Liberty Lake garden tour Saturday

Liberty Lake’s garden tour offers big ideas for growing vegetables and flowers in small spaces.

On Saturday, five gardens in Liberty Lake, Greenacres and Otis Orchards will showcase a mix of landscapes with ideas galore.

“We’re seeing more and more people that are downsizing and want to utilize small spaces,” said Jan Harris, an organizer of the event. “People can certainly get some good ideas.”

Visitors can walk away with helpful hints for watering vegetable plants, getting rid of nasty potato beetles and more.

One garden makes creative use of small and unusual-shaped spaces with a mix of vegetables surrounded by perennials. Another large and parklike yard will be the setting for lunch, which is offered for an additional fee by Market Cafe.

“There is one yard that is so serene and peaceful. It has an Asian influence,” said Harris.

This is the sixth year for the garden tour, which has attracted as many as 400 participants and raises money for Friends of Pavillion Park. The group uses proceeds for a mix of community projects, including providing summer entertainment at the park and awarding scholarships to local graduates.

A Master Gardener booth will be staffed with experts who hand out information and answer tough gardening questions.

Fourteen featured artists will display a combination of watercolors, willow furniture, glassworks and other pieces of art, and several artists will demonstrate pottery and painting techniques.

Local musicians will perform, adding a bit of ambiance to each garden.

Tickets cost $10 and are available at Pavillion Park, at the corner of Country Vista Drive and Molter Road, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A boat tour around the perimeter of the lake is offered, and Harris suggests that people who are interested in the water tour arrive at the park early to sign up for a time.

Two Hummers will transport guests from the park to the lake, and area businesses have kicked in free coffee and treats that will be offered at different locations.