2026 Garden Gate Tour
Tickets go on sale April 15 here on our website.
Our 2026 Garden Gate Tour is Saturday, June 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The tour will showcase seven privately owned local gardens in Fayetteville, as well as the Washington County Master Gardeners project site at the Washington County Cooperative Extension Service Office. Ticket holders can expect much more than lush gardens however as the tour is packed with opportunities to increase plant knowledge and try new techniques. Subject matter experts will provide information and answer questions on soil testing, composting, beekeeping, food preservation, water quality, soil blocking, and landscaping with native plants. Home canners are invited to bring their canner lids for safety testing. Guests will be able to observe a raised garden bed being built and lend a hand if they wish. Drawings at the end of the day include chances to win a rain barrel, rain gauge, and one of the two raised garden beds built that day.
Tour passes are $20 each and will be through secure online purchase here on our website beginning April 15 and continuing through June 6 (the day of the tour). Tickets may also be purchased by cash or check at the Washington County Extension Office, 2536 N. McConnell Drive, Fayetteville, during these times:
- June 4, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
- June 5, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- June 6, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
The tour is self-guided. You may begin the tour at any location. View a Google Map showing the garden tour locations.
MAP KEY (All locations are in Fayetteville.)
- A Love of Gardening Shared by Two. 3750 N. Pine Manor Drive
- Washington County Extension Office. 2536 N. McConnell Avenue. Tour day ticket sales at this location. (Cash, check, or online credit card)
- Fresh Start. 411 W. North Street
- The “O-Fish-All” Oasis. 422 W. Cleburn Street
- Lucky Old Sun Garden. 215 E. Davidson Street
- Welcome Garden. 220 E. Lafayette Street
- A Window Without Walls. 425 N. Olive Avenue
- Jardin Aceituna. 603 N. Olive Avenue
Please note:
- There are no public restrooms at any of the private garden locations.
- Each tour participant age 12 and over will need to purchase a pass.
- Many of the private gardens are not accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, and wagons.
- The tour is not recommended for those with limited mobility due to uneven terrain and unpaved walking paths.
- We love pets, but please leave them at home with a nice chew toy on the day of the tour.
- The tour will be held rain or shine. Tour pass purchases are non-refundable.
Proceeds from the Garden Gate Tour go to support educational programs for the public on topics of interest to gardeners.
Questions? Email greenthumbs@wcmgar.org.
DOWNLOADABLE/PRINTABLE TOUR INFORMATION
Gardens on the Tour
This mother-daughter duo invites you to explore the gardens they’ve created together, each with its own personality. A cottage garden bursting with color, fragrance, and charm. A perennial garden that features hardy plants with a mixture of textures, heights, and hues that transform throughout the seasons, and the newest addition of a carefully designed native garden focusing on attracting song birds and other pollinators.
3750 N. Pine Manor Drive, Fayetteville
Map location 1
WASHINGTON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE GARDENS
The Extension Office gardens are a project of the Washington County Master Gardeners (WCMG). The gardens include a variety of flowering plants, vegetables, grasses, shrubs, and small trees suited for Northwest Arkansas. WCMG’s Compost Demonstration Site on the Extension Service campus will also be open for self-guided tours. Extension Service staff will be on hand to discuss a variety of resources for home gardeners, including gardening fact sheets, soil testing, plant disease diagnosis, food preservation, and water quality best practices (rain barrels, rain gardens, planting natives, integrated pest management). Also, representatives from Washington County 4-H Clubs and the Washington County Fair will be available to share ways that kids and adults can become involved with gardening-related activities and events. Last but not least, WCMGs will be conducting a raised garden bed demonstration build throughout the day. Register to win one of two raised beds that will be given away at the end of the day!
2536 N. McConnell Avenue, Fayetteville
Map location 2
The homeowner purchased this, his first home, in 2025. He recalls, “I fell in love with this special place because of its proximity to Wilson Park, the tree-filled lot, and the unique design not seen in today’s newly built homes.
“One thing that was missing though was landscaping. There were amazing trees and a few misplaced shrubs, but there was not much thought put into the front and back yard. It only took a call to my mom (who is a Master Gardener), and the landscape design process began.
“After removing plants, redrawing the beds, doing a soil test with the Washington County Extension Office, adding amendments, selecting over 150 plants, placing and planting the new plants, we were moving in the right direction. This new landscape, although very young, adds so much to the character of my home. With shade gardens using a variety of ferns, heucheras, hostas, and astilbes, there is always something to enjoy. The backyard continues shade gardening with an added feature of a hugelkultur bed. There is a little sun on the east side of my home which shows off a variety of native plants. With a new landscape, I must remember, ‘First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap.’”
411 W. North Street, Fayetteville
Map location 3
The homeowners have enjoyed their urban oasis in the wonderful Wilson Park neighborhood for the last eleven years. With four children and seven grandchildren all living within two blocks of each other, it was important to create an outdoor area with personal, serene, and relaxing details for all ages to enjoy.
They describe their gardens as an eclectic, compact, and verdant small space. The area prioritizes the views from chairs on the wrap-around porch where so much family time is spent. With Wilson Park only a block away, the family chose to emphasize plants and flowers over playground equipment.
Adding to what was existing, they have used familiar, hardy plants to create a more “grounded” and sustainable sanctuary. The garden is a masterclass in using reliable favorites to create a sense of calm. It leans on soft textures (lamb’s ears) and nostalgic scents (lilacs) to turn a simple yard into a secluded escape.
Large clusters of hydrangeas provide cloud-like blooms in the summer, while hostas fill the shady corners and stone wells. The crape myrtle provides a centerpiece to the garden and welcomes a variety of bird friends. Native coneflowers and black-eyed Susans add pops of cheerful yellow, attracting butterflies and bees that add a hum to the “O-Fish-All” Oasis.
422 W. Cleburn Street, Fayetteville
Map location 4
The homeowner says, “I bought this house in the summer of 1999. Part of the terraced garden by the street existed, and I expanded it across the length of my property. A big tulip poplar shades most of my front yard, and I planted dogwoods on the west side. I especially love my window boxes and fill them seasonally.
“The backyard is very shady, and I have planted over one hundred hostas. I added rock borders and paths. The brick patio, built using historic bricks made in Coffeyville, Kansas, was a welcome addition, along with my vintage metal patio furniture. A couple of the patio chairs belonged to my great grandparents, and my other grandparents were from Coffeyville. I also love to add flea market finds to my garden.”
215 E. Davidson Street, Fayetteville
Map location 5
The homeowners explain, “When we were children, our grandparents’ homes welcomed us with white picket fences, gravel driveways, honeysuckle-covered arbors, and tall hedges of rhododendron, lilac, and boxwood. Inside the gates, flower beds were full of color and fragrance, alive with butterflies, bees, and birds singing. We ran barefoot through the grass, wove dandelion garlands, and chased fireflies beneath the stars.
“As adults, we’ve often longed for the lightness and joy of those gardens. Three years ago, inspired by those memories—and by Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language, Douglas Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home, and Akira Miyawaki’s ”Urban Forest Method”—we began to create our own ‘Welcome Garden.’ On our half-acre lot, we fenced, tilled, and planted with the hope to create a garden space where all who pass by—people and wildlife alike—might pause a moment to enjoy the warmth, color, and welcome that our grandparents shared with us.”
220 E. Lafayette Street, Fayetteville
Map location 6
This garden is an extension of the owners’ home and lifestyle. Traveling to France together for the past four decades has provided inspiration from the French gardens of the Loire Valley. The garden path on the south side of the house is a work in progress, experimenting with perennials both in sun and shade. French garden antiques are tucked in here and there that recall various adventures in France–a nineteenth century iron pump with a gargoyle spout, a hand-carved stone fragment adorned with pomegranates, garden tiles from a French convent, a carved stone chapel from Normandy. A bit of haphazard planting along the path leads to the formal French parterre garden, a “window without walls.” The parterre garden is an architectural, structured garden. Order is imposed while simplicity reigns. Miniature manicured boxwoods define the four parterres filled with colorful annuals that change every year. The stone window in the center came from a manor house in Normandy and was erected as the lighted centerpiece of our garden. A window with no boundaries or barriers, a relic of the past where we can reflect on travels of bygone days and adventures of the future.
425 N. Olive Avenue, Fayetteville
Map location 7
Jardin Aceituna (“Olive Garden” in Spanish) arose from a dream. The homeowners mused, “What if we could shield ourselves from the road and create natural paradise for all: the bees and butterflies, the birds and bunnies, and of course, people.” From basic ten years ago to beautiful today, Jardin Aceituna is proof that any urban/suburban yard can become a life-filled space of color and texture. Relying on both native and non-native plants, the owners created first the deer-proof enclosed vegetable garden, then moved on to further reduce lawn in the backyard by planting a wildscape for fireflies. After seeing how inspiring this bit of variety was not only to adults, but also to children at play, the couple killed all the lawn east of the sidewalk and replaced it with a native prairie—which has vigorously persisted, despite complaints from a few neighbors and the City of Fayetteville. Taking the rabbit’s-eye view philosophy, the garden aims to fill all available space with plants, using “green mulch” as ground cover, opting for rhizomatous and re-seeding perennials, and over-seeding with colorful annuals for spontaneous drifts that change year to year.
603 N. Olive Avenue, Fayetteville
Map location 8
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your Washington County Extension Office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
2026 Garden Gate Tour
Tickets go on sale April 15 here on our website.
Our 2026 Garden Gate Tour is Saturday, June 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The tour will showcase seven privately owned local gardens in Fayetteville, as well as the Washington County Master Gardeners project site at the Washington County Cooperative Extension Service Office. Ticket holders can expect much more than lush gardens however as the tour is packed with opportunities to increase plant knowledge and try new techniques. Subject matter experts will provide information and answer questions on soil testing, composting, beekeeping, food preservation, water quality, soil blocking, and landscaping with native plants. Home canners are invited to bring their canner lids for safety testing. Guests will be able to observe a raised garden bed being built and lend a hand if they wish. Drawings at the end of the day include chances to win a rain barrel, rain gauge, and one of the two raised garden beds built that day.
Tour passes are $20 each and will be available through secure online purchase here on our website beginning April 15 and continuing through June 6 (the day of the tour). Tickets may also be purchased by cash or check at the Washington County Extension Office, 2536 N. McConnell Drive, Fayetteville, during these times:
- June 4, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
- June 5, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- June 6, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
The tour is self-guided. You may begin the tour at any location. View a Google Map showing the garden tour locations.
MAP KEY (All locations are in Fayetteville.)
- A Love of Gardening Shared by Two. 3750 N. Pine Manor Drive
- Washington County Extension Office. 2536 N. McConnell Avenue. Tour day ticket sales at this location. (Cash, check, or online credit card)
- Fresh Start. 411 W. North Street
- The “O-Fish-All” Oasis. 422 W. Cleburn Street
- Lucky Old Sun Garden. 215 E. Davidson Street
- Welcome Garden. 220 E. Lafayette Street
- A Window Without Walls. 425 N. Olive Avenue
- Jardin Aceituna. 603 N. Olive Avenue
Please note:
- There are no public restrooms at any of the private garden locations.
- Each participant age 12 and over will need to purchase a ticket.
- Many of the private gardens are not accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, and wagons.
- The tour is not recommended for those with limited mobility due to uneven terrain and unpaved walking paths.
- We love pets, but please leave them at home with a nice chew toy on the day of the tour.
- The tour will be held rain or shine. Tour pass purchases are non-refundable.
Proceeds from the Garden Gate Tour go to support educational programs for the public on topics of interest to gardeners.
Questions? Email greenthumbs@wcmgar.org
DOWNLOADABLE/PRINTABLE TOUR INFORMATION
Gardens on the Tour
This mother-daughter duo invites you to explore the gardens they’ve created together, each with its own personality. A cottage garden bursting with color, fragrance, and charm. A perennial garden that features hardy plants with a mixture of textures, heights, and hues that transform throughout the seasons, and the newest addition of a carefully designed native garden focusing on attracting song birds and other pollinators.
3750 N. Pine Manor Drive, Fayetteville
Map location 1
The Extension Office gardens are a project of the Washington County Master Gardeners (WCMG). The gardens include a variety of flowering plants, vegetables, grasses, shrubs, and small trees suited for Northwest Arkansas. WCMG’s Compost Demonstration Site on the Extension Service campus will also be open for self-guided tours. Extension Service staff will be on hand to discuss a variety of resources for home gardeners, including gardening fact sheets, soil testing, plant disease diagnosis, food preservation, and water quality best practices (rain barrels, rain gardens, planting natives, intergrated pest management). Also, representatives from Washington County 4-H Clubs and the Washington County Fair will be available to share ways that kids and adults can become involved with gardening-related activities and events. Last but not least, WCMGs will be conducting a raised garden bed demonstration build throughout the day. Register to win one of two raised beds that will be given away at the end of the day!
2536 N. McConnell Avenue, Fayetteville
Map location 2
The homeowner purchased this, his first home, in 2025. He recalls, “I fell in love with this special place because of its proximity to Wilson Park, the tree-filled lot, and the unique design not seen in today’s newly built homes.
“One thing that was missing though was landscaping. There were amazing trees and a few misplaced shrubs, but there was not much thought put into the front and back yard. It only took a call to my mom (who is a Master Gardener), and the landscape design process began.
After removing plants, redrawing the beds, doing a soil test with the Washington County Extension Office, adding amendments, selecting over 150 plants, placing and planting the new plants, we were moving in the right direction. This new landscape, although very young, adds so much to the character of my home. With shade gardens using a variety of ferns, heucheras, hostas, and astilbes, there is always something to enjoy. The backyard continues shade gardening with an added feature of a hugelkultur bed. There is a little sun on the east side of my home which shows off a variety of native plants. With a new landscape, I must remember, ‘First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap.’”
411 W. North Street, Fayetteville
Map location 3
The homeowners have enjoyed their urban oasis in the wonderful Wilson Park neighborhood for the last eleven years. With four children and seven grandchildren all living within two blocks of each other, it was important to create an outdoor area with personal, serene, and relaxing details for all ages to enjoy.
They describe their gardens as an eclectic, compact, and verdant small space. The area prioritizes the views from chairs on the wrap-around porch where so much family time is spent. With Wilson Park only a block away, the family chose to emphasize plants and flowers over playground equipment.
Adding to what was existing, they have used familiar, hardy plants to create a more “grounded” and sustainable sanctuary. The garden is a masterclass in using reliable favorites to create a sense of calm. It leans on soft textures (lamb’s ears) and nostalgic scents (lilacs) to turn a simple yard into a secluded escape.
Large clusters of hydrangeas provide cloud-like blooms in the summer, while hostas fill the shady corners and stone wells. The crape myrtle provides a centerpiece to the garden and welcomes a variety of bird friends. Native coneflowers and black-eyed Susans add pops of cheerful yellow, attracting butterflies and bees that add a hum to the “O-Fish-All” Oasis.
422 W. Cleburn Street, Fayetteville
Map location 4
The homeowner says, “I bought this house in the summer of 1999. Part of the terraced garden by the street existed, and I expanded it across the length of my property. A big tulip poplar shades most of my front yard, and I planted dogwoods on the west side. I especially love my window boxes and fill them seasonally.
“The backyard is very shady, and I have planted over one hundred hostas. I added rock borders and paths. The brick patio, built using historic bricks made in Coffeyville, Kansas, was a welcome addition, along with my vintage metal patio furniture. A couple of the patio chairs belonged to my great grandparents, and my other grandparents were from Coffeyville. I also love to add flea market finds to my garden.”
215 E. Davidson Street, Fayetteville
Map location 5
The homeowners explain, “When we were children, our grandparents’ homes welcomed us with white picket fences, gravel driveways, honeysuckle-covered arbors, and tall hedges of rhododendron, lilac, and boxwood. Inside the gates, flower beds were full of color and fragrance, alive with butterflies, bees, and birds singing. We ran barefoot through the grass, wove dandelion garlands, and chased fireflies beneath the stars.
“As adults, we’ve often longed for the lightness and joy of those gardens. Three years ago, inspired by those memories—and by Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language, Douglas Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home, and Akira Miyawaki’s ”Urban Forest Method”—we began to create our own ‘Welcome Garden.’ On our half-acre lot, we fenced, tilled, and planted with the hope to create a garden space where all who pass by—people and wildlife alike—might pause a moment to enjoy the warmth, color, and welcome that our grandparents shared with us.”
220 E. Lafayette Street, Fayetteville
Map location 6
This garden is an extension of the owners’ home and lifestyle. Traveling to France together for the past four decades has provided inspiration from the French gardens of the Loire Valley. The garden path on the south side of the house is a work in progress, experimenting with perennials both in sun and shade. French garden antiques are tucked in here and there that recall various adventures in France–a nineteenth century iron pump with a gargoyle spout, a hand-carved stone fragment adorned with pomegranates, garden tiles from a French convent, a carved stone chapel from Normandy. A bit of haphazard planting along the path leads to the formal French parterre garden, a “window without walls.” The parterre garden is an architectural, structured garden. Order is imposed while simplicity reigns. Miniature manicured boxwoods define the four parterres filled with colorful annuals that change every year. The stone window in the center came from a manor house in Normandy and was erected as the lighted centerpiece of our garden. A window with no boundaries or barriers, a relic of the past where we can reflect on travels of bygone days and adventures of the future.
425 N. Olive Avenue, Fayetteville
Map location 7
Jardin Aceituna (“Olive Garden” in Spanish) arose from a dream. The homeowners mused, “What if we could shield ourselves from the road and create natural paradise for all: the bees and butterflies, the birds and bunnies, and of course, people.” From basic ten years ago to beautiful today, Jardin Aceituna is proof that any urban/suburban yard can become a life-filled space of color and texture. Relying on both native and non-native plants, the owners created first the deer-proof enclosed vegetable garden, then moved on to further reduce lawn in the backyard by planting a wildscape for fireflies. After seeing how inspiring this bit of variety was not only to adults, but also to children at play, the couple killed all the lawn east of the sidewalk and replaced it with a native prairie—which has vigorously persisted, despite complaints from a few neighbors and the City of Fayetteville. Taking the rabbit’s-eye view philosophy, the garden aims to fill all available space with plants, using “green mulch” as ground cover, opting for rhizomatous and re-seeding perennials, and over-seeding with colorful annuals for spontaneous drifts that change year to year.
603 N. Olive Avenue, Fayetteville
Map location 8
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your Washington County Extension Office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.