I wish I could walk every visitor around personally at Garden Conservancy Open Days—and answer every question. But that’s impossible when hundreds of guests stream through for the self-guided walkabouts I’ve been hosting for 20-plus years (and will this year again on May 6 and August 19).

Many visitors have asked me to take it to the next level, pretty please. Now Adam Wheeler and Andy Brand of Broken Arrow Nursery—they always do plant sales at my big Open Days—and I are offering a sort of “Open Day-Plus” on June 3 and September 16: smaller, ticketed, workshop-style events and sales lasting a half-day each, with lots of individual attention. Adam will co-teach the June event with me; Andy and I will do September.

Space is limited, at each of two sessions per day.

Ticket includes $25 Broken Arrow shopping credit.

The June program (from 9:30-noon, and repeated from 1:30-4 PM):

• Muffins (or Cookies) and Coffee: Fuel up, get acquainted, and tell us what you want to know more about, so we can fine-tune the program and cover it all.
• Tour/Meet My Garden: Tour with me, Margaret, focusing on how I made a garden for the birds (65-plus species visit yearly); my maybe-too-crazy obsession with gold foliage; choice spring ephemerals and other underplanting essentials; and most of all, my intimate relationship with the place that goes way beyond aesthetics.
• Workshop/The Best Plants You Never Heard Of: Broken Arrow Plant Development Manager and master propagator Adam Wheeler will “teach” the story of the unique plants in prime display at event time, and will also bring an irresistible show-and-tell of what he calls, “a blend of drool-worthy herbaceous and woody material with a focus on the unjustly rare.” Learn their features, use, and tips for successful culture. Why aren’t more people growing these incredible plants?, Adam asks…and watch out: Soon you will be!
• Plant-Talk Hangout: We’ll spend the last chunk of our time together just talking, guided by your questions.
• Shopping: Shop for plants from 11:45-1 and 3:30-4:45. Tip: Browse the Broken Arrow website (or call 203-288-1026 for advice on landscape-size plants in stock at the in-person retail nursery) to have larger specimens or multiples of something or just specific plants delivered on event day to take home.

$90 ticket price includes tour, workshop, Q&A session, plus refreshments…and a $25 credit at Broken Arrow plant sale.

NOTE: All registrants will be emailed directions to the starting location, next door to Margaret's garden in Copake Falls NY.

Prefer a regular Open Day? See you May 6 or August 19. Broken Arrow sales then, too.

Cancellation policy: Refunds if cancelled by May 20; otherwise credit applied to the fall "Open Day-Plus" event Sept. 19 or another program of your choosing.