HAMPTON Court Palace has everything families need for a fun day out and it’s all within the grounds of an enormous former royal home.
From seeing inside the historic building itself to the pretty gardens, a kids’ playground and there’s even a comic-book themed takeover this summer.
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The playground and trail is on the grounds of Hampton Court PalaceCredit: AlamyDuring the summer kids will be able to have a go at the Beano trailCredit: Hampton Court Palace
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When you’re at a loss with how to keep the kids entertained over the weekend, or the next warm day during the week – head to Hampton Court Palace in London.
Kids in particular will love its enormous playground called the Magic Garden.
It’s aimed at children under 12 and has so much to keep them entertained from climbing up the huge towers to even facing a ‘dragon’.
There’s a secret grotto with hidden pathways, plenty of slides and a sandpit, while a nearby cafe is the best spot to stop for hot drinks and snacks.
Another popular spot is the maze – which is the oldest surviving hedge maze in the country.
It covers a third of an acre on the grounds of Hampton Court Palace with plenty of twists and turns throughout.
And this summer, a new Beano-themed trail is set to launch.
From July 25 to August 23, kids will be able to see some of their favourite characters like Dennis the Menace and Gnasher.
More information about the trail says “Dennis, Minnie, Harsha, Rubi and Gnasher were late for their Bash Street School trip to Henry VIII’s palace.
“To save the day, Dennis has turned his go-kart into a time machine with Rubi’s flux capacitor – but “whoops”! it has malfunctioned and crash-landed in Hampton Court Palace.
“Now the timeline’s in a right royal muddle and Henry VIII is not amused. It’s utter chaos! It’s up to YOU to help the Beano friends fix their busted time machine.
“Grab your special Hampton Court Palace Beano comic strip story on arrival, packed with clues to track down the missing pieces scattered around the palace.”
There will even be some historic residents like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I dressed in the classic Beano red and black stripes.
During May half-term kids can enjoy The Big Bahooey which has cabaret performances, world-class street theatre and circus workshops.
To step back in time, head back in July to watch knights take on a jousting tournament – families can pick a favourite and cheer them on until the winner is crowned.
The jousting is on during on the weekends of July 11-12 and July 18-19.
The palace has pruned gardens with pretty flower beds and pondsCredit: Getty
For more family fun, check out our favourite UK holiday parks…
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Park Holidays UK Sand le Mere, Yorkshire
This holiday park in Yorkshire is a thriving family resort, just steps from Tunstall Beach. Entertainment is what this resort does best, with costume character performances, Link-up Bingo and cabaret shows. Accommodation ranges from fully-equipped Gold Caravans to Platinum Lodges with sun decks and luxury bedding.
This beachfront resort in St Ives, Cornwall is a true beach bum’s paradise – whether you want to laze out on the sand, or take to the waves for some surfing. Activities include disc golf, a Nerf challenge and an outdoor cinema, as well as indoor activities for the colder months like karaoke, bingo and DJ sets.
This holiday park has loads of unique activities on offer, including TikTok dance classes, alpaca feeding, a pump track for BMX riding, and taking a ride on the resort’s very own miniature railway. Throw in bug hotel and den building, pond dipping, survival skills workshops and a lake for paddleboard and pedalo hire, and you’ve got yourself an action-packed park.
Parkdean Resorts Camber Sands, Sussex This beachfront resort is a classic family favourite. If you’re not up to swimming in the sea, there’s four fantastic pools here, as well as water flumes, underwater jets, inflatable jet skis and kayak races. Plus if you’ve got any little fans of Paw Patrol or Milkshake!, you’ll be glad to know there’s Milkshake! Mornings and Paw Patrol Mighty Missions to keep your tots entertained.
If you want to steer clear of chaotic cartoons, head to the Hampton Court Gardens for a more relaxing stroll.
The formal gardens are pruned to perfection with neat hedges, immaculate lawns, ponds and pretty flower beds – especially in the Rose Garden.
During particular days of the year, the gardens are open free of charge with no pre-booking required.
This year these are May 9-10, September 12-13, October 10-11, November 21-22, December 26 (Wilderness garden only).
Then of course there’s the palace itself, which was famously the home of Henry VIII and his six wives.
The former royal residence has appeared most recently on BridgertonCredit: Getty
For those who want to learn even more about Hampton Court Palace, a free audio guide is included in the price of admission.
The tour explores the highlights when it was lived in by Henry VIII and even how the palace has appeared on the back-drop of TV and film since the 1920s.
More recently it was used in Bridgerton as the home of Queen Charlotte, and the gardens are frequently used when characters are strolling around London.
It’s also appeared in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, My Lady Jane, The Favourite starring Olivia Coleman, and Lily James‘ Cinderella.
A landlord fascinated by the space and the sky set up an observatory – in the back garden of his pub.
Alan Boddington, 67, first took interest in the space when looking at the moon with his uncle using a brass telescope on top of a coalbunker.
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The country pub has an observatory in its gardenCredit: SWNSPub landlord Alan Boddington of the Poltimore Inn, Devon, is fascinated with spaceCredit: SWNSHis fascination was further sparked when watching Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969Credit: SWNS
His fascination was further sparked when watching Neil Armstrong landing on the moon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission.
When he took over The Poltimore Inn, he saw an opportunity to build an observatory in back garden of the pub.
Located in the village of North Malton, Devon, the pub is on the edge of Exmoor National Park – Europe’s first ever dark sky reserve.
Minimal light pollution and cloudless nights mean thousands of stars and astronomical sights such as the Milky Way can be spotted.
He said: “When a cloud comes over it means you can pop into the pub, have a pint and maybe sit by the fire to warm up.
“Once the sky clears you can come out with your pint and appreciate the dark sky.
“Takes a little while for your eyes to adjust but we have got red lighting all the way down to the observatory.
“It’s an unusual thing to have a pub with an observatory but also with our accommodation we can give people the opportunity to look at the Dark Sky.
Mr Boddington bought the Poltimore Inn in October 2012 from a large pub chain.
With his “long term” love for space he saw a potential to create an observatory outside the pub.
Five years ago he set up with observatory and it was funded by himself.
The telescopes costed around £10,500 and the building which was self-built was £27,000.
On a cloudless night it is possible to see the milky way, thousands of stars and astronomical sights from the Exmoor National Park.
He said: “I was introduced to the moon as a 9-year-old when my uncle brought over his telescope and set it up for me to have a look at the moon.
“The moon project Apollo went off and it was one of those things that your parents let you stay up for.
“I still have a lot of the newspaper cuttings.
“When it came to setting up the pub I thought it would be the ideal opportunity for me, with the Exmoor Dark Sky, to take advantage and also enjoy my hobby.”
Within the observatory, there is a permanently Polar and star aligned Meade LX200 12-inch telescope and a new era “smart” telescope in the Unistellar Ev-Scope.
There are also numerous other manual telescopes and Skywatcher Dobsonians for beginners.
It features an electronic roll off roof, a private outdoor decking observation area, as well as private amenities, plus tea and coffee making facilities.
He continued: “This has been a great boost to go from being youngster to seeing the Apollo to seeing this venture Artemis going off and going looping round the moon is amazing.
“Also the technology that is gone with it – we are going to be looking at tremendous pictures for the next six months as they are released.
“The Darkside of the Moon is something that we don’t generally see and I think we will have a lot of surprises from that.
“Also the eclipses will show us different details. We are really pleased to see the astronauts coming back safely and leave safely.
“I hope it really stimulates the whole space idea in Europe, in England and with the scientists in this country.”
The building of the Poltimore Inn Observatory helps him share his passion for astronomy and space exploration.
The Poltimore Inn Observatory holds regular monthly events run by astronomers Jo and Pete Richardson.
The primary school in North Malton also visits the observatory as part of their education.
He hopes his observatory keeps inspiring both young and old about the space and the sky.
To get to know more about The Poltimore Inn visit their website here.
As soon as I heard about this place, I was desperate to see it.
16:01, 13 Apr 2026Updated 16:07, 13 Apr 2026
I visited one of UK’s best gardens and it’s never looked more spectacular(Image: Laura Nightingale)
As soon as I heard about Wisley’s tulips, I was desperate to see them. The family attraction is renowned for being a pretty spot but its spring display this year has to be among its best so far. More than 100,000 tulips have been planted at RHS Garden Wisley, just outside Woking, and they are looking their best right now.
Flowering through April, the new displays have transformed one of the attraction’s most iconic views, the historic Old Laboratory building and Jellicoe Canal.
As I entered the garden and walked through its cherry blossom avenue (also sensational by the way), I turned left to find a sea of vibrant colour. Vivid red, deep orange, bright yellow and royal purple blooms lined the strip of still water, and it was absolutely stunning.
With the sun bouncing off the stream and the glorious blue skies sitting above the striking Old Laboratory, it really looked like an idyllic postcard setting.
Celebrating the joyous spring beauty of tulips, the vibrant mass plantings and pot displays across the grounds feature 58 gorgeous different tulip cultivars combined in mesmerising colour effects.
As I walked through the gardens I spotted thousands more tulips, specifically chosen for their bold colours, fabulous shapes and staggered flowering times.
The Royal Horticultural Society was given Wisley in 1903, although at that time only a small part of the 60-acre estate was cultivated as a garden, the remainder being wooded farmland. The original garden was the creation of George Fergusson Wilson, a businessman, scientist, inventor and keen gardener. He had purchased the site in 1878 with the idea of making “difficult plants grow successfully” and the garden acquired a reputation for its collections of lilies, gentians, Japanese irises, primulas and water plants.
Eating and drinking at Wisley
While Wisley does have some lovely cafes and coffee shops dotted along its tulip route, I decided to bring a picnic with me as the sun was shining.
There are lots of places to unpack your lunch. The lawns were still a bit damp for rolling out a blanket when I went, so I tucked into my alfresco sandwich at one of the tables on the patio outside the food hall.
Other places to eat include the World Food Cafe, Glasshouse Kitchen, Wisley Cafe and Terrace Restaurant, all serving different menus , from hearty breakfasts to pizzas.
The industry body, UK Pet Food, estimates that we spend some £380 million a year on bird food. Separate figures suggest that amounts to more than 150,000 tonnes annually – enough to sustain three times the breeding populations of the ten commonest garden species if they relied on it alone all year round.
THE Cotswolds are well-known for having celebrity visitors and the tiny village of Batsford even welcomed an unlikely A-Lister this week.
Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively was spotted there earlier this week on a visit to the region.
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Blake Lively enjoyed a recent visit to the Cotswolds village of BatsfordCredit: InstagramThe Batsford Arboretum is a popular attraction with 1,500 species of treeCredit: Alamy
Blake Lively posted snaps of herself exploring the English countryside, including a tiny spot called Batsford.
She and her family visited the Falconry Centre – which coincidentally is right next to Batsford Arboretum, one of the biggest attractions in the area.
Batsford Arboretum is home to a unique collection of some of the world’s most beautiful and rare trees, shrubs and bamboos all spread across 60 acres.
There are over 1,500 tree species from Japanese maples to pines and oaks.
One of the rarest is nicknamed the ‘dinosaur tree’.
The species was believed to be extinct for two million years before it was discovered in 1994.
Two of its off-spring were then planted at Batsford Arboretum in 2007 – and you can see them there today.
The arboretum brings in lots of visitors and is open year-round, but lots say one of the best times to go is in autumn when the leaves change colour.
Another added: “The arboretum is interesting whatever the season. From snowdrops through to autumn displays.
“Even in the depth of winter it is a pleasure to appreciate the architectural structure of the mature trees – and somewhere there is always something in flower. The collection of Daphnes is particularly noteworthy.”
Tickets into Batsford Arboretum for adults start from £10.90 and day tickets for children start from £3.15.
It also has a visitor centre where the café, garden centre and gift shop are – all of which are completely free to enter.
One visitor even called it “the best I’ve been to in a long time.”
After having a gander around the plants, head to the café which serves lunch, and a range of freshly baked cakes.
The huge Batsford House is on the estate of a Victorian country house built in 1892, but is a private residence and isn’t open to the public.
Batsford Arboretum Garden Centre is a popular spotCredit: AlamyBlake Lively was in the area visiting Prue Leith who lives in Moreton-in-MarshCredit: Instagram
Blake Lively was in the Cotswolds visiting former Celebrity Bake Off judge, Prue Leith, who lives just 5-minutes from Batsford in Moreton-in-Marsh.
Blake Lively and her family set up shop at Soho Farmhouse in Great Tewwhich opened 10 years ago.
The hotel is surrounded by 100 acres of countryside, and has 113 bedrooms, cabins along with a health club, spa and gym.
There are indoor and outdoor pools, sunken hot tubs as well as plenty of activities like horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, tennis and padel.
When it comes to celebrities, Blake Lively isn’t the only one that’s been spotted in the Cotswolds.
Scattered orange California poppies, California Lilac with bright blue blooms, and hummingbird sage with dark rose-lilac-colored flowers spontaneously tell us what we already know: Spring has arrived.
Southern California, especially Los Angeles, has many breathtaking botanical gardens and wildflower-lined hiking trails. But it’s also exciting to visit private home gardens that are rarely open to the public and find inspiration even if you don’t have space for a garden at home.
This year’s spring garden tours include a visit to a historic Midcentury Modern home designed by Buff, Straub and Hensman, complete with a river running through the property as part of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Tour. You can also check out a native garden at a Long Beach elementary school that is usually closed to visitors, or see how a young couple used a $5,000 turf rebate from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to transform their Inglewood yard during the Theodore Payne Foundation’s two-day Native Plant Garden Tour.
Whether you love gardening or simply enjoy beautiful landscapes and meeting other plant lovers, these tours offer plenty of ideas you can use long after your visit. From native plants to rose gardens, here are this spring’s local garden tours.
Blooming California poppies remind us that spring is here.
(Stella Kalinina / For The Times)
March 29 The Poppy Day Garden Tour raises money for the South Coast chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Visit 10 native plant gardens across the South Bay that support wildlife and help save water. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 at the door, if available. Children and teens under age 18 get in free. For tickets and more information, visit cnps-south-coast.square.site.
The Creative Arts Group’s Art of the Garden Tour features self-guided visits to five gardens in Pasadena, Altadena and La Cañada Flintridge from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $45 in advance or $50 on the day of the event. This tour is the nonprofit’s biggest fundraiser of the year, supporting arts programs, exhibitions and classes for children and adults. Please note that photography, pets and children under age 12 are not allowed on the tours. You can also stop by the Creative Arts Group Gallery at 108 N. Baldwin Ave. in Sierra Madre to buy tickets in person and see artwork from more than 25 local artists. For more information, visit creativeartsgroup.org.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
April 11-12 Theodore Payne Foundation’s Native Plant Garden Tour: Habitats That Heal is a showcase for 42 gardens across Los Angeles, each with at least half native plants. The self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. On April 11, you can visit 20 gardens in neighborhoods in Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Shadow Hills, Tujunga, Montrose, Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, South Pasadena, Pasadena and Altadena. On April 12, the tour covers gardens in Santa Monica, Venice, West L.A., Del Rey, Baldwin Hills, Mid-City, Inglewood, South L.A., Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Los Feliz, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Mt. Washington, El Sereno and Alhambra. Tickets cost $55, or $50 for members, and children under age 16 are free. If you buy a ticket, you’ll receive a guidebook in the mail, which also serves as your ticket. Starting March 26, tickets and maps are only available for purchase in person at the foundation office in Sun Valley from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The office is closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, visit nativeplantgardentour.org.
California Native Plant Society’s San Diego Native Garden Tour is a showcase of 31 private gardens across the city, including the CNPS San Diego Native Plant Teaching Garden, Southwestern College Botanical Garden, Paradise Hills and Native West Nursery. Each garden in the self-guided tour uses at least 60% California native plants, demonstrating how these gardens protect local biodiversity. The tour is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $45; children age 17 and under are free. Will call locations and instructions will be emailed after ticket purchase at eventbrite.com.
A “Welcome to California” sign is seen at Prisk Native Plant Garden in Long Beach.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
April 12 and 19 The Prisk Native Plant Garden Open House is celebrating its 30th year with an annual tour of the garden, which is usually closed to the public. You can visit from 1 to 4 p.m. both days at William F. Prisk Elementary School, 2375 Fanwood Ave. in Long Beach. The garden is located behind the school at East Los Arcos Street and Albury Avenue. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information, visit facebook.com/prisknativegarden.
April 19 The Garden Conservancy Pasadena Open Days Tour welcomes you to visit four private gardens at historic homes. You can see Buff, Straub and Hensman’s Midcentury Modern Norton House, the 1916 Spanish Revival-style home called Mi Sueño del Sur, a Southern California Arts and Crafts garden, and the rose gardens of a historic Pasadena estate from the 1900s. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per garden and are available online only. Children ages 12 and under can join the tour for free with an adult. For more information, visit gardenconservancy.org.
Desert gardens with native plants at the Mojave Land Trust in Joshua Tree.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Morongo Basin Conservation Assn. is hosting its 15th Annual Desert-Wise Landscape Tour. This self-guided event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features four private gardens in Pioneertown and Yucca Valley, along with three demonstration gardens in Joshua Tree. Tickets cost $25, or $20 for members. You can find tickets and more information on the MBCA website, mbconservation.org. On the day of the tour, registration will only be available at the Mojave Desert Land Trust in Joshua Tree.
April 25 Habitat Garden Tours at Caroline Park and Ryan Bonaminio Park, the Riverside-San Bernardino Chapter of the California Native Plant Society is offering free tours of two large native plant gardens within city parks in Redlands and Riverside. Morning tours of the 16-acre Caroline Park in Redlands, which is dedicated to California native plants, will be held at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Park near the corner of Mariposa Drive and Poppy Road, then enter the park using the trail to the left of the Caroline Park sign. Meet at the kiosk upon arrival. Afternoon tours at Ryan Bonaminio Park in Riverside, which features restored native plants from local floodplains and upland areas that support pollinators, will be held at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Park on the west end of the parking lot to access the decomposed granite path leading to the 1.17-acre habitat garden. The tours are free, and you are welcome to join at any scheduled time. For more information, visit: chapters.cnps.org/riversidesanbernardino.
April 25-26 The Floral Park Home & Garden Tour in North Santa Ana invites you to explore historic homes and gardens from the 1920s to the 1950s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. Along with the tours, you can enjoy the Street of Treasures Market, sample food from local restaurants and check out a car show. All proceeds help fund community scholarships and support nonprofit organizations. Tickets cost $45 if you buy them by April 20, or $50 at the door. For more details, visit floralparkhometour.com.
The Riverside Community Flower Show & Garden Tour: Garden Party features self-guided tours of six local gardens, with master gardeners on hand to answer your questions. Tours are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. You can also visit a free flower show at the Riverside Elks Lodge, 6166 Brockton Ave., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the garden tour is $10, and children under 16 get in free. For more information, visit riversideflowershow.com.
Bungalow Heaven, a tree-lined neighborhood in Pasadena, is known for its substantial collection of Craftsman bungalows.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
April 26 The 35th Annual Bungalow Heaven Home Tour features self-guided walks through eight homes, with volunteer docents ready to share each home’s history and architecture. Although the focus is on architecture, many of the homes in the landmark district have lovely landscaped backyards that guests are welcome to visit and admire. McDonald Park will be lively all day with music, a silent auction of unique items, homemade cookies and local food trucks for lunch. It’s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $25 at bungalowheaven.org and available until April 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets on the day of the tour are $30 and can be bought at McDonald Park, 1000 E. Mountain St., starting at 9:40 a.m. Part of the proceeds will go to San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity to help those affected by the Eaton fire.
May 2 The Laguna Beach Garden Club’s 20th Gate & Garden Tour starts at the Bruce Scherer Waterwise and Fire-Safe Gardens, located at 306 3rd St. in Laguna Beach. Special buses will take ticket holders to visit several local gardens. You can buy Mexican food and artisanal margaritas and enjoy free homemade baked goods. Artists will be painting in some of the gardens, and if you wear a festive garden party hat, you’ll be entered in the club’s hat contest. Proceeds help fund school gardens, local scholarships and community projects. The tours run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please note that children are not allowed. Timed-entry tickets are $65.87 online, which includes entry between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., plus one food item and one drink. Find tickets at eventbrite.com.
A welcome sign at one of the garden’s in last year’s Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
May 2-3 The Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour: Real Gardens by Real People features self-guided tours of 34 gardens spanning Long Beach to San Clemente from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The tour is free, but donation jars will be set out at the gardens to support the Sheepfold, a crisis center for women and children that has long been the foundation’s annual tour beneficiary. For more information, visit heardsgardentour.com.
May 3 Inspired Garden Artistry invites you to the Blooms with a View Garden Tour, featuring 10 private home gardens in View Park, Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights and Baldwin Hills. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also enjoy the free Garden & Community Resource Expo at Ladera Park’s south entrance, 4750 W. 62nd St. during the same hours. The expo offers artisans, landscape architects, nurseries, local community services, food trucks, giveaways, a plant swap and fun activities for families. Tickets are $30 online until April 15 and $35 from April 16 through May 3. Kids ages 12 and under enter free. To learn more, visit inspiredgardenartistry.com.
Join the 28th Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Assn. & Hospice Camarillo Garden Tour and explore four beautiful Camarillo gardens from noon to 4 p.m. Artists from the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast will be giving demonstrations in at least two of the gardens. Tickets are $30 online, and all proceeds support the association’s hospice program in Camarillo. For more information, visit lmvna.org/gardentour.
May 9 The West Floral Park and Jack Fisher Park neighborhoods are hosting the 19th annual Open Garden Day, featuring tours of two tree-lined areas with vintage homes in North Santa Ana. Enjoy live music, art displays, garden talks and demonstrations, a classic car display, and free bottled water at the gardens. In the morning, you can buy coffee and doughnuts, and vendors will offer food and garden products from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tours run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a shuttle service between the two tour loops to help reduce wait times. Tickets go on sale online starting March 20 for $20, or you can buy them for $25 on the day of the event at West Santa Clara and North Westwood avenues in Santa Ana. For more information, visit opengardenday.com.
In 2024, visitors explored the garden of Dennis Mudd, the creator of Calscape, during the San Diego Native Garden Tour hosted by the California Native Plant Society.
(Silke Gathmann)
May 14 The 29th Newport Harbor Home & Garden Tour, hosted by Barclay Butera Interior Design, invites guests to explore six locally designed homes and gardens near Newport Harbor High School from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day begins with a morning reception at 9 a.m., followed by a luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and ends with a reception at Barclay Butera from 2 to 5 p.m. This event raises funds for the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation to help support academic programs and faculty at Newport Harbor High School. Tickets are available online for $125 until April 24 at newportharborhometour.com.
May 16 The San Clemente Garden Club’s2026 Garden Tour offers self-guided tours and live entertainment at several local gardens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can buy tickets online ahead of time for $40 each, or $35 each if you buy four or more. Tickets on the day of the event are $50. All proceeds help fund the club’s college scholarships, junior gardeners programs, local conservation groups and civic beautification projects in San Clemente. For more information, visit sanclementegardenclub.com.
A Matilija poppy grows in West Hills.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
May 17 The Rossmoor Woman’s Club is hosting its 22nd Garden Tour, offering self-guided visits to five or six private gardens in the Rossmoor-Los Alamitos area of Orange County, just north of Seal Beach. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be a marketplace with vendors and refreshments. Tickets cost $20 and will be available online in April or at the club’s outdoor marketplace at the Farmers & Merchants Bank, 12535 Seal Beach Blvd., on the day of the tour. All proceeds go to local charities and college scholarships for Los Alamitos High School students. For more information, visit rossmoorwomansclub.org.