Thank you for joining us at the 2026 Corrales Garden Tour!
The 2026 Garden Tour featured five properties that offered helpful approaches to sustainable growing in our challenging environment. Sandoval Extension Master Gardeners were on-hand at each property to talk about specific sustainable features. In addition, experts were available to answer questions about topics such as integrated pest management and creating wildlife habitats. During the tour, there were talks on topics such as soil health to provide more information about sustainable growing. New in 2026 for tour goers was a take-home booklet featuring helpful articles about sustainability as well as property descriptions.
All properties on the 2026 Corrales Garden Tour offered beautiful spaces with an abundance of native and locally adapted plants, planted for visual interest, to attract pollinators and improve the soil or for all three reasons. Tour-goers enjoyed creative use of shade and unique solutions to the various challenges we face when growing in the desert southwest. There were even aliens!
A big thank you to our 2026 Garden Tour sponsors!
Janet Arrowsmith
Features of the 2026 Garden Tour
-
Tour-goers had an opportunity to learn about smart watering at one of the properties — linking your irrigation system to a smart controller weather app. If the winds are high, the smart controller can delay the use of pop-sprayers. If a freeze or rain is expected, the controller adjusts the watering schedule. The irrigation system on this property has been developed very thoughtfully for each of the 12 watering zones — there is much to learn.
-
Another property demonstrated rainwater capture. Multiple rain barrels capture rainwater runoff and direct overflow to two 2500-gallon in ground cisterns for future use. In other areas on the property, rainwater is channeled to flow into stream beds and retention areas. Mulch is spread on open areas for moisture retention. Careful plant selection allows for the most efficient use of rainwater on this property.
-
If pests tend to get the better of you, we had a property that attracts specific beneficial insects to handle the problem. This practice solved the problem of flies that can become a nuisance when you have horses on the property. The approach worked so well that when thrips became a problem, Minute Pirate Bugs were brought in and a habitat for them was created. The thrip problem went away. Enlisting Mother Nature’s support to solve garden problems is a useful approach, as you can avoid the use of harmful chemicals.
-
A two-acre property provided an abundance of fresh food for its residents as well as a habitat for wildlife. Situated on the Bosque, there is an orchard, raised beds with a variety of vegetables and numerous meadows and planted areas for the honeybees that are kept on the property as well as a wide range of pollinators that call the property home.
-
If food production is your interest, there was a farm on the tour that is housed on a residential acre and was an outstanding example of intensive growing. Using regenerative practices, this farm sells an abundance of fresh produce at two farmer markets during growing season. The farmer focuses on soil heath to create his abundant harvests while using a large variety of sustainable practices.
Would you like to become a supporter of the Corrales Garden Tour and education toward sustainable growing?