Saturday was the annual Skinker-DeBaliviere Breakfast Garden tour, but when I was woken at 5am by the sound of pouring rain, I wondered if it was really something I wanted to go to! By 8.15 it had cleared to only occasional showers, however, and a couple of our neighbors called for us, and we set off, umbrellas in hand!
We got to the McPherson Garden start point – which was also where breakfast was being served – just as they were opening up, and the smell of freshly picked mint mingled with the aroma of freshly cooked ham and other goodies.
Most of us ate our breakfast as we walked around the Community Garden checking out the produce there, before setting out for the tour of some of our neighbors’ gardens.
This year’s route took us the short distance to the planters outside the SDCC building and next door to Joe’s before proceeding to 8 properties along the 6000 and 6100 blocks of Kingsbury. You can never tell from the front what the rear yard will reveal, and this collection of private homes gave us many delights, including peaceful oases, play areas, waterfalls, a doggie deck, hydroponic tower garden, and (I had to see this to believe it) a zip line. The rain kept off for most of the time we were walking, and when it didn’t, umbrellas and singing in the rain helped keep our spirits up.
We took so many pictures, but here is just a taster of the many delights we saw.
The Garden Tour is one of the many events organized and/or hosted by the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council, and all the helpers, as well as the neighborhood gardeners, volunteered for this event. Thanks to everyone who helped make this a memorable occasion!