By Lisa Ferguson
Special Contributor

The 2019 Celina Garden Tour, an exclusive showcase of eight private home gardens and area wineries, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8.

This popular biennial event, hosted by the Celina Garden Club, drew hundreds of attendees from throughout North Texas in 2017. The self-guided tour will be presented rain or shine.

“Our tour homes are full of gardening glory,” Celina Garden Club President Lynn Balint said. “This year, we have a couple of repeat venues because they were so much fun and their gardens were spectacular.  We have also recruited some outstanding new venues.”

Among them are Balint’s own home, which boasts an array of native Texas plants, daylilies and pampas grass. Wildflowers, tulips, and daffodils share the five-acre property with apple, peach, plum, and nectarine trees. A large vegetable garden produces potatoes, garlic, asparagus and jalapeno peppers.

For the first time in Celina Garden Tour history attendees will be able to view a home in Light Farms both inside and out and learn how creating outdoor space can expand the indoor living area. In another tour first, a Prosper home is featured among the venues. Its backyard brims with fig, pomegranate and persimmon trees that receive water courtesy of a half-dozen cleverly camouflaged rain barrels.  

A vast garden is the centerpiece of a suburban homestead nestled near Celina’s northern border. A plethora of herbs, perennial and annual vegetables as well as peach, apple, fig and jujube fruit trees thrive here as a result of sustainable food production and self-sufficiency efforts employed by the owners. Tour day will see children’s planting activities and chef demonstrations scheduled, as well as handmade woodcrafts and canned goods for sale.  

At another home, located in one of Celina’s most exclusive neighborhoods, raised garden beds dot the yard of the Mediterranean style-inspired abode. Stunning views of a nearby pond are accessible from the place’s front and rear porches, and Texas’ technicolor sunsets can be witnessed along the picturesque property’s western edge.

“Our tour is special because of the families that humbly and graciously open their gates to give tourgoers a glimpse of their creative-gardening genius,” 2019 Celina Garden Tour Chairperson Melissa Green said.

There will be much available to please wine aficionados and casual fans alike during the tour.  

Returning this year is Caudalie Crest Farm & Vineyard, where English-style gardens bloom with salvias, roses and irises. Its 10 acres are inhabited by 600 Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines, nearly a dozen Dwarf Nigerian dairy goats and beehives from which honey-extraction demonstrations are scheduled during the tour.

Also back is family-owned-and-operated Eden Hill Winery. The organic operation relies entirely on rainwater and sustainable farming methods to yield the red and white grapes it uses to produce its award-winning wines, as well as other fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Meanwhile, at a private micro-vineyard in Celina, tour attendees can enjoy complimentary tastings of the wines produced on site. The stunning display of flowers and plants at this oasis-like property, which also features a tranquil duck-filled pond, were carefully selected to nourish and support honeybees.

“This year’s tour reflects the urban growth Celina has experienced with the addition of new, smaller garden spaces featured at homes in a couple of the city’s suburban developments. It will also highlight our rural heritage with sprawling vineyards and peaceful country properties.”

An assortment of handcrafted foods, beverages and products will be available for purchase at several of the tour venues, including homemade pies and preserves, home décor, antiques and other items. Food trucks will also be onsite.

Advance tickets for the 2019 Celina Garden Tour are $20 and are available now at www.celinagardenclub.org, for pickup starting at 8 a.m. on tour day in Celina’s historic downtown square, near Walnut and Ohio Streets. Same-day tickets may also be purchased there for $25. Keep reading for your chance to win a pair of tickets to this weekend’s Celina Garden Tour!

Tickets are also currently on sale at four area retailers: Annie Jack, 222 W. Walnut St., Celina; D&L Farm and Home, 811 N. Louisiana Drive, Celina; Texas Seasons Nursery, 807 N. Preston Road, Celina; and Cristina’s Stone & Garden Center, 14400 Preston Road, Frisco.

Founded in 1945, the Celina Garden Club’s mission is to educate and stimulate knowledge; to share our resources and experiences; and to enjoy fellowship with other gardeners through monthly meetings, field trips, and projects.

Club members actively participate in civic improvement programs, which include sponsoring annual scholarships for students interested in environmental-related studies. Proceeds from this year’s tour will assist the club in continuing its community outreach and beautification projects.

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Really want to head to Celina on Saturday? Comment below to enter to win our drawing for a pair of tickets to the 2019 Celina Garden Tour! Deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 5. You must use a valid email address to enter.