http://www.seemonterey.com/scenic-views/gardens-and-farms/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:54:09 +0100 WebGen + FeedCreator 1.7.2-ppt Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:53:42 +0100 http://www.seemonterey.com/scenic-views/gardens-and-farms/ Gardens and FarmsHorticulturalists will enjoy the gardens of Monterey. Historical gardens reflect Monterey's past. The Custom House Garden is on the grounds of the oldest government building in California. A small collection of cacti from the American southwest circa 1920 ornament these grounds. Succulents and cacti from the Mexican era make the other gardens from this period the first historical gardens featuring drought-resistant plants. The Whaling Station/First Brick House and Garden is popular for its roses, Australian Tea Tree and charming brick walkways. The First Theater Garden is representative of gardens of the 1920s and 1930s. The Casa Soberanes Garden is famous for its blue gate. Once known as "Jade Heaven," the garden was created in 1907 and has terraced borders of abalone shells, antique bottles and whalebone.The Cooper-Molera two-acre garden is a relatively new garden but represents plantings and methods used in the 1860s. The Memory Garden behind the Pacific House is the most visited garden in Monterey State Historic Park. It's a quiet garden of multi-colored roses and other blooms. Arizona Garden at the Naval Postgraduate School includes a large collection of cactus and succulents. The original garden plants were delivered from Sonora, Mexico in three train cars.The Larkin Garden was developed between the 1920s and the 1950s by Larkin's granddaughter. It features an old well and lush vegetation. The Stevenson House Garden is a large Victorian garden hidden behind a wall. It's actually a romanticist's version of an early Mexican garden, with its old ficus tree and angel's trumpet.Other gardens include: the Casa del Oro Herb Garden, the Sensory Garden, the Loma Vista Cafe Gardens, Marina's Sculpture Garden, and the Barnyard Gardens. The Labyrinth Walk—a meditative walk patterned after the Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth in France and the Grace Cathedral Labyrinth in San Francisco—is located at the Community Church of Monterey Peninsula.The Rowntree Arboretum at Mission Trail Nature Preserve in Carmel is a native garden from 1842 that was replanted in the 1920s as an English garden. Rose gardens and the Peden Rhododendron Garden grace the Monterey Museum of Art at La Mirada. Within the Del Monte Forest is the Morse Botanical Reserve. Just north of Gilroy, the spectacular Bonfante Gardens features five gardens, with the rides for the children, too.Ag-Venture Tours (831-643-9463) specializes in tours of Carmel Valley, the Salinas Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains, featuring Earthbound Farms organic vegetable and flower farm, wine tastings at local wineries, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting. The Farm offers custom farm tours and is known for its 18-foot-tall sculptures of farm workers. Check the Calendar of Events for other seasonal garden and farm events. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:53:42 +0100 en_503_619_0