This year's Garden Tour is coinciding with one of the best desert wildflower blooms in many years in the Anza-Borrego Desert.

We have eliminated one location, the Vintage RV Village, because its location on Palm Canyon Drive presents safety concerns with the heavy traffic coming into town and the large numbers of garden tour visitors who would be crossing and walking on the highway in that busy location. We are erring on the side of safety in making this decision.

Five of our remaining six gardens this year are in the southern part of the Borrego Valley. You can start your tour at either end but if you start in the south, with the "Pumpkin House" you will be in good position to enjoy five gardens, (including 2 homes) in the surrounding area with easy driving and parking for all of them.

The sixth garden/home, "El Alamo" is on the north side of the Borrego Valley. If you avoid Palm Canyon - Christmas Circle and take either Borrego Valley Road or Di Giorgio Road to the north side of the valley, you can bypass much traffic and also get closer to some of the better wildflower areas, which you may want to include in your tour.

There are several routes into Borrego Springs and the area with the most delays this past weekend was Montezuma Grade on S22.

As with any desert trip - bring plenty of water for everyone, bring snacks, wear a hat, and wear sensible shoes for walking.