If there’s one thing people can’t get enough of these days it’s garden centers for their immediate plant, cut flower and fruit and veggie needs. Westchester Greenhouses & Farm in Hartsdale, for instance, is buzzing and has a special hour for seniors and the medically vulnerable from 8 to 9 a.m. daily. You can also make an appointment at westchestergreenhouses.com.
Over in Greenwich, many community members have reached out and suggested the Greenwich Botanical Center offer shop-by-appointment access to the greenhouse. The center is packed full of seasonal favorites, including geraniums, vegetables, various perennials, elephant ears and local honey. Email your appointment request, selecting a one-hour slot between 10 and 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays. A staff member will confirm the appointment for your and up to three friends. For more, visit greenwichbotanicalcenter.org.
Meanwhile, chef Rafael Palomino, whose restaurants include Sonora in Port Chester, built an 800-square-foot greenhouse—complete with its own sprinkler system—in the backyard of his Bedford home to supply his places with beets, eggplant, tomatoes, chives, cilantro, radicchio, carrots and corn. In a few short months, many items on his menu — from his Street Corn (roasted corn on the cob topped with light mayo or queso fresco) to his Eggplant Meatballs in Romesco sauce—will benefit from the Palomino greenhouse.
For more, visit rafaelpalomino.com.
– Georgette Gouveia
