COEUR d'ALENE - Take time to stop and smell the roses July 14 when the Coeur d'Alene Garden Club presents its 16th annual Garden Tour, "Garden Delights."

"These are world-class gardens that could be in fine gardening magazines," said Garden Tour chair Bonnie Warwick, of Coeur d'Alene.

Warwick is a passionate gardener and helped create the first Garden Tour 16 years ago. She said she felt Coeur d'Alene had a need for something like this because of its numerous beautiful gardens.

"Our gardens are just exemplary, they really are," she said.

This year's tour will focus on five gardens, plus one surprise garden, that are as unique as the individuals who helped shape them.

From a multitude of plants, flowers, fruits, berries and vegetables to yard art, water features, recycled creations and quiet hideaways, there's a little something for everybody, and take-home ideas abound.

"They're not cookie-cutter gardens," Warwick said. "How boring would that be?"

Some gardens will host vendors, and poster artist Stephen Shortridge of the Painter's Chair Fine Art Gallery will be signing posters in garden No. 5.

Profits will be donated to Hayden Meadows Elementary Greenhouse, Kootenai Humane Society, North Idaho Violence Prevention Center, Children's Village, Elder Help, ICARE Children and Family Advocacy Center, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children, and Community Garden/Shared Harvest. A large portion of the proceeds will go to dual-enrollment scholarships for North Idaho College in partnership with Windermere Real Estate.

The self-guided tour goes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased at multiple businesses. They are $17 the day of the tour and available at Vanhoff's Nursery as well as all the featured gardens.

No smoking will be allowed in the gardens, and please no strollers or pets. Child supervision is required.

Start anywhere, just follow the signs and whirlygigs, and enjoy some garden delights.

Info: (208) 664-0987 or (208) 699-1175. Website: www.cdagardenclub.com