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Chalk it up to climate or to pride of ownership, but Southern California has exceptionally vibrant home, garden and architecture tours. At movie palaces in downtown Los Angeles as well as wildflower patches in our farthest-flung suburbs, doors and gates are open for visitors’ admiration and critiques.
January
Baiko-En Bonsai Kenkyukai Show and Sale: Demonstration on how to transform ordinary nursery plants into classic miniaturized bonsai. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
February
Camellia Festival: Descanso Gardens’ annual show with sales and lectures at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. (818) 949-4200 or https://www.descansogardens.org .
March
Pasadena Heritage Spring Home Tour: Tour of five privately owned historic homes in Pasadena. (626) 441-6333 or https://www.pasadenaheritage.org .
Lilac Festival: Show, sales and lectures. Late March or early April at Descanso Gardens. (818) 949-4200 or https://www.descansogardens.org.
Ikebana International Show: Japanese flower arranging. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
April
AIA Home Tours: The L.A. office of the AIA hosts two tours a year: one in the spring and one in the fall. This month included a look at Beverly Hills homes; planned for the fall are a Sept. 17 tour of Silver Lake and Echo Park and a Westside tour Oct. 22. (213) 639-0777 or https://www.aialosangeles.org.
Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour: Native gardens throughout the Los Angeles Basin. (818) 768-1802, or https://www.theodorepayne.org.
Open Days: Garden Conservancy’s annual tour of gardens in the Los Angeles and Pasadena areas. Also in May. https://www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/.
California Poppy Festival: Each year this festival spotlights the colorful poppies, which are an Antelope Valley springtime attraction. Lancaster City Park, 43011 N. 10th St. W., Lancaster. https://www.poppyfestival.com .
Bungalow Heaven Home Tour: Self-guided walking tour of historic Arts and Crafts-era homes in Pasadena’s first landmark district. Today. (626) 585-2172 or https://www.bungalowheaven.org.
Garden tour: The Creative Arts Group’s annual Art of the Garden tour through San Marino. (626) 355-8350 or https://www.creativeartsgroup.org.
Green Gardens Tour: The Virginia Avenue Project sponsors this tour of private gardens that have become ecologically sound. (310) 264-4224 or https://www.virginiaavenueproject.org.
Rose Show and Sale: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org.
May
L.A. Garden Show and Plant Sale: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Saturday and May 7. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
Venice Garden and Home Tour: This self-guided walking tour highlights the latest architectural and landscape transformations in nearly 30 residences in Venice, Saturday. (310) 821-1857 or https://www.venicegardentour.org.
Sunland Tujunga Historic Home and Garden Tour: Tour of some of the San Fernando Valley’s most historic dwellings, May 7. (818) 352-3420.
Epiphyllum Show and Sale: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, May 13-14.
Huntington Plant Sale: Thousands of rare and exotic plants are available at the Huntington’s popular annual sale. Many unusual varieties of cactuses and succulents, orchids and tropicals, roses, camellias, herbs, trees, vines, bamboos, palms and much more. Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, May 21. (626) 405-2100 or https://www.huntington.org .
Venice Art Walk: Self-driving tours of architecturally significant Venice homes along Ocean Front Walk, May 21. (310) 392-9255 or https://www.veniceartwalk.info .
Santa Anita Bonsai Show and Sale: Display of trees trained to look like miniature forest giants. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, May 27-29.
Last Remaining Seats: The Los Angeles Conservancy presents classic films and live entertainment in the city’s historic movie palaces. Includes the Los Angeles Theatre, the Orpheum Theatre and the Palace Theatre, May 31-July 5. (213) 430-4219 or https://www.laconservancy.org.
June
West Adams Spring Tour: Visit one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, June 3. (323) 732-4223 or https://www.westadamsheritage.com .
Daylily Show and Sale: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, June 3. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
Long Beach Heritage Great Homes Tour: June 25. (562) 493-7019 or https://www.lbheritage.org.
July
Celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge: Honoring the historic preservation of one of the world’s most beautiful bridges, with live music on three stages, dancing, vintage car displays, children’s activities and no-host food and beverages on the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, July 15. (626) 441- 6333 or https://www.pasadenaheritage.org .
August
Inner-City Cactus Show: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Aug. 19-20. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
September
Fern and Exotic Plant Show: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Sept. 2-3. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
October
Craftsman Weekend: Pasadena Heritage’s annual Craftsman Weekend offers lectures by experts, walking and house tours, furniture and décor exhibitions, and special evening events at historic sites, Oct. 20-22. (626) 441- 6333 or https://www.pasadenaheritage.org.
Garfield Heights Home Tour: Self-guided tour sponsored by the Garfield Heights Neighborhood Assn. of five to seven historic homes in several architectural styles, including Victorian, Craftsman and Spanish Revival, Oct. 1. (626) 388-2174 or https://www.garfieldheights.org.
Winter Cactus Show and Sale: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Oct. 14-15. (626) 821-4623 or https://www.arboretum.org .
Gourd Fair L.A.: Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Oct. 21-22.
November
Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour: View the mix of architectural styles in a corner of L.A. that evokes the welcoming qualities of small-town America. Charming examples of Victorian Transitional homes, Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival homes will be on display. (323) 259-TERA (8372) or https://www.tera90041.org.
Echo Park Home Tour: The Echo Park Historical Society hosts this tour through the Elysian Heights area, Nov. 12. https://www.historicechopark.org.
Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour: Artists throughout the Arroyo area open their studios and homes to visitors every November for the Discovery Tour. Sponsored by the Arroyo Arts Collective and the Historical Society of Southern California, the tour is self-guided of artist’ studios in Highland Park, Montecito Heights, Eagle Rock and Mount Washington. https://www.arroyoartscollective.org.
