A Spring Garden Tour Goes ‘Beyond the Gates’
By Rebecca Yerger
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — With spring in its full glory, the gardens of Napa Valley are blooming. On Saturday, May 18, from noon to 4 p.m. the St. Helena Historical Society and Napa County Landmarks are co-hosting a self-guided tour of nine exceptional St. Helena gardens ranging from traditional to trendy in style and design.
It will be a celebration of the joy of the season and nature as well as the history and historic architecture that create and define the unique character of St. Helena. With nine of the 10 featured landscapes being private properties, this event is providing a rare and privileged opportunity to look “Behind the Gates.”
“They’re all stunning but in different ways,” said Mariam Hovanesian Hansen, St. Helena Historical Society research director. “Surrounding a Victorian house built in 1880 are lush grounds reminiscent of the secret gardens of that era. Another property features a recently updated midcentury-modern residence. Its landscaping of succulent gardens was designed by Jonathan Plant.”
Hansen singlehandedly scouted and recruited all of the properties for the event.
“Another property is a residence built in 1989,” she said. “It fits well into the neighborhood of historic homes. Its garden includes three large palms, a pool and small gardens similar to English knot gardens with little formal hedges. Those intricate hedges are a signature detail of Eleanor Crebs, the landscape designer for the property.”
Hansen went on to detail some of the unique attributes of the other properties open for the event.
“One property is a late 19th-century winery converted into a residence. Its front garden is beautiful. Near this former winery is another Victorian era home, a Queen Anne in style. It has a showpiece of a flower and vegetable garden in the front yard.”
While the landscaping reflects the personality of the owner, the design of a historic property is a significant contributor to its overall sense of time and place.
“Imagine stepping into a secret garden right here in St. Helena,” said Christine Madrid French, Napa County Landmarks executive director. “It’s like walking through a live storybook.”
She said the lush, shady grounds of one late-1800s home, “transport the visitor to a Victorian secret garden of shady patios, chickens, bunnies, cottages and birds in large cages.”
Close by is yet another garden, also secret but in a different sort of way. This large lot in the middle of its block is almost hidden from view. Its extensive outdoor living and entertaining spaces with present-day amenities, are entirely secluded. This outdoor sanctuary and most of the other featured properties on the tour are located on the west side of Main Street in St. Helena’s historic residential neighborhoods.
“They are all clustered together so the visitor can easily walk from one garden to the next,” Hansen said. “The exceptions are located on Main Street, a residence near Madrone to the north and Farmstead south and east of the primary tour area.”
In addition to Main Street, the event area includes Allyn, Hudson, Spring and Tainter streets.
The only commercial property to be showcased as part of the tour, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch features the architecturally iconic dwelling historically known as the Logan House. This 1878 Gothic Revival residence is surrounded by extensive gardens. Event ticket-holders will also be able to patronize the Farmstead cafe, which is open until 2 p.m., as well as its restaurant and bar.
While the event attendees can tour the gardens in any order, the first stop for all will be the St. Helena Historical Society and Heritage Center located at 1255 Oak St. on the former Catholic school campus. Tour participants will check in and receive their official event wristband and brochure here.
“While at the check-in site, on behalf of the St. Helena Historical Society, I invite everyone to visit our museum,” Hansen said.
Each property will feature knowledgeable docents who will share details about the property.
“It’s not just about the gardens,” Hansen said. “The visitors will also learn about the architectural style and history of the properties.”
For example, one of the homes served as a dance studio during the early 20th century. Here, according to an ad, one could learn tap, character, Hawaiian and ballroom dancing.
As for the building designs, the architectural character also offers variety in both styles and sizes. They range from classic Victorian-era styles, such as Gothic Revival and Queen Anne, to midcentury-modern and an ecologically sensitive newer construction residence. Their scale also varies from the cozy cottage to grand mansion. The residences, however, will be closed during the event.
“When we started planning the garden tour with the St. Helena Historical Society, we just wanted to highlight the beautiful spots around here,” French said. “But it turned into something more — a real community celebration of what makes this place special. There’s history, but there’s also this incredible spring energy that makes you happy to be outside.
“This tour is going to be fantastic,” she concluded.
The “Behind the Gates” garden tour tickets are $35 in advance for Landmarks and St. Helena Historical Society members and $40 for the general public as well as on the day of the event. To purchase tickets in advance visit Eventbrite.
The organizers advise ticket holders to please wear comfortable clothing and low-heeled shoes as well as to bring your own water to assure your enjoyment of this special self-guided garden tour.
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Rebecca Yerger is a historian, writer, columnist and Napa Valley native.
Nice article! I am looking forward to the tour.