Aromas Country Garden Tour........by Joyce Oroz

Every year there is an Aromas Country Garden Tour. I recently previewed the gardens and found them to be not only beautiful and soothing to the soul, but ingenious and well thought-out. One garden has an extensive water capturing system that every man and any woman worth her salt will appreciate. I saw picturesque barns, a grapevine fence and wonderful water features. 

The annual Aromas Country Garden Tour is May 11^th, the day before Mother’s Day, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Wouldn't it be fun to treat Mom to a tour of ten country gardens in the Aromas hills? Whatever it is you love--flowering, beautiful, vegetable, practical, drought-friendly or old-fashioned gardens and orchards, you will love this self-guided tour.

Enjoy the occasional bird, duck, chicken, goat, horse, artist. Yes, artist. Aromas Hills Artisans will be stationed along the dappled paths, showing off their artwork. You can expect to see paintings, jewelry, pottery, etchings, stained glass, gift cards, photos and so much more.

We invite you and your friends and family to join us at the Aromas Grange, corner of Rose Ave. and Bardue Ave., where tickets are just a $15.00 donation, (tax-deductable) per person, $25.00 for two people and $10.00 for seniors (sixty-five and older) and AHA members. You will be given a booklet with a map of the gardens in it.

Follow your map, weaving through the Aromas hills and discover one garden gem after another. May is an excellent month for flowering bushes and trees, sprouting and climbing vegetables and quiet moments near lake, pond or waterfall. This year there are ten lovely properties ranging from mostly flowers with some vegetables to mostly vegetables and fruit trees. Personally, I enjoy seeing old barns, chickens and goats. And don’t forget the horses and ducks.

Two Master Gardeners will be available for your gardening questions and the Aromas

4-H ers will be on hand at the Aromas Community Grange to sell plants and boxed lunches. The Aromas Water District will have a drought tolerant plant list available for free.

Don’t miss this garden! There is a very special garden and orchard this year, located at Anzar High School. ¼ acre of raised beds of vegetables and flowers plus ½ acre of fruit trees have been planted and cared for by students in Principal Charlene McKowden’s horticulture class.  The organic vegetables and fruits are picked, packaged and sold to the school staff and students to help pay for seeds, plants and tools.

What to do for lunch? I have a fabulous idea, dine at the Aromas Grill. It's the best in town!

And if you have time, drop by the Dragonfly Gallery. 

Aromas sits at the corners of three counties (Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito). In 1999 local artisans, headed by a poet, formed the guild known as the Aromas Hills Artisans, or AHA’s, which now boasts more than seventy members. The artists meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Aromas Grange. The guild plans events, supports and inspires fellow artists and shares new ideas and techniques. Membership is only $25.00 per year.

The “Aromas Hills Artisans” is now a non-profit philanthropic organization which promotes art education through scholarships to members, enabling them to attend workshops. AHA sponsors hands-on workshops for the community twice each year and they have a continuous, revolving exhibit of artwork at the Aromas Grange.