Homes and gardens on tour

The Genoa Home and Garden Tour will take place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 4 at locations around the town of Genoa. The cost for the event is $10 to benefit, in part, the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra.

The self-guided tour will take visitors through the Genoa Cemetery. This is a history lesson in itself as visitors can read the names of Carson Valley pioneers who came to work the land and found a final resting place at the foot of the Carson Range overlooking the Valley.

Located in the Genoa Lakes Golf Club community is the Ron Brown and Russell Blackburn home, where visitors will feel the peace of formal gardens leading up to a showcase of art inside the home. Blackburn, a painter of fine art, has decorated the interior with the ancient art of trompe l'oeil (to fool the eye) and faux marble while Brown is an expert in exotic plants and flowers.

Also open to the public on the tour will be the DellaVedova house, Willowbend and the Pratt House, known as the Genoa House Inn. The gardens around La Ferme as well as the gift shop, which was once a Pony Express station and bunkhouse for the Pony Express riders, are also scheduled in the tour.

While on the tour, take time for lunch at the Genoa Country Store with deli sandwiches made to order with homemade soups and salads.

Stop in the historic Genoa Bar, "Nevada's oldest thirst parlor" or browse one of the many galleries and antique stores. Other shops include Sugarplum Bakery & Treats for some homemade goodies for the sweet tooth.

There will be lectures on gardening on the front lawn of the Dake House, surrounded by the brilliant red poppies that show up so prominently all over Genoa at this time of year.

The Genoa Home and Garden Tour is a relaxing experience to savor on a warm spring day. For information or to purchase tickets for the event go to Web site www.genoaevents.com or call 782-4951.