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Goodwill gets a ‘green’ welcome from CHIRP, By Maureen Austin
While Goodwill workers were busy in their “new digs,” getting ready for their May 23 grand opening, CHIRP volunteers busied themselves digging outside the building–planting, beautifying and creating an invitation for both shoppers and area winged wildlife.
Plants chosen for the project include a variety of California, Mediterranean and Australian natives, along with hardy succulents, each with its own merit in supporting local hummingbirds, songbirds and butterflies.
Kicking-off the new garden project was a generous donation by Hydro-Scape, which provided ten yards of topsoil, delivered to the site.
Vanessa Rusczyk, lead volunteer on the project, said that the topsoil “made all the difference in being able to create a showplace garden.”
 
Other volunteers who worked on the project include Lisa Lomax, Maureen Austin, Rod Tuttle, Guille Tuttle, Diana Anderson, Marilyn Fox and Michael Varbaek.
Over 125 plants were installed in the new garden, including sages, aloes, cistus, ceanothus, arbutus and grevillea. The plants were purchased by CHIRP, with funds provided through fundraising and private donations.
Also donated was flagstone for a walking path through the garden, so it can be enjoyed from a closer vantage point, Rusczyk said.
Pea gravel and mulch added the finishing touches to the garden.
The new Goodwill Store is on property leased by Alpine Community Center. Sue Roff, the Center’s executive director, said she is very pleased with the new garden.“It’s beautiful!” she said, “And it has really enhanced our property.” Roff said she is thankful to the donors and volunteers who made it possible.
The new garden is part of “Gardens on the Boulevard,” a project of CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc., an Alpine-based not-for-profit organization. Project goal is to beautify Alpine Boulevard by creating beautiful gardens in the dirt plots left as a result of SDG&E’s Sunrise Powerlink project.
CHIRP is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of birds, butterflies, and other creatures of habitat, through hands-on and interactive programs and gardens.
For more information on “Gardens on the Boulevard,” contact CHIRP at 619-445-8352.
Alpine Community Network, Community Information for Alpine Ca 91901
5-21-13
Dear Alpine Residents:
The Alpine Woman’s Club will be removing the three Eucalyptus trees located in front of the historic Town Hall building, which was built in 1899. Although these old trees are beautiful, they are being removed because the roots have compromised the sewage system, as well as the building’s foundation. Also, the limbs of the trees are brittle and break easily during heavy winds, which can be very dangerous.
Once the trees are removed, CHIRP will landscape the area with native plants and trees that are appropriate for this area and Don Parent from SDG&E offered to pay for the landscaping.
The Alpine Woman’s Club has kept our Town Hall in good condition since 1914 and will continue doing so for generations to come. The Woman’s Club will be 100 years old next year and is planning a huge celebration for the entire community. We hope you can join us…
Sincerely yours,
Carlette Anderson
President Alpine Woman’s Club
Carletteanderson@aol.com
Sneak Peek of Sage & Songbirds Garden Tour Garden #7
By Maureen Austin
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to “spruce-up” a backyard garden for a family wedding–but this couple transformed a primitive helicopter pad into a rustic, romantic, reception garden in just 6 months.
Any number of sites on the 115-acre Japatul Valley horse ranch owned by Janette and Richard Slaughter might have sufficed for the venue, but the 2-acre spot that was chosen turned out to be “absolutely magical,” Janette said.
When their son and now daughter-in-law chose the sprawling pasture as their wedding site, Janette and Richard looked for a nearby spot where they could place a large tent for the reception, and found the “helo pad.” An added benefit was that there was adequate parking close at hand for over 200 wedding guests. Thus began the Slaughter’s “Hilltop Garden”. “It was a wonderful nudge to create something beautiful,” Janette said.
Initially, other than some iron-stained boulders, there was nothing there but a pile of rubble and junk–and a spot to land a helicopter, she said. A metamorphosis would soon take place…
“I wanted a garden that looked completely natural, and not really landscaped,” she said. Working with landscape architect Michael Brennan of Urban Green, Janette’s vision became a reality in October, 2010–just in time for the wedding. Brush was cleared, land was sculpted, and rocks were rearranged. Only a grove of manzanita was left standing as the transformation began.
Tons more of the rusty-colored rocks, imported from other parts of the property, were heaped on and around the existing boulders, to craft a spectacular double-sided waterfall. Rock walls–some stacked, some mortared–were built. Dry creek beds and pathways of yet more rock were formed.
A palatial wooden arbor was erected on top of stone pillars, and a large gas fire pit was constructed nearby.
Completing the hardscape was the placement of about half a dozen logs and stumps from fallen oaks, strategically situated throughout the garden, serving as backdrops for plantings.
A 100-year-old olive tree, transplanted from the remnants of a Blossom Valley grove, was perfectly-placed to create a majestic focal point in the new garden. Janette said the 50-foot tall, multi-trunk tree was moved from Blossom Valley to Japatul by a large crane at 2 a.m., complete with police escort. “That’s the only time of day you can move something like that!” she laughed.
California natives, grasses, and hardy perennials comprise the bulk of the landscape. Plants were massed and repeated throughout the garden, providing continuity and harmony. Clusters of Sedum spectabile were prolifically planted for fall color. “It was all in full bloom for the wedding,” Janette said.
The red bark of several newly-planted Arbutus ‘marina’ mimics that of existing manzanita, which were artistically trimmed to expose their bark. A winding path through the manzanita grove was created, “so people would have a place to walk and talk,” Janette said. She calls it the “Manzanita Walk,” and paths are lined with what she calls “twinkle dirt,” imported from Arizona. “I wanted it so not everything is right in front of you, but that you would have to walk around to find treasures,” she said.
Treasures do abound! And so does wildlife… Visitors include bobcat, fox, mountain lion, deer, raccoon, wild turkey and coyote, she said. “And we have birds and butterflies galore!” Janette said, pointing to a yellow warbler flitting around in the fountain.
Hospitality is plentiful here, as visitors on the Sage & Songbirds Garden Tour will experience firsthand. It is Garden #7.
Tour Information:
- Five fabulous Alpine gardens are showcased in this year’s tour, plus a place-of-worship garden and raptor rehabilitation facility. Admission to all seven sites is regularly $20.
- Ticket includes a map for the self-guided tour, and is valid all three days of the event. Visitors may stay as long as they desire in each garden.
- Tickets may be purchased in person at Jennifer’s Feed or Alpine Marketplace. Cash or checks only at those locations.
- To purchase online with credit card, please visit www.chirp.org.
- Instructions to purchase by mail may also be found at www.chirp.org, or by phoning 619-445-8352.
- The event is hosted by CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc., and sponsored by Viejas Outlets and San Diego Home/Garden Magazine.
Alpine’s biggest Festival just got bigger! And it’s still ALL FREE!
The Sage & Songbirds Festival at Viejas Outlets this weekend, May 4 & 5, will be filled to capacity with some of the best vendors and entertainers in Southern California, and much more! The expanded event has been moved to the Outlets’ “Park” area to give it more room.
Live music by award-winning artists is set for both days. Guests will be awed by the magic and juggling of Kenny Shelton, and lively demonstrations by GymTrix and Traditional American Karate.
 Also of interest will be live exhibits of all sorts of critters–including snakes, spiders, hummingbirds, owls, hawks, butterflies and more. Speakers on a variety of subjects will share their wisdom on native plant gardening, birds-of-prey, hummingbirds, snakes and insects. A butterfly education zone will feature interactive displays and activities, including caterpillar races and butterfly videos.
Opportunity drawings for thousands of dollars in prizes will be offered, with chances priced at $1 each. Several silent auction items will also be held — one for a 4-pack of tickets to Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure Park, another for a Julian weekend getaway package, another for San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park package with hotel accommodations, and others for an original watercolor, hand-crafted bottle tree and cast-stone planted head.
The ever-popular release of live butterflies will take place at 2 pm both days of the event.
The Sage & Songbirds Festival is presented by CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc., a local not-for-profit organization with focus on creating backyard habitats for birds and butterflies. CHIRP board president Lisa Lomax said the Festival “just keeps getting bigger and better.” “The Viejas Outlets venue has made it possible for us to expand, and has truly taken our event to the next level,” she said.
The Festival takes place from 10 am to 4 pm both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
The event celebrates Alpine’s certification as America’s First Community Wildlife Habitat, by declaration of the National Wildlife Federation on May 1, 1998.
The Sage & Songbirds Festival is sponsored by Viejas Outlets and San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine.
For additional information, visit www.chirp.org or phone (619) 445-8352.
Sage & Songbirds Festival & Garden Tour Event Overview
Garden Tour – May 3-5, 10 am – 4 pm. Tour 5 private home gardens, plus bonus raptor education facility and place-of-worship habitat. Ticket’s $20. Available at Christ the King Church, Marketplace at Alpine or Jennifer’s Feed.
Plant Sale – May 3-5, 9 am – 4 pm. Free admission. Christ the King Church, 1460 Midway Drive, Alpine, CA. Wide selection of top quality colorful, drought-tolerant plants to make your garden a home for songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies. Many hard-to-find and unusual varieties, priced right.
Festival – May 4-5, 10 am – 4 pm. Held in “The Park” at Viejas Outlets, 5005 Willows Road, Alpine, CA. Live music, entertainment, vendors, educational programs, and much more! Free admission!
Butterfly release - May 4 and 5, 2 pm. Hundreds of live butterflies will be released in “The Park” at Viejas Outlets, during the Sage & Songbirds Festival. Free! Bring your camera.
For more information: www.chirp.org or phone 619-445-8352
Here is another way you can support CHIRP for Garden Wildlife and the Sage & Songbird Festival!
As you plan your weekend schedule we hope you are including time for the Sage & Songbirds Garden Tours and the Festival at the Viejas Outlet Center. This year, Rubio’s is partnering with us in a fundraiser event to support our program. Just dine-in or carry out at the Rubio’s at Viejas on Saturday, May 4, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm AND present them with a copy of this coupon. For each order accompanied by a coupon, Rubio’s will make a contribution to CHIRP.
Think about it – a portion of your check goes to support CHIRP and don’t you just love their Fish Tacos?
YOU MUST PRESENT FLYER TO PARTICIPATE
*CLICK HERE to PRINT rubio_coupon-1
www.CHIRP.org
They began watering their new garden just as they had successfully done with all of their other planted areas. The only problem…this was a succulent garden that Lynn and Mendi Wyatt had planted. When a few plants started looking bad, Lynn gave them more water. The worse they looked, the more water he dumped on them. “I proceeded to drown them!” he laughed. “You have to make a mental change to water these plants less.” The Wyatts have been creating and planting new garden areas on their Alpine property for the past 11 years.
It was a rock that initially made them decide to purchase the lot on which their dream house now sits. But this is no ordinary rock… It is a gorgeous, moss-covered boulder, perched on the edge of a knoll with a million dollar view, and it was love-at-first-sight.
Today, it is a keystone of Lynn’s rock “fort”, one of many rock and boulder creations on the 1.5 acre lot with a bounty of boulders. Capitalizing on the treasure they had, the couple began building rock walls to retain soil and create planter beds when they first moved in to their custom-built Alpine home. And they haven’t stopped!
Single-handedly, the two of them cleared and hauled away a huge hillside of brush, and discovered and uncovered literally hundreds of tons of boulders along the way. Long flat rocks were elevated on smaller stones to serve as benches.
 The Wyatts planted each new area as it was created. “We know where every rock and bush is on this property, “ Lynn said, “because we either put it there or had help putting it there!” “We started small and it just got bigger and bigger,” he said.
Many lessons were learned along the way. The Wyatts stuck with the things that “worked,” and nixed what didn’t. As with many folks just starting a garden, they put in a lawn and sprinkler system. Neither of those “worked,” Lynn said. Rabbits ate the lawn and the sprinkler system wasted water and resulted in high water bills, Mendi added.
The lawn was removed and replaced with more drought-tolerant plants, and drip irrigation installed for watering them. That “worked,” they said. A recirculating water feature with falls and creeks was installed by Bob Graham, and that “worked”, Lynn said, so they hired him to solve a mud slippage problem on a dirt hillside. Using river rock strategically placed over weed cloth, he not only solved the erosion problem, but Mendi was delighted that the area can now be weeded in a few minutes, rather than several hours it previously took.
Learning to deal with high winds was another challenge the Wyatts faced. An outdoor flagstone patio with wrought iron gazebo ended up as a total disaster when the wind completely destroyed the metal structure, and rainwater flooded the flagstone. The flagstone was replaced with a raised cement patio (with hidden bilge pump to divert the water), and a sturdy patio cover was constructed by The Patio Man. Outdoor kitchen components now make the area as functional as it is attractive.
The reclaimed flagstone was then used to start a path into a new area of the garden–and a whole new plant palette for the Wyatts. This was the start of their succulents. Mendi said she loves that they are the perfect accent to their boulder-filled landscape. “They are pretty, too,” she said. “I never realized the colors they have!”
With the realization of the rock and succulent compatibility, the Wyatts are on a new roll. They are forging additional paths along the outer perimeter of their property, where the incredible views are unobstructed, and the boulders can flaunt their grandeur. “The paths give us a chance to come out for a walk in the morning with a cup of coffee, or in the evening with a glass of wine, and enjoy it all,” Mendi said.
Visitors will certainly share in Mendi’s sentiment. Theirs is Garden #3.
**NOTE: This garden will host a special display of pottery and container gardens from Planter Paradise all three days of the tour.
Tour Information:
- Five fabulous Alpine gardens are showcased in this year’s tour, plus a place-of-worship gardenand raptor rehabilitation facility. Admission to all seven sites is regularly $20.
- Ticket includes a map for the self-guided tour, and is valid all three days of the event. Visitors may stay as long as they desire in each garden.
- Tickets may be purchased in person at Jennifer’s Feed or Alpine Marketplace. Cash or checks only at those locations.
- To purchase online with credit card, please visit www.chirp.org.
- Instructions to purchase by mail may also be found at www.chirp.org, or by phoning 619-445-8352.
- The event is hosted by CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc., and sponsored by Viejas Outlets and San Diego Home/Garden Magazine.
Garden #4
By Maureen Austin, CHIRP
It was a simple plan…they turned off the water to their garden and everything that died was replaced with a succulent.
That summarizes the evolution of Dennis and Darlene Larsen’s previous garden into the lush, mostly succulent, showplace it is today. What is most surprising about it, is that Darlene did not even like succulents at the time! But what she didn’t like even more was the high water bills they were paying, so she determined to plant for low-to-no water usage.
Darlene has since grown to love succulents, praising their architectural component, ease of growing, extreme drought-tolerance, fire-retarding properties, and the fact that she can easily share plants with her friends. She stresses that she means “succulents”, not “cacti”, (although over the past few months she has been adding a few of those, as well).
Dennis concurs. “I don’t like cactus and I don’t like spiny plants,” he said. “But some of the succulents are quite phenomenal, with big, tall blooms in spectacular colors!”
 It was 4 years ago that the Larsen’s garden transition began. At that time, the entire back yard was lawn, and garden areas were planted with what Darlene describes as “thirsty plants.” “Our garden was planted with all the wrong plants,” she laughs.
Creating that initial garden was no simple feat. What is today a flourishing garden area leading up their driveway to their home, was originally nothing but boulders and brush, they recall. “We brought in multiple dump-trucks filled with dirt, pulling trailers that carried more dirt!” Darlene said. That effort, and the subsequent plantings, have created a thriving habitat for multiple bird and butterfly species, including orioles, hummingbirds, finches and quail, along with swallowtail, monarch, mourning cloak and sulphur butterflies.
Admittedly, Darlene dotes on her birds, enticing them with their personal gourmet favorites. Songbirds are supplied with sunflowers, quail get a daily portion of cracked corn, goldfinch are served nyger thistle in metal mesh feeders, and orioles are dished-up live meal worms that Darlene grows herself, in containers of oatmeal.
The birds and butterflies are not the only attractive adornments in the Larsen’s garden. A tall, brightly-colored mosaic bottle tree adds vertical interest and whimsey to the backyard, while a large mosaic planter box and mosaic ‘welcome’ sign flank a side garden entry, and dazzling mosaic hummingbird feeder provides entertainment outside the kitchen window. All were handcrafted by Darlene.
“Pot people”, a man and woman also created by Darlene, add a touch of playfulness to the garden, and dozens of cobalt blue planters in all shapes and sizes–planted by Darlene–dot the Larsen’s 2.5 acres of gardens with additional color.
When Dennis and Darlene are not spending time in their garden, they are helping others improve their yards. Dennis volunteers as chipping manager for the Greater Alpine Fire Safe Council, which offers many programs for free or low cost fire abatement to increase defensible space around homes. “It is the most successful program of its type in the state,” he said. (www.greateralpinefsc.org)
Darlene, a California Master Gardener, volunteers through that organization to educate others in safe gardening and least toxic pest management practices. “Being a master gardener doesn’t mean I’m a master of gardening,” she said. “I just like the education aspect.”
Master gardener or not, Darlene has mastered the art of multi-creativity in her garden! It is Garden #4.
 Darlene & Dennis Larsen
- Five fabulous Alpine gardens are showcased in this year’s tour, plus a place-of-worship gardenand raptor rehabilitation facility. Admission to all seven sites is regularly $20.
- Ticket includes a map for the self-guided tour, and is valid all three days of the event. Visitors may stay as long as they desire in each garden.
- Tickets may be purchased in person at Jennifer’s Feed or Alpine Marketplace. Cash or checks only at those locations.
- To purchase online with credit card, please visit www.chirp.org.
- Instructions to purchase by mail may also be found at www.chirp.org, or by phoning 619-445-8352.
- The event is hosted by CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc., and sponsored by Viejas Outlets and San Diego Home/Garden Magazine.
Garden #2 – Sizzling Succulents
By Maureen Austin, CHIRP
A garden that once looked like a rose nursery is now a sizzling, succulent show stopper, ablaze with vibrant reds, hot oranges, sizzling yellows and neon greens! Several years ago, Tom and Barbara Smith had over 150 roses planted on their Crown Hills lot. Today there is only one miniature rose, growing in a container. And by a twist of fate, it was orchids that caused them to switch from roses to succulents! Barbara said that when Tom became interested in growing orchids about 7 years ago, his enthusiasm for their roses waned, and she did not want to have to tend all the roses alone. “Roses take a lot of water, chemicals, and work,” she said. “So we got rid of the roses — and the lawn, too!”
 The quest for a garden using less water and having more color with interesting texture led them to succulents.Complementing their vibrant plant palette is a magnificent assortment of hand-picked boulders and smaller rocks with brilliant, glistening, multicolored striations and hues–each a piece of art in and of itself. “Rocks, rocks, rocks!” Barbara reiterates what she was told when they first started their succulent design. “You can never have too many rocks!” Tom and Barbara have come to agree, and their specific passion is rocks with lots of color. Barbara laughs at how she and her contractor spent an entire afternoon sorting through 3 pallets of flagstone at a local rock supply company, in order to collect one ton of stone for a new front yard pathway. “I wanted the ones with the most color,” she said. “The end result was definitely worth the extra effort.”
Tom put his rock-creativity to action with a collection of feather rocks which he drilled and planted with tillandsias (air plants) in a whimsical, tropical fashion. Spanish moss hanging from a tree overhead garnishes the scene.
To the Smiths, color is king in both the front and back yards. Barbara recently painted a mural-sized backyard stucco retaining wall in vibrant gold tones, and hung Mexican art pieces on it, creating a perfectly harmonized effect. “My favorite style is the Mexican hacienda look,” she said.
Tom adds color and function to black, plastic nursery pots, by slightly sanding the surface and painting with paint created for plastic material. The pots are interspersed throughout the garden, and planted with tomatoes, which he said also solved the problem of them not getting enough sun in their previous location on the side of the house.
Tom, who is 86 and proclaims that he is looking forward to turning 90, said he enjoys both working and sitting in his garden.“I like to look at my backyard,” he said. “At the end of the day, I need to be able to sit with a glass of wine, look at my back yard and enjoy it.” Barbara and Tom do all of their gardening themselves, and said they love going on the Sage & Songbirds Garden Tour, where they have gleaned many ideas for their own garden. Visitors are certain to get many ideas of their own from this creative couple. Theirs is Garden #2.
 Tom and Barbara Smith
Garden Tour “Early Bird” Ticket Offer Expires April 1st!
- Just a few days remain in which to purchase discount tickets for the upcoming Sage & Songbirds Garden Tour, held May 3-5 in Alpine.
- Five fabulous Alpine gardens are showcased in this year’s tour, plus a place-of-worship garden and raptor rehabilitation facility. Admission to all seven sites is regularly $20, but tickets purchased by April 1 are just $15 per person.
- Ticket includes a map for the self-guided tour, and is valid all three days of the event. Visitors may stay as long as they desire in each garden.
- Tickets may be purchased in person at Jennifer’s Feed or Alpine Marketplace. Cash or checks only at those locations.
- To purchase online with credit card, please visit www.chirp.org.
- Instructions to purchase by mail may also be found at www.chirp.org, or by phoning 619-445-8352.
- The event is hosted by CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc., and sponsored by Viejas Outlets and San Diego Home/Garden Magazine.
By Maureen Austin, CHIRP
These two Ivy-League college graduates had no idea of the “education” that lay ahead for them when they moved to Alpine 14 years ago!
 Richard and Vanessa Rusczyk left a small suburban lot in New Jersey for their 17-acre spread in Japatul Valley. “We moved here for the climate and land. We knew nothing about gardening, and tried to keep it all up, but everything died,” Vanessa laughed. “We planted all the wrong stuff–gave it too much water or not enough water,” she said. “The gophers and rabbits ate everything!”
That’s where their hands-on education began. Vanessa became a CHIRP volunteer and started learning about “habitat gardening.”“We learned to use mulch instead of mowing weeds, and to plant everything in wire baskets so the gophers wouldn’t eat them!” In the battle with bunnies they became knowledgeable about what would not be eaten, and how to protect young plants with wire cages until they get mature enough to not be tasteful to rabbits.
They also learned about plants — California natives, Mediterranean natives, succulents and all sorts of “habitat plants.”
Vanessa was excited to discover that their Japatul garden was already lush with an abundance of mature California natives, including manzanita, Toyon, monkey-flower, Cleveland and white sage, and lots of oak trees.
The Manzanitas were trimmed at the bottom and shaped into magnificent specimens. Areas were cleared of weeds, pathways created and new plants put in.
She began interspersing some non-native plants to increase the butterfly population and planted an herb garden for their own use.
The country lifestyle was also growing on Richard, who took up welding as a hobby in order to create unique garden art arbors, trellises and more. And it was his vision to transform an old garden structure into a brand new, 800 sq. ft. walk-in butterfly house, complete with hammock for the ultimate relaxation destination. Spring through fall, several breeds of butterflies complete their life cycle on host varieties growing inside the structure, including Monarchs, Gulf Fritillaries and Painted Ladies.
 There is no shortage of tranquility on this property, which the Rusczyks have named “Rancho Soledad”.
On both the north and south side of the house are man-made waterfalls. One spills into a pond, the other is pond less. Toads, frogs, birds and dragonflies are among regular inhabitants and visitors there.
A unique block wall veggie garden, and another traditional raised bed area, provide the Rusczyks with fresh, organic produce including tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, tomatillos, eggplant and more. Fresh herbs from the herb garden provide seasoning.
All are fertilized with composted manure provided by their two donkeys, which incidentally love orange peels. “They love orange peels as a treat, and the donkey droppings go back onto the citrus trees (and all other trees, grapes and veggies),” Vanessa said.
Yes, Richard and Vanessa have learned much about the country life and how to transform their property into a home for many other “creatures of habitat.” They are eager to share their experiences with those on the Sage & Songbirds Tour.
Theirs is Garden #6. Note: This garden includes two distinct attractions–the aforementioned walk-in butterfly house, and artist studio featuring oils and watercolors of native flora of Western America, by artist Vanessa Rusczyk. Both are free with garden tour ticket.
TOUR INFO:
Sage & Songbirds Festival & Garden Tour is celebrating its 16th Anniversary the first weekend in May, 2013. The event commemorates Alpine’s designation as America’s FIRST Community Wildlife Habitat, by declaration of the National Wildlife Federation. It is hosted by CHIRP for Garden Wildlife, Inc.
The Festival will be held May 4-5 at Viejas Outlets, 5005 Willows Road in Alpine, from 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is free to all, and includes live butterfly release, caterpillar races, vendors of garden-related art and items, live music, educational talks and exhibits, magic shows, live owls, hawks, hummingbirds, snakes, lizards & much more.
The Garden Tour, May 3-5, features 5 private home gardens, a church garden and birds-of-prey rehabilitation facility. A ticket includes map for self-guided tour to all 7 sites, and is valid all weekend. EARLY BIRD tickets are now available for $15 each, through March 31. Regular ticket price is $20. Tickets are available at Jennifer’s Feed and The Marketplace in Alpine, online or by mail. For additional information, please visit www.chirp.org or phone CHIRP at 619-445-8352.
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