Community Gardens Celebrated
- Jill Gartman | President, Del Mar Garden Club
On a sunny Saturday morning, Del Mar came alive with the sights, scents, and stories of its public gardens as the Del Mar Garden Club hosted its first-ever Community Gardens Day on May 9th — a date Mayor Tracy Martinez officially proclaimed Del Mar Garden Club Community Gardens Day.
A crowd of residents and visitors joined the free, self-guided walking tour, which wound through five public gardens across the city from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day drew gardening enthusiasts and curious newcomers eager to discover what’s blooming in their own backyard.
The tour began at Del Mar Civic Center, where attendees picked up maps and fresh succulent cuttings from the Girl Scout Succulent Library, and saw the caterpillars at the Monarch Butterfly Pollinator Garden.
From there, participants strolled to the Del Mar Community Building Succulent Garden on 9th Street, where they learned the simple art of propagating succulents and received ladybugs to release in their own home gardens. The Del Mar Library’s Drought Tolerant Garden drew attendees for a presentation by Dr. Michael Simpson, SDSU Professor Emeritus and club member. The Library also presented the Del Mar Garden Club with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of its years of support of the Del Mar Library and its mission in the community.
At the Post Office Shade Garden on 15th Street, UC Master Gardener Mary Friestedt and fellow members fielded questions on plant care and identification — and sent visitors home with rose-scented geranium clippings. The final stop, Crest Rim Park’s Native Garden along Crest Road, offered a peaceful close to the tour and a deeper look at the native plants that sustain Del Mar’s coastal ecosystem.
Throughout the day, participants took part in a scavenger hunt and searched the gardens for unique plants and features — including Pincushion Protea and other distinctive specimens highlighted on the tour map. Those who completed all the gardens turned in their maps for a free scoop of ice cream at Saffron & Rose.
Founded in 1988, the Del Mar Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that contributes to the beauty of Del Mar. To learn more or donate to support Del Mar’s public gardens, visit delmargardenclub.org.