Flower Power in May
Flower Power in May: There’s flower power all over Westchester in May and it comes with mansion tours, plant sales, crafts fairs, wine tastings and Mother’s Day Brunch.
Kykuit Tours, Thurs-Sun, Opens 5/2: Tkts go on sale 4/3 for the 2019 season for this hilltop paradise that was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Read our review of the guided tours of the six-story stone house; the terraced gardens with Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller’s collection of 20th-century sculptures; the underground art galleries featuring a collection of Picasso tapestries; and the Coach Barn’s classic automobiles and horse-drawn carriages. (381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow: www.hudsonvalley.org)
Cherry Blossom Alert! PepsiCo Sculpture Gardens Opens Sat-Sun, 3/30-10/27: 10am-4pm The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo’s World Headquarters in Purchase, opens for the season on Sat, 3/31. The Garden features 45 large-scale outdoor pieces from the greatest sculptors of the 20th century. Including Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, August Rodin and Alberto Giacometti. This ninety minute stroll will take you through stream-lined woods and park-like settings with over 6,000 trees from 38 species, lawns, ponds, fountains, a koi pond, formal gardens with topiary, hedges and thousands of flowering bulbs. Read more.
Crafts at Lyndhurst, Fri-Sun, 5/3-5: 10am-5pm: Over 275 modern American makers, artists, designers and craftspeople from across the country selling their contemporary creations at this celebration of all things handmade. A full day art and shopping experience with interactive kids activities, delicious gourmet foods and concessions, hands-on demonstrations and more. (635 S. Broadway, Tarrytown; www.lyndhurst.org)
Local! Katonah Spring Clean Up Day & Plant Sale, Katonah Village Library, Sat, 5/4: 9am-2pm: Meet in front of the Katonah library for the Katonah Village Improvement Society’s plant sale or volunteer to help clean up the Katonah Memorial Park. Disposable gloves, garbage bags, vests, route maps, refreshments and prizes for the kids are provided. (26 Bedford Rd., Katonah; www.katonahvis.com)
New York Botanical Garden Lilac Weekend, Sat-Sun, 5/4-5: 11am-4pm: The Burn Family Lilac Collection takes the spotlight as NYBG celebrates this American garden favorite in all of its glorious forms, colors, and aromas with plein-air painting, music, guided tours, and talks. (2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; www.nybg.org)
Teatown Plant Fest First Pick, Teatown Lake Reservation, Fri, 5/10: 4-7pm: Check out Teatown’s online pre-sale and pick up your bounty at their opening night or just show up to get the first pick of perennials, McCue’s wildflowers and native plants, annuals and hanging baskets, Gilbertie’s herbs, and vegetables. This event has farmers market appeal with over a dozen vendors, live music, small plates from local chefs, wine, local hard cider and craft beer. (1600 Spring Valley Rd., Ossining; www.teatown.org)
Teatown Plant Fest, Teatown Lake Reservation, Sat, 5/11: 9am-2pm: PlantFest brings it all together: abundant plant varieties (natives, perennials, annuals, herbs and vegetables), expert helpers and over a dozen vendors offering jewelry, ceramics, handmade wooden bowls, kayaks, farm-to-table produce, artisanal breads, herbal vinegars, bee creams, knife & tool-sharpening and food trucks. (1600 Spring Valley Rd., Ossining; www.teatown.org)
Mother’s Day Weekend Garden Party, New York Botanical Garden, Sat-Sun, 5/11-12: 10am-6pm: Picnic on Daffodil Hill where there will be tens of thousands in bloom. A perfect spring setting for live music from Spanglish Fly and Falu Shah, food trucks, outdoor games (think badminton and giant chess) tours of the Azalea and Native Plant Gardens and Mother’s Day Gift Shopping. (2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; www.nybg.org)
Mother’s Day Brunch with Nisa Lee, Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem, Sun, 5/12: 11:am-3pm: Chef Nisa Lee provides the three course meal (plus Kids menu) and the Stroll Garden provides the ambience of spring. Lee, whose cuisine taps into the flavors of Thailand, Morocco and the Caribbean, has been featured in The New York Times and People magazine. She has catered for Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber and Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns. (28 Deveau Rd., N. Salem; www.hammondmuseum.org)
Local! Castles of New Castle, New Castle Historical Society House Tour, Thurs, 5/16: 9:30am- 2:30pm: The NCHS’s Castles of New Castle house tour showcases five homes in different architectural styles. All proceeds from the House Tour will benefit the New Castle Historical Society. Tickets for the event will got on sale in mid-April. Check back here or at the NCHS website for more info. (100 King St., Chappaqua; www.newcastlehs.org)
Local! Garden Conservancy’s Open Gardens, Garden of Shobha Vanchiswar & Murali Mani, Chappaqua, Sat, 5/18: 10am-4pm: This modest-sized organically maintained garden won the 2007 Golden Trowel award from Garden Design magazine. It features a cottage garden of bulbs and perennials, a Belgian espalier of fruit trees, grape arbor, herb garden, checkerboard garden, “meadow” with naturalized bulbs, native plants & greenhouse. (76 Castle Rd., Chappaqua; www,gardenconservancy.org)
Local! Garden Conservancy’s Open Gardens, Rocky Hills, Mt. Kisco, Sat, 5/18: 10am-4pm: William & Henriette Suhr’s Rocky Hills showcases mature specimens of black walnut, ash, weeping beech, dawn redwood, Stewartia, dogwood, magnolias & conifers. Tree peonies, rhododendrons & azaleas accent a carpet of bulbs on thirteen acres. In May/June forget-me-nots cloud hillside meadows, rock gardens, terraces, walls & paths on fern woodlands. (95 Old Roaring Brook Rd., Mt. Kisco; www,gardenconservancy.org)
Spring Uncorked, New York Botanical Garden, Sat-Sun, 5/18-19: 12-4pm: The irises and peonies are in bloom in mid-May for this al fresco wine tasting weekend at NYBG. Sample wines from Hudson Valley and Long Island wineries and check out their Farmer’s Market. There will be an eclectic mix of hip-hop folk, modern folktronica, indie rock, experimental pop and alt-chamber jazz music all weekend. (2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; www.nybg.org)
28th Annual Friends of Lasdon Park Plant Sale & Garden Show, Sat, 5/18: 9am-4pm & Sun, 5/19: 9am- 3:30pm: Lasdon Park’s Plant Sale offers a selection of unique annuals, shrubs, vegetables and perennials (including hard to find and ease care varieties) in a 2-day celebration that includes music and refreshments and local crafts and gourmet food vendors. Check out the exhibit at the new 2500 square foot glass conservatory while you are there. (2610 Rt. 35, Katonah; www.lasdonpark.org)
Spring Native Plant Sale, Greenwich Audubon, Sat-Sun, 5/18-19: 10am-5pm: Looking to fill some holes in your garden? Want to attract more birds and butterflies? Check out the annual Native Plant Sale: For The Birds, Butterflies, & Bees hosted May 18 and 19, 2019 by the National Audubon Society in Greenwich, Connecticut. Pre-order from their Native Plant Catalog by Fri, 4/26. (613 Riversville Rd., Greenwich, CT; www.greenwichaudubon.org)
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