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

set of flowers and dinner plate on a stark white table
Aromatic Table: An Afternoon Tea 
Saturday, June 7, 3PM–7PM
Join us for an enchanting Afternoon Tea at the botanical garden, where a four-course parade of plattered delights await from savory to sweet. Featuring garden-fresh herbs, floral flavors, 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 surrounding an unforgettable afternoon. View the menu here.
REGISTER HERE
Summer Solstice dinner
Summer Solstice: Garden Dinner
Tuesday, June 17, 6PM–9PM
Celebrate the Summer Solstice in the heart of New England, where the longest day is honored with a three-course dinner featuring the freshest early-season produce. Our Summer Solstice Dinner highlights vibrant ingredients like asparagus, early squash, fish, and chicken. Each dish is crafted to showcase the season’s bounty. As the sun sets over the countryside, gather with friends and family to enjoy a meal that celebrates summer’s arrival. This enchanting evening is a perfect blend of nature, community, and unforgettable culinary experiences. View the menu here.
REGISTER HERE

Earth and Ember Dinner
Friday, July 11, 6PM–9PM
Wednesday, September 10, 6PM–9PM

Enjoy an evening of live wood fired culinary delights as the summer sun sets over the Wachusett Reservoir. Gather and mingle among the blossoms while a wood-fired oven transforms seasonal ingredients into dishes kissed by flame and smoke. This menu highlights rustic elegance, from charred shishitos and roasted oysters to crispy cauliflower and galettes with bubbling berry filling. Signature cocktails and crisp wines echo the smoky depth and freshness of the evening, complemented by herbal infusions and craft mocktails. As twilight deepens, the warmth of earth and ember lingers—an unforgettable celebration of fire, flavor, and nature.

Garden Dinner: Flora Fete
Sunday, August 24, 6PM–9PM

Savor creative, wholesome dishes that celebrate the bounty of the earth, offering a nourishing and delicious feast that’s as good for the planet as it is for your palate. Showcasing the finest seasonal vegetables, hearty grains, and delectable legumes, artfully prepared to highlight their natural goodness.

Harvest dinner autumn soup

New England Harvest Dinner
Friday, October 10, 6PM–9PM

Join us for a Fall New England Harvest Dinner at the Garden. Immerse yourselves in the essence of the autumn harvest season and celebrate nature’s bounty with refined flavors and exquisite aromas amidst the beauty of fall foliage.

B​otanica Nocturne 
Sunday, October 26, 6PM–9PM

As autumn deepens and the Garden slips into its golden hush, guests are invited to explore its more mysterious side in an evening where every herb tells a story, and every dish stirs something ancient. Candlelit tables adorned with vintage apothecary bottles and dried botanicals set the stage for a celebration of folklore, flavor, and enchantment. Seasonal ingredients are transformed into dishes infused with warmth and herbaceous notes that weave through each course. The menu has a touch of magic in each bite as an ode to nature’s healing and indulgent powers. Sip botanical cocktails, herbal tonics, and craft mocktails—elixirs echoing the garden’s flavors. As the night unfolds, the glow of candlelight and warmth of good company create an atmosphere of wonder, connection, and mystery.

Dinner by Dazzle
Monday, December 8, 6PM–8:30PM
Monday, December 15, 6PM–8:30PM

Step into a winter dream beneath a canopy of twinkling lights. The crisp air carries a sense of enchantment as you savor elegant, winter-inspired dishes that warm both body and soul, each bite a celebration of the season with sweet, indulgent finishes that shimmer like the night. Seasonal cocktails and craft mocktails, infused with the essence of winter, offer frosty delights in every sip. As you gather with friends beneath the sparkling lights, raise a glass to the quiet magic of the season—a celebration of nature, warmth, and the joy of togetherness.

Past Dinners:

Cooked vegetables in a green soup, Spring Equinox dinner

Spring Equinox
March, 2025

This special dining experience celebrated the transition from winter to spring with fresh, tender flavors. An artfully crafted menu highlighted locally sourced vegetables such as asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, and radishes. The dinner was set against a backdrop of blooming flowers and soft, warm lighting, for an ambience that honored the balance between winter’s comforts and spring’s promise.

Orchid delight, soup dinner

Orchid Delight
February, 2025

Each plate in this multi-course meal took guests on a culinary journey around the world. The menu was crafted to reflect the native regions of orchids featured in the Garden’s annual orchid exhibition. Inspired by the flavors and traditions of Southeast Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and beyond, this vibrant menu celebrated the essence of orchid diversity.

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