How it all Began . . .
Started in 1993 by Sandy DeAngelis, in the living room of her home on Victoria Drive, Floral Park’s annual Home & Garden Tour showcases the broad range of architectural home styles and gardens that are the hallmark of this magical neighborhood. Over 200 neighborhood homes are listed on the Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties. Since the first Home & Garden Tour in 1993, more than 200 homes and gardens in Floral Park have been open to visitors from the United States and throughout the world.
In the early 1920s, during one of California’s building booms, developers began constructing homes in a wide variety of styles influenced by European architecture brought home by returning soldiers from World War I, as well as the international influences of Hollywood movies. The Floral Park area became an eclectic collection of building styles including Beverly Hills Bungalow, Hacienda, Spanish Eclectic, Mediterranean Villa, Mission, Farmhouse, English Tudor, French Normandy, Colonial, Federal, Georgian, Cape Cod, California Ranch, Storybook and Art Deco.
The tree-lined streets of the neighborhood capture the spirit of a simpler time from a bygone era. Once blanketed by orange, avocado, and walnut groves, a few original farmhouses can still be seen throughout Floral Park, and the sweet smell of orange blossoms still fills the air. Whether experiencing a stroll through the beautiful vintage homes and gardens, searching for antiques and collectibles on our Street of Treasures, viewing the classic automobile display, or enjoying a snack at the food and drink concessions, attendees will surely leave the Floral Park Home & Garden Tour with nostalgic memories of a day well spent.
Located in the northern tip of Santa Ana, Floral Park and its homes have been featured in publications such as The Orange County Register, Orange County Home, Orange Coast, Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, Southern California Home and Outdoor, The LA Times, and OC Metro.
Floral Park was named “Best Neighborhood” in the Orange County Register’s 14th Annual People’s Choice Best of Orange County, and “Neighborhood of the Year” in 2005 by Neighborhoods USA (NUSA), primarily as a result of the annual Home & Garden Tour and its example of what a volunteer effort can bring to building a community.