Next Saturday, garden lovers can take a short drive to northern Pacific County to view five unique gardens in the Menlo and North River areas.

“Visions of Paradise” is the theme of the 20th annual garden tour sponsored by the WSU Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties. The gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for self-guided tours.

Each of the five gardens is designed and maintained by the owners. There is much to inspire visitors at each unique property.

After 30 years of gardening in Texas, the owner of one garden shifted his focus in 2004 to his Menlo property. He initially planted over 1,000 trees and installed French drains, which now fill the 1-acre pond from the hillside and house gutters. He also displays a noteworthy collection of Japanese lanterns, as well as striking sculptures.

A second garden in Menlo shows off food production. The backyard is devoted to year-round food gardening in raised-bed hoop houses. Aronia berry, currants and gooseberries are grown in a hügelkultur bed — a type of permaculture bed grown atop rotting wood, twigs and branches that would otherwise go to a landfill or be burned. Other beds are devoted to trellised grapes, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.

The third Menlo garden, found atop a long gravel driveway, shows off the delight the owners found with the stone pavers and stone flowerbeds they saw during a 2006 trip to Paris. These elegant lines show up in the changes the owners made to their garden upon their return. Visitors to this garden will appreciate its easy-maintenance design, the work the owners did themselves, the water feature and the Burkhalter climbing rose.

A charming cottage garden on the Willapa River includes a stunning potting shed that was constructed from cedar either salvaged or grown on the property and milled by the garden owners. This garden reflects 29 years of work, with extensive plantings and garden accents. It is an ever-evolving work of “peaceful self-expression,” say the owners.

From Grays Harbor County, the first — or last — stop on the tour will be the historic North River Resort. No longer used as a resort, this garden is cultivated by a WSU Master Gardener and her husband. The riverfront property incorporates an extensive vegetable garden that emphasizes companion planting, as well as a brilliant seasonal collection of flowers on the porch. Visitors who stop at the gazebo will also find plants for sale that have been collected from Master Gardeners in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties.

Tour tickets include a map with directions to each of the sites, and directional signs at each property will lead visitors to the gardens. The tickets are available for $12 at Marshall’s Garden &Pet in Aberdeen; Harbor Drug &Gifts in Hoquiam; Valu Drug in Montesano; the Elma Variety Store; the Rose Cottage in Grayland; Galway Bay/Celtic Imports and Mermaid Cove, both in Ocean Shores; Dennis Co. and Everyone’s Video &More, both in Raymond; and Elixir Café and Floral Design in South Bend.

Proceeds will go to the WSU Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties Master Gardener Foundation for community education projects.

Mary Shane, an Emeritus Master Gardener, lives just west of Montesano.

The Glen Verber garden in Menlo includes many large sculptures.

Tim and Amy Kredlo’s property in Menlo is devoted to year-round food gardening in raised-bed hoop houses.