With many citywide festivals and events in Austin, few are located in North Austin. One neighborhood group is setting out to change that while finding a way to boost garden programs at area schools.

The North Austin Coalition of Neighborhoods, which represents neighborhood associations in the 78753 and 78758 ZIP codes, is hosting the inaugural North by North Austin Garden Tour on June 1 with gardening classes taking place June 2.

"It's a part of town people wouldn't [always] think of coming to for fun and recreation unless they live here," said Sara Breuer, who serves on the tour's planning committee and has a garden on the tour.

The idea for a North Austin garden tour came out of a discussion last summer about how to help both NACN and the North Austin Community/School Alliance, which also focuses on schools in the 78753 and 78758 ZIP codes, because the two organizations often work together, NACN President Mary Rudig said. Furthermore, residents also wanted a better avenue to find gardening information.

"People have brought up needing to have more resources for gardening on this end of town," she said. "If you want to see a demo garden, you have to drive down to Zilker [Botanical Gardens], you have to drive down to the [Lady Bird Johnson] Wildflower Center. There's not really a lot of classes up there."

The tour showcases 13 home gardens, one community garden on Wells Branch Parkway and four school gardens, including those at Lanier High School and Redeemer Lutheran School. Activities on June 2 include a watershed tour in the North Star Greenbelt, which will start at 11635 Parkfield Drive. Garden classes at the North Austin YMCA, 1000 W. Rundberg Lane, will involve discussions on native plants of Texas and gardening with less water as well as a garden photography session.

Breuer said gardens on the tour are in various stages of development, with newer and older gardens featured as well as gardens that use native plants and vegetables.

"Mostly people will be able to come and see gardens that really are an expression of the gardeners," she said.

Proceeds from the ticket sales benefit nonprofit Austin Voices, which will distribute the funds to the North Austin Community/School Alliance for garden projects at Wooldridge Elementary School, Burnet Middle School and Lanier High School. Rudig said the goal over time is to create an annual event as well as demonstration gardens at the schools using native plants and xeriscaping, which reduces the need for water.

"We kind of solve two problems at the same time," she said. "We have some demo gardens if people want to see what it's like to be xeriscaped and if they want to see what it's like to have a native and wildflower habitat, and at the same time we fix the landscaping."

NACN is hosting a meeting June 14 from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the North Austin YMCA, to discuss what kind of projects to do at the schools. Projects will be completed in October when it is the best time to plant, Rudig said.

The tour is $10 and will be from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. June 1. To purchase tickets, visit nxna.ticketbud.com/nxnagardentour. NACN is also looking for volunteers, and anyone interested may email [email protected].