Gardens of the San Francisco Bay Area

Gardens of the Bay Area
with the San Diego Horticultural Society
May 17-20, 2012
Tour is Sold Out.

Join us for a spring tour of the San Francisco Bay Area,
touring some of the best public and private gardens and
select nurseries. Our members-only tour includes:

Thursday May 17    Berkeley and the East Bay
Our motorcoach departs 9:30 am today from Oakland Intl Airport to begin a
4-day horticultural adventure in the San Francisco Bay Area.   First stop is
the University of California Botanical Garden in Berkeley. Established in
1890, the Garden has over 13,000 different kinds of plants from around the
world, cultivated by region in naturalistic landscapes over its 34 acres.                     UC Berkeley Botanic Garden
We'll have a boxed lunch before continuing on to the garden of Jana
Olson.   Built into a stunning canyon, with a year-round creek running under
the house and through the garden, Jana's garden is filled with a bounty of
plant life and sculptures. Enjoy a myriad of sights: the kitchen garden
with chickens, the Grotto of Santa Basura, and a two-ton granite head in the
creek. A wild and woodsy garden, it is topped by the large rustic house
dubbed Camp Shasta by its occupants, who feel as though they are at
home in a park. Refreshments will be served. One or two more private
gardens in the East Bay before arriving at our home for the next three
evenings, the Embassy Suites Walnut Creek.   Enjoy the hotel's nightly wine
and cheese reception, then the balance of the evening is at leisure.
Lunch, Reception

Friday May 18   Gardens of the East Bay
After breakfast at the hotel, we're off to Th e Ruth Bancroft G arden
in Walnut Creek before we head to several exclusive private garden visits
including the Katherine Greenberg garden in Lafayette.   Boxed lunch will be
provided. More about this day coming soon! An opportunity to stroll the
charming restaurants and boutiques of Walnut Creek will be available at the               Japanese Tea Garden, SF.
end of our day. Breakfast, Lunch, Reception.

Saturday May 19 Gardens of the North Bay
After breakfast at the hotel, we'll begin the day with a visit to Annie's Annuals,
a delightful nursery specializing in rare and unusual annual & perennial
plants, including cottage garden heirlooms & hard to find California native
wildflowers. We'll continue to Wave Garden and its spectacular vista of San
Francisco Bay.   Then we're off to Tiburon for a bayfront lunch at Guaymas,
famous for it's fabulous view of San Francisco across the bay.   After lunch we
will tour Roger and Mary Greenberg’s garden in Tiburon, featured on tour
for the Garden Conservancy, S.F. Botanical Garden, Santa Barbara Garden
Society and many others. Also published in “Fine Gardening” and other
garden books.   We'll end our day of touring with wine and cheese at the
Oakland garden of Raul Zumba, a huge garden with interesting hardscape,
great water features and various sitting areas and garden rooms. Raul maintains
the garden wonderfully, and his house is small but spectacular.
Breakfast, Lunch, Reception.                                                                                                         Jim Bishop & Annie

Sunday May 20 The City
After breakfast at the hotel, we'll load our luggage onto the coach and head for San Francisco, the City by the Bay.
Our schedule calls for visits to the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum and the Flora Grubb
Gardens as well as several private gardens.   Our tour ends at San Francisco International Airport, timed for flight
departures 7pm and later. Guests returning to the Embassy Suites or staying on in San Francisco may take
BART directly from San Francisco airport to their destinations.   Breakfast, Lunch.

Tour Includes:           NOTE: This tour includes substantial walking and stairs.
        Exclusive private garden visits in the East and North Bay
        Visits to UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, SF Botanical Garden
        Nurseries: Annie’s Annuals, Flora Grubb
        3 nights all-suites accommodation
        Breakfast and lunch daily
        Wine and appetizer reception each evening
        Transportation and entrances to all included events
        Tour Leader Scott Borden
        Limited to 42 guests.

Not included: Airfare, baggage handling, airport transportation except as mentioned in itinerary, items of a
personal nature, events or visits not specifically mentioned in itinerary, gratuities to bellmen, skycaps or coach
drivers.

Transportation Information: Details about flights, driving to the tour, etc.... click Here

Tour Price: $786 per person based on 2 persons sharing a room. A supplement of $196 applies for sole
occupancy of a room.   Donation of $100 per person to San Diego Horticultural Society included in tour price.
Tour open to members only, join today.

Note: Itinerary subject to change.
For more information please contact:
Sterling Tours, Ltd
2907 Shelter Island Drive Suite #105-262                      Terms and Conditions
San Diego, CA 92106      Tel: 619 299-3010     800-976-9497
CST2023849-40

sterling tours, ltd