Tour: Spring Begins

Celebrate the season’s next act with “Spring Begins,” a guided tour led by Vista Gardens founder and curator John Albers. By March, the garden has moved beyond the first tentative bloomers—and now the shrubs and trees start to take the lead. We’ll seek out native red-flowering currant in full spring mode, the bright yellow surge of Mahonia, and the sculptural branches and early bell-shaped blooms of manzanita, all bringing a vivid, close-up sense of spring’s momentum—along with other plants that signal real movement in the season.

We’ll also read the garden’s “in-between” cues: bigleaf maples preparing to leaf out, magnolia buds softening toward bloom, along with early cheery blossoms and signs of spring in other flowering trees, such as the dogwoods and crabapples. Along the way, John will connect these shifts to climate-responsive gardening—how timing, microclimate, and plant choice work together—and we’ll keep an eye out for spring’s returning partners: hummingbirds and early pollinators moving back onto the landscape.

Dress for the weather and come ready to enjoy a lovely stroll, a tea break and a learning experience.

Please use the link below to make your reservation. Tours are $15/person with children participating for free. Members may enter their discount code during the reservation process.