Santa Barbara A Pacific Horticulture Tour April 9-13, 2014 Escorted by Steve Gerischer, PHS President Limited to 24 guests, this tour is sold out. To join the Waiting List in case of cancellations, please click Here The Santa Barbara region has a rich history of great landscape designers and nurserymen going back well over a century and provides a nearly ideal climate for creating all types of gardens. Join us as we explore the riches of this beautiful area. We will explore the many different styles and types of gardens possible in a climate perched between the mild central coast and the sunny southland—from the use of California native plants at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden to the exotic splendors of Lotusland, as well as many private gardens. Wednesday April 9 Make your way to the lovely seaside town of Santa Barbara and check into the Spanish Garden Inn, a jewel among Santa Barbara luxury hotels and your intimate retreat in the heart of downtown. The boutique accommodations are elegantly appointed and nestled in lush garden surroundings. Discover the tranquil ambiance and ever attentive service that have made the Spanish Garden Inn the top rated hotel in Santa Barbara. Guests who arrive early may want to visit Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens located near the hotel. Once the site of an elegant hotel, this block- sized green space is considered by some to be the crown jewel of city parks. Follow the meandering walkway to discover a large botanical collection, koi pond, sensory garden and low-water-use demonstration garden. This evening we will stroll to the nearby Wine Cask restaurant for a welcome dinner with wine. The Wine Cask is a locally owned restaurant with an iconic reputation as Santa Barbara’s culinary and wine landmark. Wine Cask Chefs shop at the farmer’s market every week and feature local seafood, produce and wines. Dinner Thursday April 10 Enjoy breakfast at the Spanish Garden Inn before we depart by private motorcoach for Montecito and world-famous Lotusland. Longtime home of Madame Ganna Walska, a well-known Polish opera singer and socialite who purchased the estate in 1941 and spent the next 43 years creating Lotusland. The spectacular collections of exotic plants throughout the 37- acre property are a very personal expression of Walska’s penchant for the dramatic, the unexpected, and the whimsical. After her death in 1984, Lotusland became a nonprofit botanical garden and opened to the public in 1993. We’ll have a private docent-led tour followed by lunch in Montecito. After lunch we’ll proceed to another Montecito icon, Casa del Herrero. Designed by architect George Washington Smith and completed in 1925, the “House of the Blacksmith” is noted as one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in America and is included on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark. Today the entire 11-acre site is owned and operated as a historic house museum and garden by the non-profit Casa del Herrero Foundation, with the goal of preserving the house and grounds as well as the family’s collection of antiques, books, sketchbooks, drawings and horticultural records. Return to the Spanish Garden Inn late this afternoon, evening at leisure. Breakfast, Lunch. Friday April 11 After breakfast at the Inn, we’ll depart by private motorcoach for docent-led tours of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. In 1925, the Carnegie Institution suggested a cooperative undertaking with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History to administer what it envisioned as a botanical garden "...reaching from the sea to the crest of the mountains, connected by a drive lined with trees, shrubs and flowers from all parts of the earth.” The garden was originally laid out in various plant communities, such as chaparral, desert, and prairie, with an emphasis on plants from the Pacific slope of North America. By 1936, this emphasis had narrowed to plants native to the state of California, and now includes northwestern Baja California and southwestern Oregon, which are part of the California Floristic Province. We will enjoy a picnic lunch alfresco in the garden followed by an afternoon of exclusive private garden visits. Breakfast, Lunch Saturday April 12 Following breakfast at the Inn, we’ll depart by private motorcoach for a day of private garden visits in Santa Barbara and Montecito. We will enjoy seeing examples of garden design ranging from Mediterranean to contemporary estate to classic Spanish. The exquisite variety of gardens include one focusing on foliage and another with an abundance of flowers and edibles. A highlight of our day will be luncheon in El Encanto’s Fireside Room and Terrace offering sweeping green vistas that reach down to the ocean's edge. Later, we will have a bit of free time to explore the hotel’s seven acres of gloriously landscaped gardens with flowering trees, lily pond, arbor and rare flora. The name El Encanto (“the enchantment”) perfectly describes the lush setting of this hilltop hideaway. Return to the hotel late afternoon, evening at leisure. Breakfast, Lunch Sunday, April 13 After breakfast, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has invited us to experience the beauty and innovative design of estate gardens in Hope Ranch, a palm-lined private community with spectacular views of both the mountains and the sea. The tour includes five gorgeous estates featuring California native plants in their landscapes. This inspirational and educational event elevates the appreciation and use of natives in sustainable landscape design, and allows guests to visit exclusive gardens showcasing their beautiful and unique features and seamless integration of outside and inside living spaces. Some of the gardens will have homeowners and/or landscape designers present to share stories and answer questions. Guests will be greeted by knowledgeable docents and Master Gardeners at each garden for personalized tours. We will enjoy commentary with guides sharing background information about each site. Refreshments will grace the outdoor living areas. Each home reflects sustainable building designs, and provides a wonderful backdrop to beautiful native plant gardens. A box lunch will be provided after the garden visits. Our tour will conclude at the Spanish Garden Inn around 1:30PM. Note that since hotel check out time is 12noon, guests not staying additional nights at the Spanish Garden Inn will need to check out of their rooms before we depart for the Hope Ranch tour. Luggage may be stored with the bellman. Breakfast, Lunch . Tour Price: $1765 per person based on double occupancy for members of Pacific Horticulture Society, $1815 for non-members. $695 single supplement. Including: · 4 nights accommodation at Spanish Garden Inn, Santa Barbara · Welcome dinner with wine, 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches · Transportation by private motorcoach · Services of Pacific Horticulture tour escort Steve Gerischer and Sterling Tours manager Cheryl Hedgpeth Nichols · All entrance fees as per itinerary · Gifts to private garden owners · $150 donation to Pacific Horticulture Society · Driver gratuities · Taxes and service charges Not included: · Airfare · Items and events not listed in itinerary. Additional nights at Spanish Garden Inn group rate available upon request. To print the Itinerary, click Here Terms and Conditions for this tour, click Here For more Information, Contact Sterling Tours, Ltd 2907 Shelter Island Drive Suite #105-262 San Diego, CA 92106 Tel: 619 299-3010 800-976-9497 CST2023849-40 |
Sterling Tours, Ltd
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