days. The Tour gardens include the winners of the 2008 Water-Smart Garden Contest, plus several gardens that received Honorable Mentions.

Avid gardeners could visit gardens on both days, and could visit different gardens each day with a single ticket. (Very few if any gardeners will visit all the gardens on the Tour!)

Click here for list of the winners of the 2008 Water-Smart Garden Contest.

The Water-Smart Gardens Tour presents an extraordinary opportunity for home gardeners and landscape professionals alike to study and learn water-smart from exemplary gardens within the Monterey Bay area's very special Mediterranean gardening environment.

Click here for full informaiton on the 2008 Water-Smart Gardens Tour, and a list of garden centers where you can buy Tour tickets.