- Author: JoEllen P Myslik
One of my favorite activities in school was going on Field Trips, and that certainly has not changed now that I'm an adult! This summer there have been several Field Trips organized for the Solano County Master Gardeners and I had the pleasure of going on the most recent one to the Gardens at Heather Farm Park on Thursday, June 5th. What a lovely place and if you haven't been, I highly recommend it! There is no entrance fee, but if you plan ahead, you can arrange to have a docent-led tour, which is well worth the small charge for that.
Interestingly enough, the name “Heather” does not come from the plant, but from a horse! The land was originally purchased in 1921 to train thoroughbred race horses, then was officially opened as a park by the city of Walnut Creek in 1970. The Gardens reside on 3.5 of the 6 total acres of the Park.
A very wonderful aspect about The Gardens is that there are 24 demonstration gardens that include everything from native plants, to water-wise landscaping to roses, and everything in between. In these days of drought, it would be most informative to anyone trying to visualize how to effectively and beautifully landscape their own yard for low water usage. There is even a Sensory Garden that is perfect for kids and adults alike to smell and feel a wide variety of interesting plants. And the best part is, all the pathways around The Gardens are handicapped accessible, so there's really no reason not to visit!
Some of the Master Gardeners on our trip are absolute pros, some have been gardening for many years, and others, like me, just enjoy gardening but it's all still relatively new. No matter the case, I feel sure that each of us learned something new on our trip to The Gardens at Heather Farm and also felt inspired to make some new additions to our own landscaping. I know I did! My new favorite addition will be Hebe, which is not only perfect for my water-wise landscaping goals, but its beautiful flowers will attract butterflies --- plus, they are extremely easy to propagate, which is always a plus!! :)