The Heartland Harvest Garden is meant to be enjoyed with all five senses. Every time you visit we hope you taste, smell or learn something new. Here are some of the opportunities awaiting you this season.
Tasting Stations
How long has it been since you had a sweet, juicy strawberry, crunchy snow pea or tomato that ripened on the vine to peak flavor? Have you tried a Mexican sour gherkin or Armenian cucumber?
Stop by a Tasting Station this season to sample what’s growing in the Heartland Harvest Garden. You might try something new or something you haven’t tasted for far too long.
And with more than 2,000 food plants, you'll find something different with nearly every visit.
A Tasting Station will be open Saturday, April 20, during our Earth Day celebration. Starting April 27, a station will be open each weekend from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ever wished you could talk with one of Powell Gardens' star horticulturists or get some free hands-on coaching about edible gardening or cooking from the garden? This season Barbara Fetchenhier will offer regular drop-in sessions in the Missouri Barn starting with "The Fungus Among Us" at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. Learn more.
Discover new ways to use fresh ingredients by attending our Garden Chef Series cooking demos on most Sundays from May to October in the Missouri Barn. Demos are included with admission to the Gardens. See the full schedule.
Barn Dinner Series
Three exceptional chefs will create one-night only menus featuring ingredients grown in the Heartland Harvest Garden. Guest chefs include Bluestem's Chef de Cuisine Joe West on June 2, Port Fonda's Chef/Owner Patrick Ryan on July 14 and The River Club's Executive Chef Linda Duerr on August 25. Dinners are served in the Gardens' open-air Missouri Barn.
Wine Tastings
Join us on Sunday, June 23 from 6-8 p.m. for A Perfect Pair: Wine and Cheese Tasting with Amigoni Urban Winery and Green Dirt Farm. Sample four wines paired with Green Dirt Farm's sheep's milk cheeses, Meadowlark Acres' artisan breads and fresh fruits and vegetables from the Heartland Harvest Garden. A limited number of tickets are available. Learn more.
On Saturday, October 5, sample a variety of local wines during our Harvest Celebration wine tasting. Stay tuned for more details.
Under a Harvest Moon
Chef Alex Pope, one of the region's most celebrated chefs, is the 2013 guest chef for Under a Harvest Moon, which benefits children's educational programs in the Heartland Harvest Garden. Chef Alex is Co-owner/Butcher at The Local Pig Charcuterie and Pigwich in Kansas City, Mo. On September 22, he will prepare a menu that showcases the season's best flavors with ingredients from local farms and producers, including the nation's largest edible landscape—the Heartland Harvest Garden.
Did you know? Powell Gardens has 7,000 varieties of permanent plants on display. No matter the season, this is a great place to see an inordinate variety of plants in the landscape and take home ideas you can use. See our Gardening Resources »