this halloween at roger's gardens

Halloween at Roger’s Gardens is always a treat!

How about a little peek at

what they have in store

for us this year?

"For a limited time,

it’s possible to slip behind the wall,

Harry Potter style,

into a small alley lined 

with curious boutiques."

"As we walk by, we're

oblivious to the mysterious

activity surrounding us.

Only those who know can detect

the bewitching activity

and excitement in the air."

"Your number one source for rare

and vintage spell books can

be found next to an apothecary

selling strange potions. "

You’ll find the perfect potion

at Morgan & Murkes Apothecary.

Loaded with skeletons and skulls

this apothecary is ready to fix what ails you.

"Magical creatures are for sale

behind windows stacked with wands

and broomsticks."

Lurking in the shadows,

a world of magic beckons in

Wykeham’s Wizarding Supplies. 

Look for the perfect wand,

browse the selection of spell books

or get lost in the gaze of a crystal ball.

And, the spooky tablescapes are to die for!

Check out what the owls

have delivered at

the Owl Post General Store!  

Be sure to visit Roger’s Gardens

and step into a world of

Magic & Mayhem,

before the door

disappears!”

ciao! fabiana

And don’t forget to check out

a few of my fun Halloween picks at my Blog Shop!

photo credit:  Roger's Gardens

halloween 2018 at roger's gardens

Every year Roger’s Gardens goes all out and creates a spectacular Halloween experience for all their visitors, and this year’s no different! In fact this is probably my all-time favorite theme that they’ve done…

Harry Potter!

“Wander the corridors of a most magical school where witches and wizards learn their craft. Prospective students are invited to tour the castle.”

“Explore the Headmaster’s Study, a room filled with curiosities and antiquities.”

"Students wishing to learn about the magical properties of plants can visit the Greenhouse Conservatory where rare and unusual specimens are cultivated.”

Each of the many rooms in this “castle” is brimming with enchanted objects and décor to fill your home and imagination with the spirit of Halloween.

“Who knows what mythical creatures are lurking in the cabinets."

"Discover where novice witches and wizards study in the Potions classroom, be sure not to tamper with their mysterious experiments.”

There’s still time to visit Roger’s Gardens during the next few weeks to experience this fun Halloween display for yourself.

These rooms are so inspirational! 

I love to take my favorite elements like pumpkins, owls and

 candlesticks and mix them in with my traditional decor.

Do you have a favorite decorating theme for Halloween?

 ciao! fabiana

Quotes courtesy of Roger’s Gardens.

halloween carnival at roger's gardens

A mysterious traveling carnival has pulled into town.  Tent doors flap amidst the dry, swirling autumn wind.  The night crackles with an odd vibration, as if a veil of peculiarity has settled over these hallowed grounds.  A maelstrom of sights, sounds, smells, and people… 

This is Halloween at Roger¹s Gardens…this is Carnival !

Halloween at Roger's Gardens premiered this week.  It's always a fun way to get inspired for the fall season.  As you wander through the beautiful gardens, prepare yourself as you are pulled from the shadows into the vortex of the Big Top.  This isn't your garden-variety nursery anymore!  They have prepared four tents just for you.  

•        The Magician’s Tent: Lurking in the shadows, a world of magic beckons in a color palette of red, white and black.  Spells will be cast with top hats, rabbits, magic wands, and other props that await your sleight of hand.

•        The Fortune Teller’s Tent:  In this colorful, gypsy-inspired den you can connect with the spirits, get lost in the gaze of a crystal ball, and explore vintage merchandise and Day of the Dead accessories

•        The Medicine Man’s Tent: Pick your poison. It¹s all here.  Conjure up a frightfully festive mood with the creepy cabinet of curiosities.  Loaded with slithering snakes, nibbling rats and hair-raising spiders, the creepy crawlers will frighten off the most intrepid visitors.

•        The Sideshow Tent:  Navigating the twists and turns of our Big Top may lead you (spirits willing) to the side show, to which no carnival is ever complete.  Be awed by beautifully adorned masks, gourmet candy, and one-of-a-kind collectibles created by talented artisans.

Roger's Gardens is just the place to help conjure up inspiration for the dark, haunted chamber you call home.  Enter if you dare… I hope you will stop by the Halloween Boutique in person.  You won't be sorry!  

You know how much I love a great tablescape, 

and here are some of my picks from Roger's that would

 look great for a spooky Halloween dinner party!

ciao! fabiana

farmhouse at roger's gardens recipes

the Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens

Great news! You’ve been invited to a summer pot luck gathering, but now have to decide what to bring. Do you have a special go-to dish that you make for occasions like this? For me, this is the perfect opportunity to try a new and exciting recipe. 

Well, today I have two such recipes to share with you, and they sound like the perfect side dishes for any summer party. Chef Rich Mead of the Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens has shared two of his popular side dishes so we can have a crack at preparing them at home.

The first recipe is for Summer Succotash. Succotash has its origins in early colonial America, when members of the Algonquin tribe shared their technique for combining corn kernels and beans along with other fresh ingredients to create a yummy and healthy dish. Succotash is fresh, crunchy and is such a great alternative for summer noshing. One of the perks of succotash is it won't wilt like a green salad, so it can sit on the picnic table and retain its flavors beautifully.

And who doesn’t love potatoes? Well, the next recipe combines the perfect ingredients to complement the trusty potato, like bacon, onions and blue cheese. Add a little grilled flavor from the potato and you’re all set to wow your friends! 

CORN SUCCOTASH

 

INGREDIENTS:

12 ears of summer corn (white or yellow), shucked and cleaned

1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 ½ cup red tomato, small dice

1 ½ cup red bell pepper, small dice

1 cup of blanched green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 cup of zucchini, small dice

¾ to 1 cup of honey lime vinaigrette

Salt and pepper

1.   Grill ears of corn on an open flame grill until well charred and cooked.

2.   Cut kernels off the cob to get roughly 6 cups of charred corn kernels.

3.   Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, toss well.

4.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.

HONEY LIME VINAIGRETTE:

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup olive oil

Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

1.   In a blender, add everything except the oil and mix until combined

2.   With the blender running, add the oil in a thin stream through the hole in the lid

3.   Blend until well-mixed

GRILLED POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs. baby red potatoes

½ cup celery, thinly sliced

½ cup red onion, thinly sliced

½ lb. good quality bacon

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup Dijon mustard

2 tbs. sugar

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1.   Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy and separate from rendered fat and set aside.

2.   In boiling, salted water, par cook the potatoes until soft but still a bit firm.

3.   Add the olive oil, salt and pepper to the reserved bacon fat and use this mixture to toss the potatoes in.

4.   Grill the potatoes on a hot grill until they get nice marks and the potatoes are soft.

5.   In a large bowl – whisk together mustard, mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.

6.   Once potatoes are cool, add all ingredients together and toss lightly.

7.   Chill before serving.

I’d love to know if you try one of these recipes!

Let me know what you think…

ciao! fabiana

photo credit:

Roger's Gardens