GARDEN DINING SERIES
Indulge your palate with special dining experiences that honor plants, local agricultural, and the craft of cooking. Enjoy thoughtfully curated, multicourse menus provided by Peppers Artful Events. Each dining experience in the series focuses on a different cuisine, reflecting seasonal themes and enhancing experiences at the Garden. Garden dining events are 21+ events.
UPCOMING DINING EVENTS
Sacred Plants
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 6 PM–9 PM
Step into an evening where food, history, and mythology intertwine. This garden dinner celebrates plants that have shaped stories, traditions, and cultures for centuries. Each course draws inspiration from a different civilization, highlighting botanicals that were symbolically significant and culturally revered, expressed through thoughtfully crafted flavors. View the Sacred Plants’ menu.
Root to Bloom
Friday, May 29, 2026 | 6–9 PM
Begin an evening that traces the life of a plant from soil to flower. Root to Bloom is a garden dinner exploring roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds, showcasing how each part contributes to flavor, texture, and beauty. Together, the menu tells a story of growth, balance, and transformation. Guests are invited to savor each course as it celebrates the unique character and role of every part of the plant. View Root to Bloom menu here.
Aromatic Table, an Afternoon Tea
Sunday, May 31, 2026 | 3 PM–6 PM
Join us for an enchanting Afternoon Tea, where a four-course parade of plattered delights awaits, from savory to sweet. Featuring garden-fresh herbs, edible flowers, and house-crafted tea infusions, each course celebrates the season’s flavors. Savor delicate bites and pastries, paired perfectly with hand-blended teas, as you unwind amidst the lush garden surroundings for an unforgettable afternoon. View Aromatic Table, an Afternoon Tea’s menu.
Smokeshow
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | 6–9 PM
Smokeshow is a bold garden dining experience that explores the deep connection between plants, fire, and flavor. This barbecue inspired evening highlights the role plants play in smoking, seasoning, and transforming food, from aromatic woods and herbs to charred vegetables and slow-smoked mains. Set among the garden’s living collections, each course celebrates how heat and smoke unlock new dimensions of plant-driven cuisine in an unforgettable outdoor feast. Menu coming soon.
Seeds of Fire
Tuesday, September 1 | 6–9 PM
Turn up the heat and awaken your palate. Seeds of Fire is a garden dinner celebrating spice as a flavor adventure, where warmth and playful notes bring each course to life. Drawing inspiration from seeds and seasonings, the evening is thoughtfully crafted, layered with surprises, and full of tastes you’ll want to savor with every bite. Menu coming soon.
Botanica Nocturne
Monday, October 26, 2026 | 6–9 PM
Experience the garden after dark with a dinner inspired by plants that bloom, release their fragrance, or are harvested at night. Each course highlights a true plant-to-table approach, showcasing nocturnal botanicals at their peak. Set among the garden in the evening, guests will dine surrounded by soft candlelight, moody florals, and an atmosphere that captures the quiet beauty of nighttime in bloom. Menu coming soon.
- Spring Equinox
March 20, 2026 - Orchid Delight
February 15, 2026 - Dinner by Dazzle
December 15, 2025 - Botanica Nocturne
October 26, 2025 - New England Harvest Dinner
October 10, 2025 - Garden Dinner: Flora Fete
August 24, 2025 - Summer Solstice: Garden Dinner
June 17, 2025 - Aromatic Table: An Afternoon Tea
June 7, 2025 - Spring Equinox
March, 2025 - Orchid Delight
February, 2025
FAQs
Each ticket includes a multi-course family-style dinner and one complimentary beverage. Additional beverages are available for purchase at the bar.
Family-style service is when courses are presented on large, shared dishes for guests to individually serve themselves from while seated at the table.
All dinners will include at least one vegetarian option per course. Gluten-free items will be labeled on the menu; however, guests with food allergies or sensitivities—especially gluten-related concerns—should contact Erin Kutz, Senior Operations Manager (ekutz@nebg.org), at least 3 business days prior to the event to discuss dietary needs and potential for cross-contamination.
An alternative indoor location will be planned for the event if needed due to weather.
There is no required dress code. Many guests enjoy using these evenings as an opportunity to dress up or lean into the theme of the meal, but comfort is key. During the warmer months (late May through early September), portions of the events may take place outdoors or in the conservatories so comfortable footwear and lighter layers are recommended. For the cooler months (late September through early May), everything takes place indoors in a temperature-controlled environment.
The event is open seating but for large parties or groups who would like to be seated together, please contact Erin Kutz, Senior Operations Manager (ekutz@nebg.org), at least 3 business days prior to the event.
All garden dinners take place after the Garden closes to the public. Unless specified otherwise, areas outside the designated dinner locations are closed.
The Garden Shop and the rest of the property will be closed during this event.
Live music will not be part of this event, but instrumental background music will be played over speakers in the event locations.
Tickets are non-refundable and are non-transferable to another event. If you are unable to attend, you are welcome to give your tickets to a friend or family member to use in your place. If someone else will be attending on your behalf, please contact Erin Kutz, Senior Operations Manager (ekutz@nebg.org), so that we can update the name on the reservation.
