Spring is in the air, and there are few better ways to celebrate the season than by engaging in a garden walk. The Dana Unit auxiliary of Rady Children’s Hospital is celebrating the season Saturday, April 26 with its seventh annual Point Loma Garden Walk. Proceeds from the event will benefit Children’s Hospital’s craniofacial services.
“Garden walks are popular in this town this time of year,” said Cordelia Mendoza, co-president of Dana Unit auxiliary. “It supports a good cause and it’s fun to see what other people have done with their yards. It’s very inspiring.”
Dana Unit auxiliary is one of 20 auxiliary units in San Diego County. The group of 40 members advocates for the health of children, increases awareness of the Children’s Hospital and assists the hospital in fund-raising.
The walk will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and self-guided tours from 3215 Tennyson St. will include 11 homes. There will also be a boutique with vendors and a bake sale. Mendoza said she expects between 850 and 1,000 people to attend.
On the tour, visitors will get the chance to see 11 distinct yards and gardens. Two of these homes will also open their doors for visitors to take a look inside.
“One is a beautiful, large Mediterranean that they restored “” it was built in 1924,” Mendoza said. “The lot has a beautiful view of San Diego Bay and downtown San Diego.”
The boutique will feature vendors who will donate a portion of their profits to Dana Unit. One of these groups is the Point Loma Garden Club, which will hold its annual garden sale as part of the boutique. Lynlee Austell, programs and publicity chair for the club, said the sale will include a variety of plants.
“It ranges from vegetables and flowers to landscape plants,” Austell said. “They’re usually relatively unique things “” things that you don’t always find in the local nursery.”
Mendoza said last year’s event raised $20,000 for Children’s Hospital, but that the goal for this year’s walk is to raise between $25,000 and $30,000. The money, which comes from ticket sales, boutique sales and corporate sponsors, will benefit Rady Children’s Hospital’s craniofacial services, which treats various deformities of the face and skull.
“It doesn’t go into a general fund “” it actually benefits the kids,” Mendoza said. “They’ll usually buy a piece of needed equipment.”
Tickets for the Point Loma Garden Walk can be purchased prior to the event for $15 from Dana Unit auxiliary or Point Loma Garden Club members. They can also be purchased at Walter Anderson Nursery, 3642 Enterprise St. in Point Loma; Cottage Antiques, 4873 Newport Ave. in Ocean Beach; or by calling (619) 223-4374. Tickets the day of the walk are $20 and can be purchased at 3215 Tennyson Ave.
For more information on the event, visit www.pointlomagardenwalk.com.