Sometimes garden walkers get so busy rushing from house to house or worrying about parking that they don't slow down to appreciate a garden's big picture. That's especially important when approaching a house, suggests Goeddeke-Richards, who is home horticulture program coordinator for the Macomb County Michigan State University Extension. Certain tours have master gardeners or master composters, in addition to the home owners, at several stops. These trained volunteers can answer plant questions and may offer publications, such as brochures from the MSU Extension. This year, the tour will be in the Grosse Pointes, including a water garden outside a Lake Shore Drive estate that has a 6,000-gallon pond, waterfalls, boulders and plantings in the middle of a circular driveway.
Some people like to choose their garden tours based on the area.
An upscale neighborhood with big gardens can be awesome.