Night walk:

Docent Jim Jackson leads an evening tour of Descanso Gardens at 7:15 p.m. Participants must be at least 12 years old and should wear sensible shoes, bring a jacket and a flashlight. $15 ($10 members). 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Reservations requested: (818) 949-7980.

Beach living:

The 35th Annual "Sophisticated Snoop" self-guided tour of six homes in Manhattan and Hermosa beaches. Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets, $25. $30 tour days. For recorded information, (310) 379-4414, for questions, (310) 376-2318.

SATURDAY

Venice home tour:

The "Newly Hatched Homes in Venice" tour, held in conjunction with the annual Venice Art Walk & Auctions, includes residences designed by Marmol Radziner & Associates, Jennifer Siegal, Warren Wagner and others. Architects and developers will be on site. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. $75. Tickets on the tour day can be purchased at Westminster School, 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. www.venicefamilyclinic.org.

Route 66 tour:

A bus tour following in the footsteps of architectural critic Reyner Banham. Stops include an Irwindale gravel pit, the Aztec Motel and the Covina Bowl. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Departs from Philippe the Original, 1001 N. Alameda, downtown L.A. $55. www.esotouric.com.

Garden tour:

The Palos Verdes Woman's Club's annual spring garden tour highlights five private gardens on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $30 in advance, $35 on tour day. Lunch included. (310) 541-1237 or (310) 375-7207.

Bauhaus lecture:

Art historian Eleanor Schapa presents a lecture on "From Our House to Bauhaus," focusing on the art, architecture and design of the early 20th century German art school and its influence on modern household and industrial design. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. $65. To sign up, visit www.uclaextension.edu and type in "Schapa" in keyword search.

Organic gardening class:

Christy Wilhelmi of Gardenerd.com leads "Basics 3 -- Seed Starting, Transplants and Heirlooms," which explores starting seeds at home and how to nurse plants from seed to seedling. 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. $40. www.gardenerd.com.

SUNDAY

Huntington plant sale:

Thousands of rare plants will be offered at the Huntington’s 34th Annual Spring Plant Sale. There will also be a wide assortment of roses, camellias, orchids, bromeliads, palms, cactus, herbs, trees, shrubs, perennials and much more. 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Free. (626) 405-2100, www.huntington.org.

Glendale tour:

The Glendale Historical Society hosts a self-guided tour of 12 gardens to benefit a new cancer fitness program at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $25 in advance; $30 on tour day. Brand Library, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale. www.glendalehistorical.org, (818) 507-8969.

Pasadena Heritage tours:

The historical preservation group hosts two docent-guided bus tours: "Pasadena Japonisme" includes stops at the Tadashi Shoji Residence and the Storrier Stearns Japanese garden. The "Marston, Van Pelt and Maybury" tour will feature homes designed by the architectural firm, including the one that Garrett Van Pelt designed for himself in 1946. Tour times: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. $35 to $40. Reservations are required: (626) 441-6333, www.pasadenaheritage.org.

CONTINUING

Pasadena show house:

The Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Today and Friday, 9 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. $30 to $40. Shuttle service is available from the Rose Bowl. (626) 578-8500 or www.pasadenashowcase.org.

House of Design

: The 2008 Philharmonic House of Design features 23 spaces created by 27 designers from the Orange County chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. The featured house is an 8,500-square-foot Spanish-style custom home in the Crystal Cove community of Newport Coast. Today, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $35. Individual house pass allowing unlimited entries, $45. (714) 840-7542; www.asidocc.org.

Maloof exhibition:

"Sam Maloof: Essence of the Handmade" celebrates the master woodworker's life and work with a display of his furniture, photographs, models and drawings. Through Saturday. Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum, Cal State San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway. Free. (909) 537-7373.

-- Lisa Boone

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