Desert Home & Garden Tour
Tour 4-6 selected private homes and gardens in Borrego Springs at your own pace!
2026 Desert Home & Garden Tour
Saturday, March 14, 2026
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Tickets are available online and in the ABDNHA Nature Center for purchase. Tickets purchased online will be available for pickup in the Nature Center after 48 hours of purchase.
2026 Ticket Prices Through Sunday, March 8, 2026 *
$28 General Public
$22 ABDNHA Member
$18 ABDNHA Volunteer
* Early Bird Prices ($2 off per ticket)
2026 Ticket Prices After Sunday, March 8, 2026 **
$30 General Public
$24 ABDNHA Member
$20 ABDNHA Volunteer
** Regular Prices
Important things to know:
- No dogs or strollers, please!
- Gardens may have uneven ground and/or steps. Wear sturdy walking shoes.
- Tickets are non-refundable.
- You can pick up purchased online tickets at the ABDNHA Nature Center. Please allow 48 hours for processing.
- No tickets will be mailed after February 27.
- Tickets can be ordered online through March 13.
- On the day of the tour, March 14, you can purchase your tickets at the Nature Center.
- There will be a will-call station to pick up tickets that were purchased online.
Special note to ABDNHA Members:
Show your garden tour ticket on tour day in the ABDNHA Nature Center and receive 20% off most purchases!
Explore four private homes and gardens at your own pace
Casa de Rojas: House the Color of a Borrego Sunset
Located in the Rams Hill community, this home was awarded San Diego Home & Garden
Magazine’s “Home of the Year” in September 2019. It sits on a one-acre lot with 360-degree desert views, including a glimpse of local landmark Font’s Point through the trees. With a reddish-orange exterior and turquoise accents, the southwestern-style home stands out yet blends into its landscape of mature trees and native plants. Around the property, you will find Pink Fairy Duster, Agaves, Mexican Bird of Paradise, String Bean Acacia, Mesquite, Palo Verde, Yucca, Ocotillo, Cacti, and Brittlebush.
Inside the house are many rustic, native, and southwestern-style touches. Decorations range from a set of longhorns in one bedroom to copper sinks and a watermelon-eating Katschina in a bathroom. The casita is compact yet functional, with a microwave and mini-fridge cleverly hidden behind twig-covered doors. Outside, you will find a huge outdoor fireplace with comfortable seating, an outdoor barbecue, a jacuzzi, and a beautiful pool.
Historic Farm: Revitalization in Progress
Once an equestrian estate for thoroughbreds, the 23-acre property is in the process of becoming a sustainable, organic farm with a farm store. A tour has something for everyone, whether you are an animal lover, interested in desert farming, or Borrego history. The circular drive features a large Mexican fountain. Enter the house, built in 1975, and step into a great room with a tall, beamed ceiling, a huge fireplace, a pool table, and a Saltillo tile floor.
A wall of windows and sliding doors opens to the pool area, surrounded by raised garden beds filled with tomatillos, okra, squash, tomatoes, herbs, and peppers. In addition, the Lavender Orppington laying hens produce pastel-colored eggs available for sale. Several rescued and adopted animals also live here. Tom Brady and Helen Keller are curious, adventurous goats. Then there is Kevin Bacon, a 200-pound pig. The family of friendly donkeys will likely come to greet you.
The Glad Ranch: Mid-Century Modern with Room to Roam
What began as Sam Fortiner’s gladiola farm in the 1940s transitioned to a citrus orchard in the 1970s when the “funeral” flowers fell out of fashion. The 79 acres are now empty of commercial plantings, yet offer views of nearby citrus orchards still in operation. Situated on the way to Coyote Canyon, views include Henderson Canyon and the Santa Rosa and San Ysidro mountains.
The steel, glass, and concrete mid-century home was built in two phases, designed by architect Lloyd Ruocco. The first phase began in 1949, after the previous home burned. It was featured in Redbook in 1951. Ruocco returned in the early 1960s to add the more luxurious primary bedroom suite. A screened breezeway connects the two parts, creating an open-air feel for the main living space. As you walk through the atrium to the pool area, notice the sculptural Texas Olive tree next to the cedar fence. New plantings include a Caesalpinia cacalaco, a winter-blooming evergreen tree with yellow flowers.
The Last Resort: Rustic Western, Native Plants, and Incredible Views
In their 15 years of ownership, this artistic couple has created a fun outdoor space sprinkled with a variety of found, gifted, repurposed, and created items. Discover quirky items scattered throughout the property—from giant, teal-colored eggs displayed in a huge nest to metal sculptures tucked in shrubbery, to even small surprises in dish gardens. A waterfall, springing from a hand pump, provides a soothing soundtrack. Many trees were started from seed. This one-acre property appears much larger due to the wise use of open space, broad views of the Santa Rosa and Vallecito mountains, and an unobstructed view of Font’s Point across the vacant land.
Stucco walls in front and a courtyard in the back provide privacy, while a cushioned swing, crafted from a former bench, offers an inviting place to relax. The Southwestern-style house is compact yet comfortable and functional, filled with the couple’s creative touches. Attached to the house is a “catio” built from a converted carport, giving their cat, Dave, a safe, almost outdoor space. A tiny bunkhouse built in the previous RV parking space offers another little hideaway. The workshop in the property’s back corner is where their creative magic happens.
