Amalfi Coast for a day? Care to feel like you stepped on the set of The Borgias wandering the herb garden while celebrating a quintessential Mediterranean experience?
The Getty Villa joins the annual celebration of National Public Gardens Day on Friday, May 11. Sponsored by the American Public Gardens Association and Rain Bird, National Public Gardens Day helps raise awareness of the botanic gardens, arboreta, conservatories and public gardens across the country.
Getty Villa, Malibu photo by Wendy Abrams
A special 20-minute National Public Gardens Day Tour will be offered through the Villa’s Herb Garden where visitors can enjoy the mythological stories and uses associated with plants and learn about Roman recipes. During the tour, visitors will be able to create a bouquet garni for flavoring ancient dishes using herbs from the garden. The free National Public Gardens Day Tour will be offered at 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm.
Learn garden tips and put your landscapes
To Use
photo by Wendy Abrams
The day will also include a Villa Gardens Toga Tour with Getty grounds supervisor Michael DeHart dressed in a Roman toga. The toga-clad tour guide will discuss the ancient Roman uses of the plants and flowers throughout the site’s various gardens. Visitors will be encouraged to sample the herbs. The free Villa Gardens Toga Tour will be offered at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Before or after the tours, visitors can enjoy special menu items at the Getty Villa Café in honor of National Public Gardens Day. The menu will include a Spring Asparagus Salad with Tarragon Shallot Vinaigrette and for dessert a Goat Cheese Lavender Cheesecake with Fresh Market Berries. Bon Appétit Management Company prepares the delicious sustainable cuisine at The Getta Villa and is known for locally sourced, delicious made from scratch food. Enjoy this garden to table experience and their various culinary offerings at The Getty Villa.
The Museum Store at the Villa will offer a 20 percent discount on garden-related items.
Help celebrate public gardens and get a jump on Mothers’ Day at National Public Gardens Day at the Getty on Friday, May 11. Admission is free, but a ticket is required. Parking is $15/car. To make a reservation please call 310-440-7300 or go to www.getty.edu.
Interactive Herb Garden Docent Led Tours
Tarragon grows all year, palm trees with dates really only grow in the desert and if you want to be a culinary gourmet like an ancient Roman you might wander the Mediterranean gardens at The Getty Villa and smell the herbs, pick an herbal sachet take a garden tour and feast your senses.
