Five homes on inaugural Mariposa garden tour

Five homes in Coulterville and Greeley Hill will kick off the fledgling Mariposa County Master Gardeners’ Spring Garden Show on May 16.

This first-time event will feature a self-guided tour in the historic Mother Lode communities from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to a press release. In addition to the five home gardens, the native plant garden at the Coulterville Firehouse will be open, with an information booth for tips and master gardener advice.

Gardener docents will be available at each location to answer questions, along with brochures to guide patrons and identify plants on the tour.

Among the homes on the tour is the Coulter House, built in 1857, according to the release, featuring old trees, flowering plants, fountains and original stone work. A propagation station will be set up to encourage visitors to start a plant to take home.

The four gardens in Greeley Hill feature water management and storage strategies. A booth at one garden will provide tomato-growing information and plants for sale.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 on the day of the tour, available at http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu.

This story was originally published May 8, 2015 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Five homes on inaugural Mariposa garden tour."