I’VE JOINED FORCES with my most talented, beloved neighbors to make the kickoff of the 2018 garden-visiting season bigger than ever. On Saturday, May 5, join not just me and Adam Wheeler of Broken Arrow Nursery in my garden for tours and a giant plant sale, but select from among an entire day of plant-themed offerings celebrating both herbs and flowers.

Come see me and Adam at the garden in Copake Falls, NY (directions here), before, in-between or after a workshop, demo or class at Tiny Hearts organic flower farm’s new studio or HGS Home Chef cooking school—and we’ll even have box lunches from local chefs for pre-order to make your day run smoothly.

The day’s program includes:

garden of margaret roach, copake falls

10 AM-4 PM, garden open for self-guided tours (no ticket needed; donation to Garden Conservancy requested). Directions are posted on the Garden Conservancy Open Days site.

10 AM-4 PM, plant sale by Broken Arrow Nursery, 10 AM-4 PM. Custom pre-orders from the nursery’s vast inventory can be put on the truck for you and delivered that day; browse at BrokenArrowNursery.com or call (203) 288-1026 for help.

pre-order box lunch from crossroads food shop or casana t house

ORDER A BOX LUNCH in advance (come eat at the garden, even) and avoid the wait at hectic mealtime so you can pack more into your day. Five selections, from CrossRoads Food Shop and Casana T House in Hillsdale, each $10.

• CrossRoads Sandwich: Ham, Goat Cheese, Fig Shmear and Arugula
• CrossRoads Salad: Spring Caesar, Beets, Parsnips, Whole Wheat Croutons
• CrossRoads Combo: We can also do a half sandwich/half salad combo
• Japanese Yakisoba (stir-fried wheat ramen noodles with vegetables)
• Runbing: Taiwanese Vegetable Wrap (sprouts, cabbage, tofu, snow peas, shredded carrot, cilantro, peanut powder)

Pickup location options will be emailed to those who pre-order.

cooking with herbs: 2 classes at hgs home chef, hillsdale

MATTHEW WHITE’S HGS Home Chef is a popular area destination for those wanting to learn from top chefs and cookbook authors. Two herb-themed classes with Home Chef’s most popular instructors are planned–just in time to make room for lots of herbs in the garden. (Tiny Hearts, which is literally next door to Home Chef, will have herb transplants for sale, too.)

2:30-4 PM: A Chef’s Way with Herbs, with Serge Madikians

FRESH HERBS are an integral part of every world cuisine. Serge Madikians of Serevan Restaurant in Amenia, NY—who draws on flavors from his heritage as an Armenian raised in Iran, and from the farms of the Hudson Valley—will offer an overview of his favorites that transform a dish from mundane to spectacular.

After an introduction to garden herbs, Serge will prepare several surprising but flavor-packed recipes: a refreshing yogurt soup, a cabbage and fruit salad, along with a classic Persian summer beverage.

• Shredded White Cabbage with Cantaloupe, Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Olive Oil
• Refreshing Yogurt Soup with Cucumber, Fresh Herbs and Rose Petal
• Traditional Persian Sweet and Sour Elixir with Fresh Mint

11 AM-1:30 PM: “Confidence With Herbs,” with Alexandra Stafford.

FRESH HERBS are the enhancers, and sometimes the foundation, of countless flavor-packed recipes. But how does one use them to best effect and what do they actually bring to the table? Alexandra Stafford–“Bread Toast Crumbs” hit cookbook author and popular blogger at Alexandra’s Kitchen­—will answer these questions while creating dishes that beautifully illustrate the impact of fresh garden herbs.

Menu (which you’ll enjoy as a light lunch, too) will include:

• Tabbouleh salad
• Cucumber and Green Grape Gazpacho
• Green Goddess Dressing
• Cilantro-lime Chickpeas
• Rosemary Shortbread

open house at tiny hearts flower farm’s new workshop, hillsdale

TINY HEARTS Farm, the organically managed flower farm of Jenny Elliott and Luke Franco, is opening a new studio and showroom in Hillsdale, NY, and you’re invited to their debut open house from 10 AM-4 PM. Hillsdale is just up the road about 6 minutes from Margaret’s garden. (Their website. And that’s Tiny Hearts Head Instructor George with some of his homegrown tulips.)

All their free demos are full…wow, what a response we had!…but refreshments and live music and flowers and other goodies will be in ample supply all day.

11-11:30 AM (reservation required): Free demo on “Creating Hand-Tied  Bouquets.” Learn how Jenny approaches choosing flowers, prepping stems, plus making and then tying off the bouquet.

12 noon-3 PM: Live music (with cookies and floral beverages all day)

3-3:30 PM (reservation required): Free talk on “Getting the Most from Flowering Annuals”—a professional organic grower’s top tips on how to care for plants to get the most flowers, long stems ideal for cutting, and a long season of bloom.

For Sale: local fresh-cut flowers, herb and cut-flower seedlings, dahlia tubers, vases, frogs and other floral items.

We all hope to see you on May 5!