Beautiful blue skies, pristine cotton candy clouds, warm temperatures, and the occasional blustery breeze heralded not only the beginning of May, but also the beginning of the annual Pence Garden Tour. Started 17 years ago by then Director Edelgard Brundle and volunteers from the Pence Gallery, the Garden Tour is still a local favorite.

This year's tour boasted ten houses in the elegant and historic area of College Park. Located a stone's throw away from the University of California, Davis campus and downtown Davis, this cozy neighborhood is home to members of the UC Davis faculty and the Davis community.

While the unique homes and gardens in College Park were the main attraction of the Pence Garden Tour, other events were included for tour-goers. A first for the tour was the inclusion of local artists, who were busy creating and explaining their works of art inspired by the garden that hosted each artist. Other treats included in the tour were talks on the history of College Park and the historic trees of the area, and a silent auction featuring prizes from local area businesses.

While last year's tour saw an attendance of about only 250 visitors, this year's Pence Garden Tour exceed its expected attendance of 400, selling closer to 500 tickets!