Tour of P Allen Smith's Moss Mountain

 Last spring, P Allen Smith, America’s foremost garden and life style expert, visited the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens for a garden talk and reception. This year the Museum plans to return the favor by visiting Smith at his Moss Mountain Farm in central Arkansas Tuesday and Wednesday, April 28 and 29.

Described as an advocate for all things natural, Smith is an award-winning garden designer and lifestyle expert, providing ideas and inspiration through multiple platforms including broadcast, print, and new media. Locally, Smith’s gardening articles are featured in Delta Style Magazine. Known for sharing design, beauty and bounty, Smith is leading a project, Gardens of Somerset, in Ouachita Parish that will continue his life mission.

Allen’s Arkansas home, Moss Mountain Farm, which The New York Times hails as a “stunning estate,” is an epicenter for promoting the local food movement, organic gardening and the preservation of heritage poultry breeds. The farm serves as a place of inspiration, education, and conservation.

Perched atop the Arkansas River, Moss Mountain is a spectacular 650 acre estate is filled with gardens, orchards, ponds and sweeping vistas of the countryside. New to the farm is Allen’s formal Rose Garden, which houses American specimens from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, as well as many of the most fragrant contemporary varieties. Moss Mountain is also home to the Heritage Poultry Conservancy, a 501(c)3 organization.

Register for the tour on line at bmuseum.org, by phone (318) 387-5281, or in the Museum Store located at 2000 Riverside Drive, Monroe, LA. Full registration is $320 for single occupancy, or $250 for double occupancy. This includes round trip transportation via motorcoach, Tuesday’s lunch, a tour of the State Capital and Gardens, lodging, Wednesday’s breakfast, and tours of Moss Mountain including lunch with P Allen Smith, followed by a time for book signing and photos.

For more information call the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 – 4:30.

Itinerary: TUESDAY APRIL 28- 7:30 Load Motorcoach 8:00 Depart Monroe Noon Lunch at Copper Grill, Downtown Little Rock 1:15 Load Motorcoach for tour of Arkansas State Capital and Gardens 1:45 Tour Arkansas State Capital and Gardens 3:30 Depart Capitol for Hotel 4:00 Check-in, relax, shop, and dinner on your own. You will receive a map with dining suggestions of various price ranges. There are numerous shops and restaurants within safe walking distance of the hotel or take the Streetcar or Uber to more distant locations.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 29- 7:00-8:15 Breakfast 8:45 Load Bus 9:00 Leave for Moss Mountain 10:00 Tour Moss Mountain Noon Lunch at Moss Mountain 1:00 Book signing and photos with P Allen Smith. Visit the gift shop and stroll gardens. 2:00 Bus Departs for Monroe 6:15 Arrive Monroe