WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO SEE, WHEN TO SEE IT

In addition to Mary Heim’s garden, five others will be open during the fourth annual “Through Our Garden Gates Tour” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted. Experts from the community will speak on numerous garden topics throughout the day. In Mary Heim’s garden, 4159 Chickasaw, presentations include “Irises” at 9:15; “Rain Barrels” at 11; “Growing Roses the Easy Way” at 1. Experts on roses will be available to answer questions from 9 to noon. In Joyce Lubin’s garden, 4532 Laurelwood, droughttolerant plants such as yuccas, palm trees and succulents share space with more familiar varieties such as azaleas, aucubas, hostas and mandevillas as well as pollinatorattracting natives. Each room of the house has a view of a beautiful part of the garden. Presentations there include “Cactuses and Succulents” at 9:15 and “Container Gardening with a Tropical Flair” at 11. Jamie Acor, an expert on raising chickens in the backyard, will be on hand to answer questions from 1 to 2. Deborah Pittman’s 1.5-acre garden at 306 St. Andrews Fairway features a front lawn flanked by large beds filled with hydrangeas and roses. Visitors will also see garden rooms defined by brick walls, an allee of crape myrtles, a vegetable and herb garden and a pond with a bridge leading to an informal woodland. Presentations include “Algae: Controlling the Green Stuff” at 9:15; “Best Peony Information” at 11 and “Adding a Window Box to Your Garden” at 1. Barbara Pierce’s garden at 7898 Cross Pike in Germantown displays the concept of “lasagna gardening” in the front yard with deep beds created by piling up layer upon layer of organic material. A variety of sun-loving perennials grow beyond their usual size in that fertile soil. Much of the backyard is taken up by a pool but with room for beds filled with hydrangeas and other shade lovers on three sides. A path meanders throughout. Programs there include “Wildlife in the Garden” at 9:15; “Shades of Green” at 11 and “A Recipe for Lasagna Gardening” at 1. Martha Drannon’s garden at 8596 Woodlane in Germantown is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a haven for all kinds of creatures who enjoy the wooded property. Winding paths make transgressing all its wonders easy. Presentations scheduled are “Growing Herbs for the Kitchen” at 9:15 and 11 and “Miniature Fairy Gardens” at 1. Dixie Johnson’s garden at 2427 Oak Trail in Germantown is also certified by the National Wildlife Federation. With borders planted with bulbs, annuals, perennials and more than 65 hydrangeas, something is almost always in bloom. The mirrored window on a tin roof shed makes the garden feel even larger than it is. A presentation on “Hydrangea Care and Selection” will be at 1. Master gardeners will answer plant questions all day, and extension horticulturists will do a meet-and-greet from noon to 1.