ciao! newport beach

Monday, May 6, 2013

the Old-Town Tustin Home & Garden Tour

The McCharles House serves a delicious and charming
high-tea in their Victorian house
and old-fashioned garden.

Saturday was a gorgeous day here in Orange County. Perfect for the Tustin Historical Society who was hosting their 17th annual promenade of lovely historic homes and gardens. I had been on this tour once before, and was really looking forward to exploring this charming area again. This year they featured a lovely collection of historic homes, most of them built between the 1880's and the 1930's. The guides and hostesses were all so friendly and informative, and I could really feel the sense of pride they had for their neighborhood. I hope you enjoy some of my favorite things about this year's tour!

a pretty hollyhock greets visitors at the McCharles House.

The Pankey home is a 1928 Monterey Spanish Revival house,
and features the oldest surviving sycamore tree in the area.

Mrs. Pankey has lived in this house since 1956.
She is in the center posing with the
May Pole dancers from Tustin High School.

This is the Edgell home originally built in 1905.
It has doubled in size over the years.

A charming neighborhood home.

The Clifford house has a very creative garden
& front porch. This tall dresser was planted with
a variety of succulents and cottage flowers.

The porch of the Clifford house. The home was built in 1884
in the California Craftsman style.
Flamingos and Xanadu were the themes for this year's tour.

A pretty shaded chandelier adds drama to the black and
white porch. Pops of red brighten the space.

Another vignette of the cute porch with yet another dresser.
This one is planted in patriotic colors.

A whimsical fairy garden is a lovely surprise for visitors of the Clifford house.

Ready for guests at the Clifford house.

Charming roses are appreciated by all who walk by
this pretty little house.

A pretty quartet serenaded guests at the Johnson home.

All set up for lunch on the porch!

My favorite little vignette!

The Zell garden was expansive and featured this cozy outdoor fireplace.

A charming sitting area close to the garden and to the left of the fireplace.

A small children's playhouse
with a loft in the Zell garden.

This walking tour also offered the comfort of an old-fashioned buggy ride.

Pretty landscaping for this historic 1926 home.

Cheery succulents.

Happy birds must live here.

A lovely little mason jar vignette at the front door

A glamorous laundry room is always fun to see!

Another little fairy garden in the Berryman Cottage.

Pretty in pink

Another pretty Victorian.

The tour started right across the street from one of my favorite restaurants, Rutabegorz, so of course my friend Nancy and I ended our fun day with lunch there.