Visitors may join a demonstration of propagation techniques, then take the plants home.

Mother Nature has done a wonderful job spiffing up our meadows and hillsides this spring, and local gardeners have been doing the same to get ready for the annual Mariposa Master Gardener Spring Garden Tour Saturday, May 21, 2016. There are five private gardens, plus the organization’s native-plant demonstration garden along Mariposa Creek on Stroming Road between Sixth and Eighth streets downtown.

Pictured: Mother Nature's own garden art, a boulder, gets a bit of whimsy with a bird house.

It will take three to four hours to see them all, depending on how long you linger. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Addresses and maps are on the tickets, which cost $12 before show date (‘click’ here to order), and $15 on the day of the tour. Tickets are available on the website cemariposa.ucanr.edu, at each garden, or by calling (209) 966-2417.

The landscaper home: Follow the terraced walkway, cross over a bridge, and amble down oak-covered pathways to find small garden “rooms.” These respites are dotted with collectible art from the Sierra Foothills that the homeowner has gathered over the years. You’ll also find clever use of lengths of fence to create depth. This garden has been lovingly nurtured over 26 years and every step you take will speak to the success of this Master Gardener.

The propagation home:  Enter through a quail-decorated gate, admire home’s dramatic entryway, then  stroll the gentle rise planted with blooms, shrubs and trees that attract pollinators, and find the small pond with a wisteria arbor, a lyrical retreat. Don’t miss the raised beds where strawberries sprawl and lots of veggies are grown.  The bonus at this garden: learn to propagate plants from cuttings and take your “babies” home.

At the herb farm, the circular garden's paths lead to other well-tended areas.

The herb farm: The herbal medicine wheel is the pride of this working farm. Its brick paths lead out to other glories of the gardeners’ passions, including a vegetable patch and lush lavender plantings. The gardeners encourage bees,  have livestock and do composting as parts of their whole-system approach to farming. You’ll get an herb to take home.

Pictured: Lush plantings draw visitors into this cozy cottage garden.

The cottage home: The owner of this B&B has carefully placed every plant, tree, and stone path among the existing native trees in this cottage garden. The front paths lead to a natural rock garden. The walkways around the house are lined with trees, shrubs, and plants that are pleasing to the eye and to the nose. In the back yard, there is a fruit orchard and raised garden beds.

The evergreen garden: Two moss-covered boulders anchor the entrance to this home. Through a wrought-iron archway, take the stone path past evergreen trees and shrubs, with deciduous plants providing color and texture. A high-tech irrigation system keeps water use at a minimum, even with two emerald lawns to care for.

The natives garden: Master Gardeners have maintained this demonstration garden for more than 10 years. You’ll receive a beautifully illustrated book of the garden’s plants to use as a guide.  Many of the natives are just coming into their full glory. In addition to strolling the pathway, you can query Master Gardeners about your own garden, and find out how to register for the 2017 Master Gardener training class.

Order your tickets today at: ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=17974.

Visit cemariposa.ucanr.edu/?calitem=326046&g=37458 for more information.

Visit the Mariposa Master Gardeners on Facebook.

Photo credits: Mariposa Master Gardeners