Don't fret - this is not a photo from the garden tour - just my neighbor's yard! The Annual Grand Valley Garden Tour is MUCH more interesting and unique. And, if you're any kind of a gardener, this tour is one way to take in tons of gardening tips and ideas while touring the Grand Valley - which is gorgeous this time of year.

The longest-running garden tour on the western slope of Colorado is Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. each day.

The tour consists of five stunning private gardens and two public ones. Innovative garden ideas abound, as well as creative solutions to common problems. (Hmm... I wonder if they would be able to come up with a solution for someone who has a hard time remembering to water living things?!)

A focus of this year's tour is xeriscape (no, not zeroscape as I called if for a few years!) You might be surprised at what you can do with a very low-water-use garden. They're often very lush and colorful. And the tour is a great way to find out how others have accomplished a successful xeriscape garden so you can try one for yourself.

Visit as many or as few gardens as you'd like throughout the day. And the really cool thing (did I date myself there?) is that Master Gardeners will be at all locations offering ideas and answering questions. Musicians creating a mood and artists painting the gorgeous gardens are an added bonus at several of the gardens.

The tour begins at either the Western Slope Botanical Gardens or the Gardens and Arboretum at Colorado State University Extension Office. Tickets (which you can buy there) are just $10 each, and you'll get a book and map of the tour with your ticket.

For more info, call the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens at 970-245-9090. And - in the meantime - happy gardening!