More than in any year before, the La Jolla Historical Society’s 2026 Secret Garden Tour stands to be a choose-your-own-adventure event.
The annual fundraiser, planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, invites ticket-holders to view at least six diverse gardens. The locations, though a closely guarded secret until the day of the event, will include properties throughout La Jolla and will feature musicians, plein air artists and dining table designs.
There will be no Platinum Tour this year, which would feature a seventh bonus garden, lunch and buses to transport participants. Instead, guests can buy a ticket for a self-guided tour and customize the experience with add-ons.
One additional option is “Lunch and Learn,” which includes a buffet lunch at a historical site followed by a talk with a master gardener. There are two sessions for that experience: noon to 1 p.m. and 1-2 p.m.
Another option is a “bonus garden,” providing exclusive access to a seventh location.
Participants can purchase one or both add-ons.
“You can truly curate your own experience throughout the day,” said La Jolla Historical Society Executive Director Lauren Lockhart. “If they want to see four gardens and then stop for lunch, they can and then see the rest. You can spend as much time at each garden as you’d like. You might want to chat with a gardener or learn about a plant, or stop by each one and move on. It takes the experience to the next level.”
Tickets for the self-guided tour and Lunch and Learn are $45 per option for Historical Society members and $55 for non-members. Tickets for the bonus garden are $25.
For those who want to be driven, La Jolla Star Transportation and La Jolla Transportation Service are offering a discount for people who use the phrase “La Jolla Secret Garden Tour” when making a reservation to have a car and driver for the day.
Lockhart said the majority of the gardens on this year’s tour have never been on it before.
“We have an amazing range of styles, features and approaches to gardening,” she said. “Some are the passion projects for the property owners, others have worked with a landscape architect or designers, so it shows a diversity of gardens. … We have one that has won an award for its unique selection of plants and another that is Japanese-inspired and a meditative space that I think folks will be really impressed with.”
Event chairwoman Meg Davis said some of the gardens “have so many elements that can be adapted to various-size gardens and … one that is so whimsical.”
With many of the properties historically designated, “you get to see how the gardens reflect those [architectural] styles,” Davis added.
Proceeds from the event, one of the Historical Society’s key fundraisers, go toward its free public programs, school tours and preservation of its Wisteria Cottage gallery.
Volunteers are sought for the day of the event, primarily to greet tour-goers in the gardens, point out key features and help with registration.
To find out more or buy tickets, visit lajollahistory.org/secret-garden-tour. ♦