Enchanted Gardens
July is the height of summer and our gardens are glorious! Yet the high desert is not the easiest place in which to create and maintain a thriving landscape. Santa Fe has one of the widest temperature ranges in the county between day and night, creating a short, intense growing season. Leaming from those who successfully garden here is a wise investment.
I would like to share with you one of Santa Fe's oldest and most anticipated events of the summer: the Santa Fe Garden Club's annual Behind Adobe Walls Home and Garden Tour. This exclusive tour offers locals and visitors a glimpse into some of Santa Fe's most prestigious and beloved homes and gardens. The first tour was in 1939, making it a cherished community tradition.
This year's tours are already sold out, so consider booking next year's outing early. This summer's excursions will be on July 14th and 21st and will feature four different homes each day. Guests board a guided bus from the Eldorado Hotel, with an optional buffet brunch. The event opens at 10:30 am and the guided tour finishes at 5:00 pm. For more information about the Garden Club and their activities go to: SantaFeGardenClub.com.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Santa Fe Garden Club's many community initiatives: education, beautification and conservation projects. Programs include the Pollinator Garden Olmsted Project at the Amelia White Garden, the Santa Fe Botanical Garden's Ojos y Manos Learning Laboratory and the Children's Discovery Garden, as well as the New Mexico Museum of Art Courtyard Garden-a legacy gifi: to the Santa Fe community.
Gardens are nurturing places that enrich our lives daily. They provide a colorful or simple canvas upon which to celebrate a special occasion, a quiet evening or a gathering with friends and family. One of my favorite places to enjoy lunch, a sunset concert or private event is at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, located above downtown on Museum Hill.
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden provides a rich variety of experiences amid 19 acres, showcasing the region's native plants and adapted vegetation. The gardens are organized into three main areas: The Orchard Gardens, the ethnobotanical Ojos y Manos Garden and the Pinon/Juniper Woodland. You can host private events or enjoy the many different activities at the Gardens, from art installations and educational programs to sunset concerts and so much more.
Here is a list of some of the activities available in July:
• Public garden tours in the mornings
• Full moon walks from 8 to 10
• Arts Alive! Mud appreciation
• Bright brush face painting
• Summer Thursdays seminars with SFBG's horticulture director Linda Churchill
• Books 8 Blooms: Who arc the birds in the garden?
• Homo cooking workshops
• Stargazing in the garden
Santa Fe Botanical Garden is located at 715 Camino Lejo, at Museum Hill, with ample parking. March–October hours are 9 am–5 pm daily. Become a member, volunteer or visit. It will soothe the spirit and enliven the mind. For more infonnation, go to Visit SFBG.org.
The joy of gardens lies in the subtle partnership between nature and the caring community. Here in Santa Fe we build communities, not just neighborhoods, and our gardens are our glorious gathering places. Whether it's your neighborhood park, your private garden or our glorious Botanical Gardens, I trust you will enjoy the colors and fragrance of summer in Santa Fe.