Mother’s Day Sunday always presents a plethora of options for families wanting to spoil that amazing Mom for her special day. Well, we have a secret up here in the Capay Valley – the most perfect experience you could ever give her: the Capay Valley Mother’s Day Garden Tour. Here are the top five reasons why this tour is exactly what that special mother (or garden lover) deserves for Mother’s Day.
#1. It is in a spectacular setting! There is nothing more beautiful than this agricultural valley in the middle of May. The Capay Valley is home to 5 small towns and winds through them all over 20 miles. The hills are still green, the gardens are alive and blooming, the temperature is typically ideal (in the mid 80’s) and best of all, the first of the fruit season will be starting with peaches, mulberries and strawberries!
#2. The Garden Tour is super flexible to meet every Mom’s needs. This self guided tour lets you go when and where you want from 10 am to 5 pm. Spend the WHOLE day and visit all nine of these spectacular gardens or, if you just have a few hours, be picky and go exactly to the ones you have always wanted to see. The gardens are all unique and each one has its own special charm.
#3. Stretch your legs and spend the day outside! So many Mother’s Day options involve a day of lethargy and too much to eat. Get moving and stroll through fields of lavender, rows and rows of cut flower production, a garden designed for low water use with native plants or a plantation of olive trees. While those who want a more leisurely day can go at their own pace, there is plenty of exercise possibilities for those with movement in mind. We guarantee fresh air and plenty of sunshine!
#4. Don’t spend too much money this Mother’s Day and give it to a good cause! The Garden Tour is only $10 per adult, and children twelve and under are free of charge. Pretty darn reasonable in this day and age! Your dollars go towards a worthy cause. This year we have chosen to donate all of the proceeds to the restoration project of our local Grange Hall (www.westernyologrange.org) – built in 1905 and sorely in need of some repairs! Also the delicious boxed lunch available for sale is only $10 and is full of locally sourced organic ingredients.
#5. Educate yourself! This year we are increasing the numbers of workshops at some of the gardens – a rose infused ice cream making workshop, a silk screening class, a floral design class (at Full Belly Farm) and especially for children – a chance to do hands-on leaf and flower printing. Workshops last an hour and are included in the ticket price.
At Full Belly Farm we are pulling out all of the stops for this tour. We have three gorgeous gardens to choose from and LOTS of flower fields to see, along with a few lovely grassy lawns for picnicking. We will definitely have our yummy strawberries for sale and lots of flower bouquets designed by our own floral specialist! The floral design class will be at 2 pm and we will have “pick your own bouquet” directly following the class.
We hope to see you on the Mother’s Day Garden Tour on Sunday May 8th. To purchase tickets online visit www.capayvalleygardentour.com. Tickets may also be purchased on Mother’s Day in the Esparto Community Park. Please call with questions: 530-796-3464.
–Dru Rivers
