I’VE JOINED FORCES with my most talented, beloved neighbors to make the 2019 garden season kickoff a must-visit—and to celebrate the release of the all-new 21st anniversary edition of “A Way to Garden,” my first (and again now my latest) book.
On Saturday, May 11, join me and Adam Wheeler of Broken Arrow Nursery in my garden for tours and a giant plant sale, plus select from among an entire day of plant-themed offerings celebrating both herbs and flowers: seedling sales, herb cooking and flower arranging and growing and mushroom growing classes, and even a mushroom walk. Plus, in a slide talk, learn how to attract my favorite garden companions, the birds!
pre-order a box lunch; come picnic!
WE’LL EVEN have box lunches from our favorite local chefs at CrossRoads Food Shop in Hillsdale and Copake General Store in Copake for pre-order to make your day run smoothly. Come sit in the garden and picnic, or do so in one of our local parks. Get the menu and order a box lunch here.
pre-order a box lunch; come picnic!the day’s schedule
EACH LISTING BELOW includes a link for full details of that event, plus ticket purchase. Again: no ticket needed for 10 AM-4 PM garden visit at Margaret’s, or Broken Arrow plant sale. Also: Each event is limited in size–so they are likely to sell out well in advance.
9 AM: lecture by Margaret Roach on Gardening for the Birds, at Church of St. John in the Wilderness, 261 Route 344, Copake Falls ($20, or pre-order the book, above, for $30 and get a free ticket!). Details and tickets.
10 AM-4 PM: Margaret Roach garden open, plus Broken Arrow Nursery plant sale, Copake Falls; suggested donation at door to the Garden Conservancy, but no reservation required (and no donation to just attend plant sale). (Directions to the garden, in tiny Copake Falls, NY, 12517, will be on the Garden Conservancy Open Days website.)
plant sale pre-orders welcome!
WANT something extra-large or extra-special, or a whole flat or something, perhaps? Adam Wheeler and Broken Arrow Nursery at your service! Call ahead for help/garden advice to Broken Arrow, (203) 288-1026, and tell them to put your purchase on the truck May 11 for pickup at Margaret’s garden. Browse their website here. ORDER CUTOFF DATE WEDS. May 8.
10 AM-5 PM: Organic vegetable, herb and flower seedling and dahlia tuber sale: vegetable/herb starts from Mx Morningstar Farm, plus annual flower transplants and dahlia tubers from Tiny Hearts, at 2643 Route 23, Hillsdale, and next door at HGS Home Chef. Also: Discount Farm Cards from Mx Morningstar for use anytime in the season for produce from their stand in Claverack, NY, or at the Gt. Barrington (MA) Farmers Market.
about the farm cards
BACKSTORY: Since 2014, Max Morningstar’s and Maria Zordan’s MX Morningstar Farm has been producing high-quality organic vegetables in Copake. In 2019, Max and Maria are purchasing and reviving the former Hawk Orchards farmstand in nearby Claverack. Support the rebirth of this iconic stand by purchasing a Farm Share Card, redeemable in Claverack or the Gt. Barrington (MA) Farmers Market. Order now (or buy a card May 11).
10 AM-11:30: Arranging with Spring Flowers workshop by Jenny Elliott, at Tiny Hearts. $75. Participants of this hands-on class will create their own arrangements to take home of seasonal, locally grown flowers and foliage, straight from the farm. Details and tickets.
10:00 AM-11:30: Easy Ways to Grow Mushrooms, Indoors and Out, with John Michelotti of Catskill Fungi, at HGS Home Chef. $65. Go home with a countertop container prepped to grow oyster mushrooms that you create yourself, and the knowledge to grow much more. Details and tickets.
11 AM-1:30 PM: Cooking with Herbs with Alexandra Stafford, at HGS Home Chef, $80. SOLD OUT. Alexandra Stafford, cookbook author and popular blogger at Alexandra’s Kitchen, teaches techniques and recipes that illustrate the impact of fresh garden herbs. Full lunch follows class. Info and tickets.
1-2:30 PM: Growing Knockout Dahlias, $15. SOLD OUT. Dahlias are a late summer-fall Tiny Hearts Farm. Jenny, THF head farmer and dahlia fanatic, details the growing process, including planting tubers, feeding, pinching, and staking, harvest and vase-life tricks, and fall digging and storage. Tubers for sale, too. Info and tickets.
2-4 PM: Cooking with Herbs demo, with “Food & Wine” Culinary Director-at-large and cookbook author Justin Chapple, $60. Justin demonstrates simple but wonderful recipes that harness the power of fresh summer herbs. Enjoy a tasting following class. Info and tickets.
2-4 PM: Mushroom Walk with John Michelotti, in Copake Falls, NY, $25. SOLD OUT. Catskill Fungi founder John sees fungi everywhere, and he’ll help you discover them on a walk in Margaret’s garden and the gorgeous roadsides beyond. Not to be missed. Info and tickets.
p.s. — nearby berkshire botanical garden sale may 11, too!
And there’s even more! Our friends at Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge, MA, are having their giant spring plant sale May 10-11! It’s a scenic 30-minute drive away … so many plants, so little time. : )
can’t join us may 11?
- All my 2019 events are here; hope to see you at one.
Margaret do you ever ship any of your plants?
I don’t sell plants myself; Broken Arrow Nursery (which does also ship in spring and fall) does the sales at my open day events.
We would like to visit for your open garden. Can you recommend any nice places nearby to stay overnight.
Hi- Just to clarify, if I want to JUST come see YOUR garden, that is from 10-4 and requires a donation, and it is at what is called the Garden Conservancy, and that is in Copake Falls (I assume near the TI;-)) Can’t wait! Thank You for opening your sacred space;-)
Yes, no reservation and you can give or not to Conservancy, I won’t force anyone to do anything. :) Here are the details.