The club sells tickets and maps to the 10 sites (8 private spaces plus 2 public) for $30. Because the historic district never has enough parking for residents and visitors, you'll want to leave your vehicle behind and stroll between the locations.

"No, this isn't my house," says the hostess at the first garden on the tour. "I'm just planted here today." The tiny space, no more than 20 x 20 feet, mesmerizes us with its beauty.

"Size is not important," she notes. "Visitors like to come into a small garden and say, 'I can do that.' "

Miniature grasses create little sculptures before us. Confederate jasmine cascades over the walls alongside loquat trees heavy with fruit. Along the ground, shady borders hold thick cast-iron plants.