GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East, a talk by author Carolyn Summers, will be held on Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m. at the Time and the Valleys Museum.

Summers will talk about her book, which takes an in-depth look at the natural history of Eastern native plants and their use in gardens. Attendees will learn about the many reasons why using indigenous plants is important, including helping prevent infestations of invasive plants and preserving our regional identity.

Landscape designer and adjunct professor for continuing education at Westchester Community College, Summers has more than 15 years of experience in the environmental and landscape design field, working for non-profit and government agencies, including the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP), the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Trust for Public Land. While at NYCDEP, she researched and implemented a “plant indigenous only” policy for New York City’s environmental construction projects.

The cost of the program for the general public is $3 and free for museum members. Refreshments and museum admission are included, and books will be available for sale.

Located at 332 Main St. (Route 55), the museum will open for the season Memorial Day weekend and will be open Thursday to Sunday, 12 noon to 4 p.m. through Labor Day, weekends from September to October, and other times by appointment. Adult admission costs $5, children under 16 $2, and children under six are admitted free.