Coconino Master Gardeners’ 2026 Garden Tour Preview
By Jan Holland Hailey
In mid-June I joined a group of Coconino Master Gardeners to preview four of the eight gardens to be featured on our August 8th Garden Tour. Those of us on the preview tour are members of the Tour Committee and this allows us to meet the Garden Hosts and learn more about their gardens in advance of the event we are planning.
After a brief monthly planning meeting we set out for the first stop, my own garden. An article with details of my “Mt. Elden Moon Garden” was published in this column July 2nd. In my vegetable garden I showed the group the growing progress of my two varieties of Native American corn, “Hopi Turquoise” and “Painted Mountain,” watered using a system of ollas. Ollas are unglazed, porous terracotta water vessels that are buried in a garden to help retain moisture. We viewed the herb “spiral” garden I created using repurposed bricks. We looked inside my newly furnished potting shed and viewed a rock garden created this year. Gardeners shared feedback with me so that I can ensure that the August public tour is a great experience for visitors.
The next stop we met with a gardener who has created a gardening oasis on her forested property. The unfenced large backyard is a thoroughfare for elk and deer. Her garden is an efficient space of a half dozen raised beds set within high predator-safe fencing while trellising provides additional vertical gardening options. Clever use of a self-watering system is in a few of the beds with plans to expand it to all in the future. The garden produces a variety of vegetables and fruits; the favorite was ever-bearing strawberries brimming with juicy fruit which we enjoyed tasting. Nearby were flower beds with blooming hydrangeas and roses. The gardener shared a detailed planting scheme of the current garden as well as plans for future expansion. We agreed it was a good example of gardening efficiently amid multiple challenges.
Our third stop was nearby, where we were greeted by the host who has been a Coconino Master Gardener for nearly thirty years. She began planting her garden in earnest in the late 1990s upon retiring. Native plants and shrubs surround a cheerful courtyard which also includes a “kitchen garden” of vegetables. The abundance of unique plants, shrubs, and trees, such as berry-laden Nanking cherry and the interesting foliage of Jerusalem sage prompted both envy and inquiry. A forested, unfenced rear area, a garden exposed to wildlife, showcased an array of thriving deer resistant perennial plants. It was interesting to see the diversity of plants grown in our climate.
Our final preview garden provided both architectural and botanical wonders. The 1970s-era home was built by the gardener’s father and is a dearly loved habitat. It features rustic “gingerbread” style carved gables and stained glass created by the builder, who was also a celebrated Grand Canyon watercolor artist. The home is surrounded with a variety of garden areas enclosed by artistically hand stacked walls of local rocks and stones. The setting inspired ideas of fantasy and quirky charm as we toured the “fairy garden” complete with a native Arizona grapevine tunnel. We meandered through a surround of wild onions, herbs, roses, and berries in this mini farm enhanced by chickens and a very charming emu. A recently built greenhouse protects healthy, large tomato plants. A visual inspection of several types of flourishing berry plants proved that raspberries and gooseberries can be grown here. Several site systems support water-wise practices and efficiency.
In addition to the four gardens previewed, there are four additional gardens in the 2026 Tour with more wonders to experience. Throughout the eight properties you’ll see water efficiency practices, hoop-houses, demonstration gardens, season extenders, compost systems, vermicomposting, native and pollinator plants, and more to illustrate successful and enjoyable gardening in our challenging climate.
These gardens will be open to tour on Saturday, August 8th from 10 am – 4 pm. Buy tickets online at CMGA2026.eventbrite.com until 8/8 at 9 am or in-person August 8th at Warner’s Nursery from 9am-12pm. The tour is enthusiastically planned by the Coconino Master Gardener Association (CMGA) in collaboration with the Coconino County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. Thank you to Warner’s Nursery for sponsoring this event and to the Master Gardeners and Garden Hosts who work hard to make it happen.
Jan Holland Hailey earned a Master Gardener certificate from University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in 2024. Gardening Etcetera is written for the community by certified Master Gardeners of the University of Arizona's Coconino County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. Have a gardening question? Visit our Online Plant Help Desk at https://extension.arizona.edu/programs/coconino-county-master-gardener.
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