Every Day is Earth Day: “Falter” & Zero Waste Cocktails

It’s no surprise that every movement needs equal parts leadership and encouragement and bliss.  We’ll get to hope and the emotion spectrum..

Happy Earth Day. Hope you celebrated in a respectful, green homage to our environment…

I’m so blessed to have not only been able to bask in the evolving, ephemeral spring gardens at our country house and at our clients’ but to indulge in greenmarket seasonal glamour and a rare opportunity to learn about the impending climate chaos from notable green advocate, Bill McKibben.  All in a day…

There was an Earth Day-connected talk at the Strand Bookstore around the corner and I couldn’t resist  So with one book purchase-as-ticket - later to be autographed by Mr. McKibben It was a fascination.  

Of course, if you subscribe to Garden Glamour you’re already hyper-committed to all things green as I am.  We horticulturists have more than a few green genes!

But let’s take it up a elevated green garden or two, shall we?

The rainy weather didn’t keep these hearty, planet-loving, science enthusiasts away; it was an SRO crowd.  I was lucky to have a front-row seat, offered up by the Holt Publishing rep. Thank you.  After an almost reverential introduction, the author and his “interviewer, Naomi Klein, author of “This Changes Everything” and “The Shock Doctrine” (who gamely walked in with a foot boot and crutches - no explanation.  The two were seated in patina-aged leather chairs with the book shelves as backdrop - it all looked like a set design for a storied book store - which The Strand is having been founded by the Bass family in 1927.

The two authors and long-time friends, activists, and agitators to save our planet. So the talk was a bit like listening in on two wise professors.  They are both scandalously calm in their demeanor, especially when considering what’s at stake. Naomi is powerful and I enjoyed her perspective very much.  

Falter - according to the book jacket (No, I have not read the entire book yet!) tells the story of these converging trends and of the ideological fervor that keeps us from bringing them under control. And then, drawing on McKibben’s experience in building 350.org, the first truly global citizens movement to combat climate change, it offers some possible ways out of the trap. We’re at a bleak moment in human history -- and we’ll either confront that bleakness or watch the civilization our forebears built slip away.

Falter is a powerful and sobering call to arms, to save not only our planet but also our humanity.

The book also takes on technology’s darker side - particularly genetic engineering - and some AI. McKibben suggests that if we go down this road of engineering our children we will, in effect, bring about the end of human nature.  He gave some examples comparing child one to three is not unlike an upgrade from IPhone 8 Plus to iPhone Xr to the Xs.

Some interesting insight I learned at the talk:  Too often, we use children to describe the problem - as in “You don’t want your children - (or can add, grandchildren) to live in a world that’s ___ For climate deniers that might say, living with all this lack of convenience offered by burning fossil fuels.  Those who follow the science and the facts would say they don’t want future generations to live in a world that is hotter, under water, (the book is dedicated to Koreti Tiumalu, whose island nation will soon be submerged by rising sea levels) or suffer from extreme weather conditions.  And lack of food. And migration. Migration is at the center of the debate. People leave their homeland when they can’t eat or have access to water…

And speaking of leaving it to the children, they cited a true child hero, Greta Thunberg, the 16-year old climate activist (with Asperger’s) who is a successful role model for all.

A particularly salient point Naomi made was of all the proposed “technology” to fight climate chaos, there is one that has proven peerless for drawing down carbon: The TREE!  She explained how reforestation and habitat rehabilitation is what’s needed.

Look no further than the New Deal’s effort in the 1930’s to combat the effects of the man-made “Dust Bowl” disaster by having citizens, hired by the government, plant more than 2.5 billion new trees.  

Works for me.

There was discussion about the entire issue is laden with high emotions: anger, fear, greed, love, despair, and hope...

Shaking off the bleakness and hard fight that awaits us on climate chaos, I arrived home determined to enjoy a bit of green - as in garden-to-glass cocktail. From the fearful to the fanciful.

Garden To Glass Cocktails

Lucky for me, some key brands have pitched me on more than a few Earth Day drinks.  A guilty pleasure? You bet.

Shake up some low-waste cocktails!  You can argue that you’re helping our planet.  Seriously, reading all the steps that Patrón Tequila takes to insure sustainability, I admit I was impressed.  

Sustainability at Patrón

·        At Patrón, we’ve always been committed to doing our part to preserve the environment and support our people and the community in our birthplace and hometown of Atotonilco el Alto in Jalisco, Mexico.

·        We’ve taken important industry-leading steps to limit the environmental impact of our tequila production, including a state-of-the-art water treatment process, a natural gas pipeline that acts as a main energy source (reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere), and the creation of more than 5,500 tons of fertilizer compost a year from leftover agave fibers.  

·        At Patrón, we not only turn our own agave fiber into compost, but also agave fibers from several neighboring distilleries and farms.

·        To help preserve the land in our community, since 2015, we have reforested and/or donated approximately 16,000 trees in the local area of Atotonilco el Alto.

·        We are proactively working with a top agricultural research center in Mexico to help fund a scientific study to better understand Weber Blue Agave sustainability, and to help ensure the future of this important plant.

·        We pioneered the practice of guaranteeing a minimum price to our agave farmers to ensure they are profitable even when agave supply is at a surplus and prices are at a low.

These cocktails are made with sustainable option ingredients, including cantaloupe shrub (a liqueur made using seeds, rind and juice), pressed cucumber juice (using the whole cucumber), and even lime stock (cooked citrus husks) – all with low-waste methods in mind.

Mother Earth Pepino

.5 oz Herb-Infused Patrón Silver

1 oz Pressed Cucumber Juice


.5 oz Simple Syrup


.75 oz Lime Juice


1 oz Soda Water

Method:

Combine ingredients (except club soda) in a mixing tin and shake with ice to chill

Strain onto fresh ice in a highball glass

Garnish: Top with soda water and garnish with a cucumber ribbon

Pachamama is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is also known as the earth/time mother. In Inca mythology, Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting, embodies the mountains, and causes earthquakes.

Pachamama Sour

1.5 oz Hendricks Gin

.75 oz Zamaca

.5 oz Yuzu

.5 oz Demerara Ginger Syrup

Egg white

Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake vigorously, Double Strain into a Cocktail Glass

Garnish: Lemon Zest discard then Angostura Hearts, Dehydrated Lemon.

Glass: Cocktail Glass

I especially like this drink - so named for the Andes goddess who is the earth mother to the indigenous people. I first learned of Pachama while working at Hacienda Cusin in Ecuador

Melon Collins

1.5 oz Patron Silver


2 oz Cantaloupe Shrub

1/4 oz Lime Stock


1 oz Soda Water

Method:

Build ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice

Strain over cantaloupe juice Ice in a Collins glass

Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel

Jardinero Gimlet

1.5 oz Roca Patrón Silver

.5 oz Mezcal


.75 oz Rosemary-Lime Cordial

Method:

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir to chill

Strain into a coupe glass

Garnish with rosemary sprig

Earth Day with GrowNYC

“Environmental stewardship has been a cornerstone of GrowNYC from day one. Put simply: each person can make a difference through action and deed. Since their founding in 1970 (the same year as the first Earth Day), the programs have been weaved into the fabric of every borough” of Gotham.

GrowNYC helps by:
* building green infrastructure - think rain barrels!
* improving access to food from local, family farms;
* providing food scrap and textile collection sites, recycling education and neighborhood reuse events
* teaching the next generation about why each action we take matters.

Here’s are a few upcoming events you can enjoy and learn from:

April 30: A Supper that Sustains Us

1 Hotels is launching a zero waste dinner series on Tuesday, April 30, and all proceeds will go to GrowNYC. Join us at Jams NYC at 1 Hotel Central Park to enjoy a night of thoughtful culinary innovation that honors the environment and local farmers. Get your tickets now or donate $25 or more this month to enter our giveaway.

SEEDLING GIVEAWAY: BROOKLYN AND MANHATTAN LOCATIONS

May 4, 2019, 10 am - 1 pm

BK: PS 26K Jesse Owens, 1014 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221

NYC: School of Cooperative Technical Education, 321 E 96th St, New York, NY 10128

Get your transplants at Grow to Learn’s annual giveaway! Registered Grow to Learn schools can choose mixed flats of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and native pollinator plants. All seedlings are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Pre-registration for schools is necessary; please RSVP by April 26th, 2019. Schools must have an updated registration file with Grow to Learn. One site pick-up only.

Bring bags, some friends or a vehicle to transport seedlings!

Home Tips

The experts at HomeAdvisor provided me with some helpful home tips - so here I am sharing with you.

HomeAdvisor, shares three ways people can make their homes environmentally friendly just in time to celebrate Earth Day - every day.

* Eliminate energy hogs: Start with the water heater. Many homeowners don’t realize it’s the second highest energy user in the home. Upgrading an old unit to a high-efficiency model will save more than $300 a year. Just making the switch would eliminate 155 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equal to 15 million cars.

* Solar panels: If you ever considered getting solar panels for your roof, now is the time to act. While the federal tax credit covers 30% of this project, it’ll start being phased out at the end of 2019. The 20-year electricity savings from solar can be significant, ranging from the low end of $10k to almost $30k. And as McKibben pointed out at the book talk - wind and solar IS the future. And it’s free!

* Smart thermostats: Each degree you adjust the temperature equals a 2% annual energy savings -- enough to pay for the smart thermostat in just a couple of years. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours/day from its normal setting. If every U.S. household switched, it would offset 13 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year. This is one of the best ways to keep costs at bay.

Please honor your home - the one you live in. And the one you live on.  Yes, we can all do our part. But it will also take a movement, a collective of citizens and the government - to make the needed changes.  It was done nearly 50 years ago after the first Earth Day. Let’s make America Green Again!

How to Dye Easter Eggs All-Natural; Plus Devilishly Delicious Egg Recipe

The Duchess' Devilishly Delicious Eggs

If one is a dedicated foodie; moreover a bit compulsive about sustainability and keeping chemicals off your family’s ingredients menu (!), then coloring Easter or spring eggs should be made using homegrown, pure ingredients, not synthetic food coloring. Some years ago, I set out to discover – or rediscover – how to color eggs with natural – plant-based dyes. Yes, the fizzie PAAS® Easter Eggs is a holiday favorite or tradition. But those pellets are scary.

In search of a better Easter egg, there was the year we pursued the Easter Egg Designs & Craft Ideas | inspired by Martha Stewart where one blows out the inside of the eggs and uses a wax crayon to inscribe the name of family and dinner guests -- I like to use them as place card markers sitting in a pretty egg cup with the beribboned monogrammed eggs hung from forced cherry blossom or pussy willow stems in a seasonal talblescape design.

This decoration is a bit more complicated than straight-to-dying but if cared for, they last forever.
       
My quest was to create a natural food coloring for the Easter eggs that will decorate the baskets and tablescape. After some research, including Junior League friends - the plan was to more or less follow the recipe or guidelines as provided by a Katie Fox, SimpleHomemade blog from 2010. Fox was unavailable for an interview.

However the recipe seemed quite doable and fun. Most of the ingredients were on hand, and the others are readily available from the garden or pantry or accessed from the market.

Dyeing Easter/Spring Eggs the Natural Way:

In addition to eggs, you will need white vinegar, water, and veggies, fruits, and spices for colors. Don’t leave out the vinegar – it is a necessary fixative, ensuring that the color will adhere to the eggs.


Reds/Pinks:

• grated beets
• chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• Red Zinger tea
• chopped frozen cherries

Blues/Purples:

• chopped frozen blueberries
• chopped red cabbage
• red onion skins

Yellows/Golds:

• yellow/brown onion skins
• chamomile tea
• ground turmeric
• saffron

Greens:

• chopped spinach

Mix these together to create other colors, as well; for example, reds and yellows combine to produce orange shades. Customize your colors.

It’s a fun and easy way to teach children about colors, too.

Method:
Use about 2-3 cups of water in a saucepan for each color.

Add one tablespoon of vinegar and the plant(s) of choice.

Bring to a boil for fifteen minutes before adding eggs.

The chopping of the frozen blueberries and the spinach was easy. Likewise, the grating of the beets.

Rather than use four different pots on the cooktop (after all, there is a big holiday dinner in prep for Easter!), the microwave was employed.

The natural ingredients were added to coffee cups, with the vinegar and heated for five minutes to a boil.



The best color was the chamomile and yellow onion skins. The yellow was a bright and happy hue.

The red turned out to be more pink. It worked better with the addition of the rest of the beet. Don’t shave it – just cut it up and add to the vinegar water.

The thinking was to turbo-charge the blue color and add a blueberry tea to the frozen chopped blueberries for the test recipe.

After all, the chamomile worked swell. But the blue turned out to be more grayish blue initially. The addition of more vinegar accelerated the blue color.

The only real failure was the green. Which is more than disappointing as the spinach even dyed the cutting board when chopped! Perhaps more spinach and a bigger container to accommodate the intensified plant dye ingredient.

The result was great Yellows, and good Red & Pinks; Blues.



Since I first created this post, commercial food makers must’ve heard the Mom’s cry for Natural & Organic. Consequently, there are now a few brands available and ready to use straight from the retail shelf or online. If the Easter Bunny has you hopping around with too many tasks, here are a few suggestions from which to choose:



ColorKitchen: Plant-based, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Artificial Dye-Free, Vegan, and lots of deep, rich colors:

Blue: Maltodextrin, spirulina extract.

Pink: Maltodextrin, beet powder.

Yellow: Maltodextrin, turmeric.

Orange: Maltodextrin, turmeric, annatto extract.

Green: Maltodextrin, turmeric, spirulina extract.

Even the spice behemoth, McCormick offers all-natural food coloring pack derived from plants: vegetables and seeds.

  Ingredients are natural: Sunflower, Radish, Red Beet, Spirulina: 

Chefmaster Natural Liqua-Gels to create all-natural, vibrant food coloring -- they even offer Black in their line:



Egg Salad Recipe:

This is my family-favorite Duchess Deviled Egg Recipe that I’m asked to make every year and share with all for Easter Dinner. Placed on the special, pink, petal deviled egg platter - it’s a glamorous presentation. Don’t you just love single-use dishes and tablescape serving pieces? It’s a lost art to find and use them. A pity. My friend, Sean Sullivan, publisher of House Beautiful, Veranda, and Elle at Hearst - also had a blog, Spectacularly Delicious, (for the culinary chic) - more or less dedicated to these single-use traditions of grand, gracious serving and hospitality.

Back to the Devilishly Delicious Duchess Egg recipe:

Place room temperature eggs into a pot with water covering the eggs.

Bring the water to a boil, cover, remove from heat, allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Add cold water to the pot and remove the eggs. Allow to cool. This method makes it easier to remove the shells, keeps the whites pure - especially important in making egg salad and deviled eggs (no grey or bluish whites.) It also provides a rich, creamy yolk.
  See how creamy yellow the yolks are when boiled this way?

Six eggs, removed from shells and broken up with a fork. Add diced and chopped red onion to taste, even amounts of mayonnaise and sour cream -- I also add a dollop of creme fraiche, teaspoon of chopped chives or ramps - to taste. (Usually just in at the green market or fresh from the farm-ette)
A ¼ teaspoon of dry mustard, and a splash of briny pickle juice (straight from the jar). Mix well and refrigerate. Can be used in lettuce wraps or on salad dish with arugula or market-fresh lettuces and asparagus from the garden. Sprinkle with good paprika.

If making Deviled Eggs, cut the eggs along the length of the egg using a warm knife (running warm water over knife after each cut so that egg debris doesn’t litter up the next egg white.

All the ingredients & utensils laid out: egg, bowl of warm water & knife to wipe between egg slicing, pickle juice, creme fraiche, organic mayo - - & a glass of champagne!  

Remove the yolks from the egg and set aside. Mix all the above ingredients into the egg yolks, (be sure to dice the red onion very fine.)

This year I added what we call, "Bonnie Salt" it's truffle/sea salt or parsley & rosemary/sea salt -- so named because my wonderful sister-in-law, Bonnie gifted it to us! 

I must admit, I do use rather copious amounts of good salt in the recipe.  You use, to your taste.
It's a creamy, vibrant, fresh egg mix.

It's so good that the finale is not a bit unlike licking the bowl of icing...

I arrange on the transportable egg carrier 
I create the final composition and presentation when I arrive at the dinner party.

Arrange the egg whites on a special deviled egg platter - or use a plate. Place edible pansies or other flowers around the eggs - not only is it pretty but the blossoms will prevent the eggs from sliding into one another.  This year I will use edible nasturtiums and rose petals!
Using a pastry bag, pipe the egg yolk mixture into the egg white “shells.” There are swirls and scallops options that will elevate the deviled egg to elegant, edible, entertainment to grace the cocktail bar, brunch or dinner tablescape.
 

Dust with paprika and garnish with cornichons nestled around those edible flowers.
I use a transportable egg dish to get to the dinner party.  I then transfer to the oh--so-pretty cherry blossom dish Aunt Irene gifted to me at one of my bridal showers.  I cherish the dish and the memory... 

The Duchess' Devilishly Delicious Eggs

Food Moves
With so much holiday entertaining, there’s the dodgy issue of transporting your homemade menu items to the host’s home - and on the other end of the celebration, there’s bound to be leftovers, so moving the food - especially rather delicate creations is a challenge. Till now.

Some years ago I was introduced to the Snapware®: On-the-Go Collection. I have subsequently fallen hard for this line of products.  After all, we are all such a very mobile cohort. We need to take our homegrown food with us - to holiday celebrations - or to work, or now that it’s spring - out to enjoy nature at one of your town or city’s many beautiful parks. The company says, “With busy on-the-go lifestyles in mind, the Snapware® brand helps you keep your everyday life in motion, by offering innovative storage products for food and craft supplies, to pet and home products.”

Early on, I test-drove the product line and can heartily recommend the solutions for a number of reasons. One is the containers are made of glass. In a world of too much plastic, including plastic wrap, it’s important to make the switch to storage solutions that are sustainable, clean - and easy to use. The dishes can go from refrigerator to the oven to dishwasher. I use them at the counter when cooking to hold food scraps - for compost or for a soup’s mirepoix. This tip was given by author and celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse at a Snapware cooking demo I attended. He also said using Snapware changed his life. Really?! That’s a bold statement. Lest you think this is brand advocate hyperbole, I can assure you it is not. From a cooking and storage and transport standpoint, there is could be no better friend to the home cook and kitchen manager than Snapware. At a recent World Kitchen event, their many American-made brands were on display, including CorningWare | Chicago Cutlery, Corelle and Pyrex. These products are like having your mother helping in the kitchen - smart, experienced and trustworthy - you know you can count on them; they won’t let you down. Further, the line continues to evolve and improve. There are now a number of transportable food storage Snapware containers with Ice Pack included that will keep the food food chilled. The company has designed the containers so that the ice doesn’t melt into the food: the ice pack fits underneath or top of the lid. The sizes range from a 3-cup to a 5-cup container with removable divider trays to keep food elements separated when the ingredients are distinct. All the products in the line are well-made, stackable, and the lids come in happy, bright, crayon colors of blue, green, aqua. Your food will love jumping into these containers and will return the fresh, tasty love.

The Snapware® Total Solution® Glass containers with inserts complement the growing trend of consumers switching from processed foods to fresh foods in the kitchen. These items combine the Snapware brand’s trusted airtight leak-proof lids with inserts that preserve freshness and encourage healthy eating.

Very affordable price points from $5.99 to $12.99.

There’s also a line of colorful, Snapware® Entertain-A-BowlsTM Line: The new Entertain-a-Bowls are spill-proof, are pretty enough to be used to serve right on the table, as well as storage for an on-the-go foodie obsessed with freshness and carrying handles provide easy chic transportability. All bowls are available in a fun pop of color outside with polished white bow interiors. The bowls are easy on the wallet too; $8.99 to $24.99.

Get these products now for an organized spring cleanup. And use them in your fresh-food prep - and get out to the parks and enjoy the season and nature.



Happy Natural Spring. Enjoy the Holidays. Cheers!

Garden Delights at NY Botanical Garden’s Antique Furniture & Plant Sale

This is one of my most favorite events of the year: The Annual New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) Antique Furniture & Plant Sale.

It’s an intimate affair, with incredible - and often rare - plants, garden furniture, and accessories - some whimsical, to inspire your garden designs.

Plus there’s always garden royalty and horticulture stars sparkling the tented aisles.

So with a glass of champagne, much “green” bonhomie, you walk the show.

Better Homes & Gardens, Editor in Chief & VP Editorial Director, Meredith (R) w husband Chad, (C) & Hudson Valley friend -- I can't remember name - please forgive me!!  

Left to Right: Charles Yurgalevitch, Director SoPH NYBG, Angie Lambert, Photographer/Storyteller, Louis Bauer, Sr. Dir. Horticulture, Wave Hill, Marco Polo Stefano, founding Dr. of Horticulture, Wave Hill & Hort Hero

Not a Green Thumb!  See, even Hort Legends like Marco Polo Stefano fall prey to plant power. Ha... 

NYBG CEO & President, Carrie Rebora Barratt, always a fashion force was wearing Gary Graham, greeting guests at the Fair

Marc Hachadourian, NYBG’s Director of Glasshouse Horticulture and Senior Curator of Orchids - & soon-to-be-published author of Orchid Modern

Barbara Frelinghuysen Israel - who shows her exquisite antiques every year

Sigourney Weaver - is also an NYBG Board of Trustee member. Love her Garden voice ads -- & support - & that gorgeous green coat...

You shop the Fair’s exquisite selection of fine antiques and garden furniture, and enjoy a fabulous Silent Auction, plus music, signature cocktails, and light fare.

Festivities began with the curated collection of rare and exotic garden plants hand-picked by NYBG’s horticultural staff, who were on hand to advise on the best selections for your home and garden.



Annual early-bird shoppers at the Plant Sale include those passionate plant lovers: Martha Stewart and Bette Midler - (just to name drop some of the more illustrious Fair attendees.)

According to NYBG: “Exciting varieties of spring-blooming trees and shrubs, including cherry, magnolia, serviceberry, dogwood, lilac, deutzia, heath, and azalea… all be on display, as well as a cheerful selection of early blooming herbaceous perennials and woodland ephemerals.

Collectors… could choose from “modern introductions of classic garden favorites such as hydrangea, dahlia, roses, and rhododendrons, alongside unique ornamental conifers.” There were many NYBG Grown selections. The Garden’s curators were on hand to “highlight some of their favorite hard-to-find garden gems, from rare Rock Garden lovelies to some truly bold glasshouse surprises.” Most were sold out by the first hour; the School of Professional Horticulture Students (SoPH) helped buyers get their new collector’s items to their transport.

There was also a Silent Auction featuring a selection of outstanding items to bid on. It’s possible there are still some items you can contact Heather at: hgries@nybg.org - speaking for myself, I’d love to see that Munder Skiles Xylo arm chair in my garden terrace or at one of my clients.

Here are a few highlights of the furniture and accessories I was attracted to. I was also keeping my eyes peeled for some things to put on pedestals, for a friend and garden client so you’ll see more of those looks, perhaps.


I loved these mermaid follies - I can see the ladies in languid repose in a garden by the sea or near a lovely pool:


These were a curiosity. They reminded me of some pieces (new) I saw from Opiary at the Architectural Digest Show.

And these regal Sphinx were commanding. Maybe at your driveway entrance or to mark a stair to a secret garden?

Maybe the ultimate in a folly is this life-sized (for me) statue of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell to bring out the fantasy…
So fun!

You can never have enough garden sprites or cherubs!


Topiaries are so glamorous - especially when set off by such elegant urns and containers:
I saw lovely white garden furniture and accessories. To my eye, white is like a crisp white linen shirt -- accenting the green of the garden and the blue sky - perfect for a moon garden room, too.

Did you say accessories? Finials and garden border markers that make you notice - add the details that really style your garden room:

I saw more mid-century items this year - from bar carts to outdoor furniture. I think it parallels the increase in mid-century gardens I’m hearing clients increasingly ask for:

I enjoy the attendees' utter delight in seeing such gorgeous items -- and I am always impressed with the subdued yet frenzied buying:



The Garden is offering a full schedule for the Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair weekend. Check the website for details.
You can expect to enjoy the “nation’s leading dealers offering classic furniture and fine antiques—some with a modern twist, both elegant and fanciful.

You can also indulge in this year’s exquisite Orchid Show: Singapore, also on view, and take advantage of expert-led orchid care demonstrations.

I couldn’t resist walking the Orchid Show yet again (I covered the opening in this post: The Seductive Orchid Show at NYBG

The show is extraordinary at night! So ethereal. Be sure to visit both day and night - and enjoy the special Orchid cocktail evenings - if you can get your hands on the usually sold-out tickets for this magical experience. So romantic…

   
A preview of the acclaimed NYBG Farmers Market on Saturday and Sunday and live musical entertainment round out this perfect spring weekend.
The featured designers at NYBG’s Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair were the Brooklyn-based, dynamic trio from Manscapers, the exterior design and high-end landscaping firm on the hit Bravo TV show Backyard Envy. Finally, a garden show about garden design and plants (and not a focus on real estate.
   
Garrett Magee, James DeSantis, and Melissa Brasier created an organic, site-specific installation as the Fair’s centerpiece. It was very pretty / very transporting…
Garrett and James will also be on hand on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. so you’ll get to meet these green TV stars, first-hand.

“Mirror, Mirror on the Wall” -- With the last of my iphone battery, I couldn’t resist this mirror - It reminded me of a fabulous garden mirror I bought years ago - and gave to a sister.

According to NYBG, “All proceeds from the Preview Party & Collectors’ Plant Sale benefit NYBG’s Fund for Horticulture, directly supporting the work of the curators and gardeners who are responsible for making The New York Botanical Garden—a major educational institution and a renowned plant research and conservation organization—one of the grandest horticultural showplaces.” So there you have it, you can enjoy a rare exhibit - and a clutch of garden shows and classes - not to mention the Garden in spring - while you’re doing good.