Peter Bevacqua & Stephen King Open Garden

Proceeds from this event will benefit the and .

This is one of a series of events that are part of The Workshop Experience Weekend, May 10-11, 2025.

Ticket options: Visit between 10 AM-12 noon, or between 12-2 PM, or 2-4 PM. Open rain or shine. Please, no pets. Thanks!

Plus, visit our "Ask the Arborist" booth, staffed by , where their experts will be sharing interactive education on invasive pests and diseases affecting our region. Come visit us with your questions about tree and shrub problems (bring a photo if you like), pruning, invasive species, recommended trees, or tree biology. Green Cross is a team of arborists dedicated to improving tree health and longevity, focusing on using reduced-risk products and making ecologically friendly choices or organic-only options. They are passionate about keeping both your trees and the greater ecosystem healthy.

About the garden: This magical garden, hidden from street-view in the hamlet of Claverack, NY, at the corner of Route 23B and Willmon Road, has been evolving with devotion and care for the last 30 years. This 2½-acre garden feels much larger because of its division into many garden spaces— spaces designed with a careful eye to structure, form, and texture. One area unfolds upon the next with its own sense of individuality. Among the features are the sunk garden (with topiary and surrounded by architectural yew hedges), a hydrangea walk, the greenhouse herbaceous borders, and many unusual trees and shrubs. What was once a small orchard is becoming a conifer garden. A boxwood cloud hedge, inspired by the work of Jacques Wirtz, replaces an old rose border, and a border consisting primarily of shrubs and small trees meeting the objective of horticultural interest while being low maintenance. Opportunities for lawn removal are actively sought. Grass areas around the house have been replaced with gravel creating excellent planting opportunities.

The garden continues to evolve. The recent addition of the ½-acre “Nearly-Native Garden,” with its honey bee colony, adds another unique space to the mix. The focus here is primarily on native plants, but with support from non-natives to develop a special and unique plant community and to extend the range of habitat and food.

Important: Tickets are timed in 2-hour increments to help with traffic flow; you are welcome to arrive at any time in that 2-hour window. Address, directions and parking information will be provided with your ticket order confirmation.

The garden of Margaret Roach in Copake Falls, NY, will be open the same hours, featuring a plant sale by Broken Arrow Nursery (advance orders also welcome for delivery there that day). Why not order a ticket for that garden, too? It's here. (And there are other garden-geared events at the link below on the Workshop Experience website to make a day of it.)

This is one of many events that are part of The Workshop Experience Weekend, May 30-31, 2026, in and around Hillsdale, NY. Join us to learn from experts in cooking, nature, gardening, fiber arts, dance and more. Browse the entire program, or visit TheWorkshopExperience.org.

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Host or Publisher Margaret Roach and friends