Have you been up to Crest Drive in Encinitas, about where it intersects Birmingham Drive? I quickly realized they named it Crest Drive because that means it's the highest point, the pinnacle, apex, etc. - so true about this location, with its magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean.

You were already ahead of the game if on Saturday, April 30th, you were anywhere near Encinitas, CA, the weather being sunny and a perfect 75 degrees. If you happened to attend the Encinitas Garden Festival, this year hosted on Crest Drive in Encinitas, it only got better from there.

Each year's Encinitas Garden Festival offers a self-guided walking tour of a variety of private gardens, a Gardeners' Marketplace with garden-related products including plants, tools, and garden art, and lots of great food. talks on gardening Talks and educational exhibits are offered by a variety of experts.

Here were some of my favorite things:

I admit I'm big into fire-pits and, along with a bottle of red wine, how they get the conversation flowing. I'm not sure if it's the fire or the wine that acts most like a truth serum. But the combination together is spot on.

No dream garden can go without a water feature. The one on the left my wife loved so I'll by shopping for that one shortly.

Aren't these cool gates! What a great way to set a tone when entering a property.

Here were some great places to sit and relax.

Serendipitous findings: Look at this volleyball court (right by a fantastic pool and cabana, no less); Bocce Ball court (I love how the outline of the court is marked by stones); and notice how the community garden notes explain how to protect your crop from both underground and above ground.

When you are inspired do you ever get carried away? There were so many fantastic properties on Crest Drive I found myself taking a real estate flyer for a 1 acre corner lot for sale on Crest Drive. My mind was spinning on what this "Great Gatsby like" property would look like after I got done with it. How our family would play on the Volleyball court, then proceed over to the Bocce Ball court, glancing down to the Pacific Ocean......finally picking our vegetables for our dinner salad- not a rabbit or gopher to be found in the garden since I had been schooled on how to avoid those types of problems in this perfect little set-up I had going on in my head.

Sign up to receive information about the 2012 Encinitas Garden Festival & Tour by clicking here.

I hope to see you there.