Find local news and events related to real estate, interior design, home improvement and gardening. This week includes a walking tour of the Professorville neighborhood on Oct. 3, assistance in transforming a dead lawn into a low-water garden on Oct. 3, a cheesemaking course on Oct. 4 and a water-saving technique class on Oct. 10.
NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS … Stroll along and learn about Palo Alto’s neighborhoods during Palo Alto Stanford Heritage’s fall walking tours. The first walk guides participants through Professorville on Saturday, Oct. 3, starting at 10 a.m. Tour guide Gail Woolley will meet walkers at 1005 Bryant St., Palo Alto. Other free fall walks will tour College Terrace on Oct. 10, Crescent Park on Oct. 17, Professorville again on Oct. 25 and Homer Avenue on Nov. 7. Self-guided tour brochures are also available on the organization’s website. Info: Palo Alto Stanford Heritage
DEAD LAWN … Convert a dead lawn into a low-water garden with the help of Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County on Saturday, Oct. 3, 10-11 a.m., at the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, which is on Center Road near Martin Street in Palo Alto. This free class offers residents information about lawn removal, drip irrigation and low-water plants. Info: Your Lawn Is Dead: Now What?
CHEESE TO PLEASE … Turn fresh milk into a wheel of brie on Sunday, Oct. 4, 1-4 p.m. at Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills. Cheese instructor Louella Hill, known locally as the San Francisco Milk Maid, teaches participants about what type of milk to use, where to buy cultures and how to complete the aging process. After making brie, the class will use the remaining whey to help create ricotta cheese. The class also includes a Hidden Villa tour, an animal meet and greet, and a cheese tasting. The $80 ticket includes the class, recipes, brie for at-home aging and tastings. The event is open to anyone 16 years of age and older. Pre-registration closes on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 5 p.m. Info: Hidden Villa
WATERWISE RESIDENTS … Discover water-saving techniques for the garden on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, in the Community Room at the Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Road. This class offered through the City of Palo Alto is free, but space is limited. So, for those who want to learn about low-maintenance, water-efficient landscapes, sign up early. Info: City of Palo Alto workshops