The delicate pink polish on Karen Aitken-Bernosky’s
usually-manicured nails has begun to chip, and a Band-Aid covers
one of her thumbs, but the Gilroy-based owner of Morgan Hill’s Red
Roots Garden Company couldn’t be more pleased. Her personal
gardens
– a source of chipped polish, sore knees and great joy – will
soon be open to South Valley residents as part of the Gilroy
Assistance League’s first home and garden tour, and she wants to
make sure they look spectacular.
The delicate pink polish on Karen Aitken-Bernosky’s usually-manicured nails has begun to chip, and a Band-Aid covers one of her thumbs, but the Gilroy-based owner of Morgan Hill’s Red Roots Garden Company couldn’t be more pleased. Her personal gardens – a source of chipped polish, sore knees and great joy – will soon be open to South Valley residents as part of the Gilroy Assistance League’s first home and garden tour, and she wants to make sure they look spectacular.
Aitken-Bernosky, a landscape architect, spotted the home eight years ago when she was called to help a previous owner spruce up the existing landscape in preparation for sale. Instead, she made a pre-emptive offer and has been personalizing the 1950s Spanish style ever since.
“I like to call the plants I’ve used fiesta colors,” said Aitken-Bernosky. “They’re all bright, colorful plants like bougainvillea, geraniums, marigolds and birds of paradise, but there’s more to it than you realize. I counted it up, and I have over 250 varieties of plants around the house.”
The unique feeling incorporated into Aitken-Bernosky’s garden – an Indian fountain, a Thai umbrella of hand-painted weatherproof parchment and a brightly painted pair of deck chairs all pulled together by the overlapping greenery – is also reflected in the four homes set to be showcased during the Assistance League’s home tour this weekend. Each property captivates visitors with a portrait-ready blend of comfort and custom space that screams “steal this look,” while benefiting a good cause.
The Gilroy Assistance League, which benefits children’s and youth causes in the city, supplied more than $12,000 in grants to local programs last year using money the group’s 35 members had raised through charity work, according to league president Paula Goldsmith of Gilroy.
“We’ve given to quite a few schools, and this year we’ve given to St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s and the high school band and color guard,” said Goldsmith.
The league used to hold a golf tournament as its major fund-raiser for the year, but revenues began slowly slipping and members felt that the grant pool’s future would be best served by a new venture. They’ve tried other benefits in the past two years, said Goldsmith, but are hoping that the home and garden tour can become a well-known yearly event capable of sustaining the league’s charity goals.
“We toured and did research on some similar tours in Saratoga and San Jose, and we realized our group was a perfect fit,” said Goldsmith. “It’s not as time-consuming to organize and put on, but we kind of went into it knowing that the first year we’ll have to put out more money to get the word out there.”
This year’s tour will feature four homes in a gated development of custom homes known as “The Forest,” according to Janice Filice, a league member and one of the event’s organizers. Some 198 tickets have already been sold, but the league hopes to bring in more than 400 visitors between 10am and 3pm Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are $30 and may be purchased upon arrival at the event, which starts at Ascencion Solorsano Middle School in Gilroy. Shuttle service is mandatory and will take visitors over the age of 12 to the first home.
All other locations are to be reached on foot, with additional shuttle service available for those who are not capable of the downhill walk.
Homemade cookies and other refreshments will be served at the last home, but guests are requested to refrain from smoking, eating or taking photos during the tour.
For more information on the featured homes, see below. To place credit card reservations for the tour, call (408) 848-5106.
The rundown
What to look for in the houses featured in this weekend’s home
and garden show
The Palm Desert contemporary
6,005 sq. ft.
4 bedroom, 4 bath
Best feature: Windows. The home boasts 18-foot retail-style sliding glass doors that disappear to reveal 180 degree views of the Gilroy foothills beyond the back yard’s mosaic infinity pool.
Point of interest: Be sure to check out the master bathroom’s 40-million-year-old marble. There are fossils in the shower!
The Tuscan villa
6,200 sq. ft.
4 bedroom, 4 bath
Best feature: Entryway. The grand portal into the home is a glass and metal door-frame that took two and a half years to complete, and once beyond, guests should be sure to look up. Hanging just below the stained glass ceiling are two hand-painted silk chandeliers.
Point of interest: In keeping with the Italian feel of the home, the owner has installed a pizza oven in the back yard.
The classic country deck home
3,350 sq. ft.
4 bedroom, 3.5 bath
Best feature: Back deck. Sweeping views of the Gilroy foothills are accented by the home’s wrap-around deck, built around an oak tree.
Point of interest: The chandelier hanging in the entryway isn’t as new as this six-and-a-half-year-old house. It dates back to the 1920s and was created in Vienna, Austria.
The Japanese retreat
5,600 sq. ft.
3 bedroom, 3.5 bath
Best feature: Waterfall. Views
didn’t come built in to this piece of property, so the owner created his own. A thunderous waterfall dominates the back yard, creating a cool, relaxing area for outdoor lounging on raised patio nearby.
Point of interest: Japanese-influenced artwork is spread throughout the home, from the giant pewter front doors to the tasteful pieces displayed in the media room.
The hacienda gardens & courtyard
3,000 sq. ft. of flagstone pavers throughout the garden
Best feature: Courtyard. Visitors are immediately transported to another time at this scenic spot as the lush gardens surrounding the courtyard’s fountain give way to wide, curving porches that entice passersby to sit and stay a while, reflecting on the outdoor kitchen – a fireplace, grill, bread oven and sink – that has been converted to a chic display and seating area.
Point of interest: Just downhill from the sprawling back deck is a lavender-lined flagstone path, the perfect spot for an impromptu afternoon stroll to the home’s succulent garden.
