events

THE 2012 EVENTS CALENDAR features more open garden days than ever (May, June and August); more workshops than before (including writing workshops with my sister, Marion!); lectures I’m co-organizing that feature garden-writing stars like Page Dickey and Ken Druse, and talks I’m giving as far afield as Maryland, Vermont and more. Hope to see you here, there and everywhere. The scoop:

Notes:

All lectures by me, except as noted, are on “Nonstop Plants: Making a 365-Day Garden,” and include book-signings.
Back this year: Container-garden workshops co-taught with Bob Hyland, here at the garden.
New this year: I am helping organize some guest garden lectures locally—including by superstar garden authors Ken Druse (August 18; a lecture and workshop) and Page Dickey (March 17)—and those are listed in my calendar this year. I hope to see you at them!
Also new: I will be co-hosting memoir-writing workshops with my sister, Marion Roach Smith, author of “The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life.” For anyone with a story to tell. First one: March 31.
To inquire about hosting a lecture and signing event, in person or virtually (by Skype), email awaytogarden [at] gmail [dot] com.
For garden clubs: There are a limited number of prime dates available for garden visits, and for group workshops; email awaytogarden [at] gmail [dot] com for availability, costs and other information for custom events.

The 2012 Events:

FEBRUARY
Monday, February 13, 11:30 AM: lecture for Farmington Garden Club Founders’ Fund Celebration meeting, at Hill-Stead Museum Makeshift Theater, 35 Mountain Road, Farmington, CT; free admission.

Saturday, February 25, 1 PM: lecture for Germantown Public Library, Germantown, NY, at 31 Palatine Park Road.

MARCH
Thursday, March 1, 9:30 AM: lecture for Pleasantville Garden Club, in the social hall at Presbyterian Church, 400 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY.

Wednesday, March 7, noon: garden-to-table talk and Q&A for James Beard on Books series, at James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, NYC Tel: 212-627-2308 for reservations.

Saturday, March 17, 3:30 PM: guest lecturer and leading garden author Page Dickey to speak on how-to’s and inspiration from 30 years of gardening. Event to benefit Friends of Taconic State Park, in Copake, NY. I was the speaker in 2011 for the inaugural benefit event–including lecture, and wine and hors d’oeuvres reception to celebrate the start of spring, and am co-hosting but not lecturing. Registration details. Come join us!

Saturday, March 31: daylong “Memoirama” writing workshop co-led with my sister, Marion Roach Smith, author of “The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing, and Life,” and longtime writing teacher. Jumpstart your creative process, whether to document a family story to hand down or to get a memoir published. $165 including catered lunch and a signed copy of her book. Registration and full details.

APRIL
Tuesday, April 3, 1:30 PM: lecture and tea for Greens Farms Garden Club, at Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield, 2325 Burr Street, Fairfield, CT. Reservations by email to pbgjwg [at] aol [dot] com; no charge.

Tuesday, April 10th, 7:30 PM: lecture for the Horticulture Society of Maryland’s monthly series, at Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Avenue, Baltimore, MD. $10 non-members; members free. No advance reservations required.

Friday, April 13, 1 PM: lecture and annual tea for Clematis Garden Club, at Greenville Public Library Community Room, at 8 North Street (Rt. 32), Greenville, NY. No charge; no reservations required.

Thursday, April 19, 7 PM: lecture for Great Neck (New York) Public Library adult program. (Details to follow.)

Thursday, April 26, 11 AM: luncheon and benefit lecture for the scholarship fund of Hunterdon Hills Garden Club, at Fiddler’s Elbow Golf Course, Far Hills, NJ. Tickets $50 (details to follow).

MAY
Saturday, May 5, 11 AM: Lecture at the Williamstown (MA) public library, for the Williamstown Garden Club.

Saturday, May 12, 10 AM to 4 PM: Garden Conservancy Open Days at my garden. Details and directions closer to the date on the Open Days site. Depending on how spring evolves, this should include many flowering trees and shrubs (apples, crabapples, lilacs) herbaceous perennials and ephemerals. I have never opened the garden for this early moment of bloom before. Admission, $5 donation to the Conservancy.

Sunday, May 20, two sessions (9:30-12 noon, and 1:30-4 PM): Contained Exuberance: container-gardening workshop at my garden (Copake Falls, NY) in collaboration with Bob Hyland of Loomis Creek Gardens design firm. $45 includes beverages and snack. Registration and class details.

JUNE
Saturday, June 2, 10 AM to 4 PM: Garden Conservancy Open Days at my garden. Details and directions closer to the date on the Open Days site. This is usually an allium-perennial Geranium-rhododendron moment, and lots more. Admission, $5 donation to the Conservancy.

AUGUST
Saturday, August 18, 10 AM to 4 PM: Copake Falls Day and Garden Conservancy Open Days at my garden, following a guest lecture by Ken Druse (separate fee). Ken will also teach hands-on workshops (separate fee) during the day. Details, lecture and plant-propagation workshop registration, and directions closer to the date here and on the Copake Falls Day and Open Days sites. Admission to open garden, $5 donation to benefit the Conservancy and Friends of Taconic State Park, which surrounds my garden; no re-registration needed for garden visit only.

OCTOBER
Thursday, October 18, 11:30 AM: luncheon and lecture for Woodstock Garden Club, at Woodstock Inn and Resort Golf Club, Route 106, Woodstock, VT. Woodstock Garden Club members only.

2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013, 12:00 PM: light luncheon and lecture for West Hartford Garden Club, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford, CT. Tickets $10 for guests.

2011 Events

LECTURES AND READINGS coincided with the February 2011 publication of “And I Shall Have Some Peace There.”

Friday, October 1, 2010: New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) event (to the trade), Providence, RI.
Saturday, February 19, 2011: Lunch and lecture to benefit Berkshire Botanical Garden, Monument Mountain Regional High School, Great Barrington, MA.
Thursday, March 3, 7 PM: Event at R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, CT.
Saturday, March 5, 2 PM: Lecture to benefit Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA (details to follow).
Tuesday, March 8, 5:30 PM: Gibson’s Bookstore, Concord, NH.
Saturday, March 12, 7:30 PM: Oblong Books and Music, Millerton, NY.
Wednesday, March 16: Lecture to benefit Wave Hill, New York City.
Saturday, March 19, 4 PM: Lecture and reception to benefit Friends of Taconic State Park, Copake Falls, NY.
Sunday, March 20, 2 PM: Event at Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot, CT, (860) 868-0525.
Saturday, March 26: Lecture at annual Garden Symposium, Mercer County (N.J.) Master Gardeners.
Tuesday, March 29, 7:00 PM: Lecture and signing at New Canaan Library, hosted by Elm Street Books, New Canaan, CT, (203) 966-4545.
Saturday, April 2: Lecture and signing, Maine Festival of the Book, Portland, ME, an event of MaineReads.
Saturday, April 9, 3-5 PM: Reading and signing at Hammertown, Pine Plains, NY.
Saturday, April 9, 8-10 PM: Memoir-writing panel called “Too Much Information” at Woodstock (NY) Writers Festival.
Saturday, April 23, 11 AM: Reading and conversation at Market Block Books, Troy, NY.
Thursday, May 5, 7 PM: Reading and conversation at Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY.
Saturday, May 14, 9-11 AM: Garden Q&A’s and book signing at Trade Secrets, Sharon, CT. I will be at the Hammertown booth.
Saturday, May 14, 7 PM: Lecture and signing at Northshire Books, Manchester Center, VT.
Sunday, May 29, noon: Garden lecture to benefit the Farmers’ Museum of Cooperstown, NY, at Sharon Spring (NY) Library, details to come.
Sunday, June 5: Lecture and signing at 200th Anniversary Event of Comstock, Ferre Seeds, Wethersfield, CT; reserve a free ticket.
Saturday, June 25: Lecture, 9 AM, preceding Hidden Gardens of Spencertown, NY, tour event, benefiting Spencertown Academy.
Sunday June 26, 11:30 AM to 2 PM, Lecture at Roe Jan Park’s second annual benefit garden luncheon, at the Hillsdale (NY) Fire House. Reservations required; roejanpark [at] gmail [dot] com.
Saturday, July 30: Benefit lecture in Lake Placid, NY, organized by The Bookstore Plus. (Details to follow.)
Friday, August 5, 6-9 PM: 15th Sharon (CT) Summer Book Signing, Hotchkiss Library of Sharon.
Saturday, August 20: 8:30 AM lecture and 10 AM to 4 PM open garden, part of 4th annual Copake Falls (NY) Day. Lecture details/tickets. Or: Other event details.
Thursday, September 8: Lecture, Upper Red Hook (NY) Garden Club, 12:30 PM. (Details to follow.)
Thursday, September 22, 7:30 PM: Lecture for Connecticut Horticultural Society, Emanuel Auditorium, West Hartford, CT.
Wednesday, October 26, 7 PM: Lecture to benefit Planting Fields Arboretum, Long Island. At the Hoffman Center, 6000 Northern Blvd, Muttontown, LI. Tickets: (516) 922-8676. $10.