CORRECTION: Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour dates
Note from Fountain Valley Living Magazine staff: In our article in the April issue of Fountain Valley Living Magazine, we mistakenly published the incorrect event dates. The correct dates are April 30-May 1, not May 5-6 as previously reported. Our apologies for the error. Below is the full article with corrections.
GREAT GARDENS

Seven FV gardens on this year’s Mary Lou Heard Tour
The Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour is set for April 30 and May 1 and will feature dozens of gardens, including seven in Fountain Valley.
The garden tour is a yearly, self-guided charity event held by the Mary Lou Heard Foundation, a non-profit organization. Its mission is to provide an opportunity for the public to enjoy the efforts and hard work of local gardeners and their residential landscapes.
There is no charge to take the tour. Donations received at the host gardens on tour days will go to Sheepfold, a shelter for women in crisis and their children.
Here’s a brief look at the seven Fountain Valley gardens on the tour:
Helen and Denny Bolen
8761 La Zana Court
Open Saturday and Sunday
The Bolens’ “cottage” features a variety of flowers, vines and roses. There are swings in the backyard with bower vines, which are inviting to young and old alike. The property features an English garden look with a wide variety of flowers and an array of pretend critters. Birds and butterflies love this place.
Randy and Andi Querry
17114 Buttonwood St.
Open Saturday only
The Querry front yard features a remodeled pond with goldfish and koi, and the whiskey barrel falls that circulate and filter the water have become the focal point. Twenty-two railroad ties have been used to create a raised bed vegetable garden.
Harva and Frank Carbone
9751 La Zapatilla Circle
Open Saturday and Sunday
The home is aptly nicknamed Rosehaven for its five rose beds in the front and back yards. A fountain is the front yard centerpiece. The back yard gets shade from citrus trees and features a dry creek bed of pebbles and wood bridge flanked by several types of ferns, aloe and grasses.
Kathy and Lynn Erickson
8557 Phoenix Ave.
Open Saturday only.
Kathy’s garden is her interpretation of an English garden and a Rosarian’s delight. As you enter the front, you are greeted by a variety of roses, dahlias, irises and seasonal annuals. The sitting area out front is a pleasant gathering place for neighbors and friends to share a glass of wine and enjoy the view.
Patty Debowski
17824 Santa Anita Circle
Open Sunday only
Meander down brick and gravel pathways to discover lush herbs, vegetables, flowers, strawberries and fruit trees. The garden features decorative raised beds with vegetables and herbs and is perfect for curling up with a good book or hosting a large family gathering or intimate wedding. Keep your eyes open for a large family of hummingbirds.
Debbie Freeman
9109 Cardinal Ave.
Open Saturday only
A white picket fence and bower arch of pink roses welcomes you into an English garden with hydrangeas, impatiens, daisies, tulips, roses, milkweed and geraniums. The quiet, tropical back yard features a playhouse, bench with shade tree, a barbecue pit with beautiful brickwork, a huge waterfall and a bar.
Jane Kamenster
9765 Red River Circle
Open Saturday only.
Designed around the idea that gardens are an extension of living space, the garden wraps around the house. There are two front rose gardens, a public one behind a rose arbor, and a private one tucked behind a custom wrought-iron gate. The house’s library opens to the “Library Garden,” with a koi pond, rose-filled parterres and fruit trees.
More information: heardsgardentour.com.