|
|
Northport blooms in June
Historical society's garden tour set for this weekend
|
The Northport Historical Society's ever popular garden tour will take place on Sunday, June 14, from noon to 4 pm.
While traditionally held in July, the self-guided tour of some of Northport and Fort Salonga's most spectacular residential gardens is being held a month earlier.
"We decided to move the tour to June this year to take advantage of the wonderful varieties of plants and flowers that are at their peak at this time. We really believe that people will get to see the gardens at their best and brightest," said Carolyn Hyatt-Basche, who is co-chairing "Northport Blooms in June" with Suzanne Cassidy.
According to Hyatt-Basche, the visions of two artists as expressed in their gardens promise to be of particular interest. One artist, whose woodland garden in Fort Salonga features a 55-foot pool, fountain and waterfall, speculates that visitors will be most intrigued by the gardens that evolved behind the pond.
"They are completely shaded and were constructed like a painting, one 'stroke' of a plant at a time. The moss paths are my 'negative space' and arches are welcomings to separate 'rooms,'" she said, adding that many of the beds are geometric in form.
One garden in Northport, set against the backdrop of a marsh-inlet complete with the nests of ospreys and other shorebirds, delights the eye with its rich palette of color and texture. The homeowner's favorite plant is hydrangea and the garden boasts 15 varieties.
Another featured Northport home backs onto Crab Meadow and its marshlands, affording the homeowners a dramatic seasonal display of color.
The meadow occasionally fills with salt water, and beautiful birds visit the gardens and the marshland, the owners said. There is a heated salt water swimming pool and salt-friendly plants, including Knock OutŪ roses, Nepta and climbing hydrangea, adorn the gardens.
In another Fort Salonga garden the visitor will find towering pink and red hibiscus, roses and hydrangeas, and 75 whimsical ornamental frogs.
Some gardens invite visitors to consider the challenges that homeowners faced as their garden aged or suffered a blow from Mother Nature.
A Northport artist, who describes her garden as being "very much in transition," said the loss of aging hemlocks on the periphery of her property to disease caused her and her husband to embark on a very ambitious redesign of their front garden to include walkways and new beds. She invites the public to "enjoy watching the process," she said.
Similarly, an ice storm last Christmas, which caused the devastating loss of 60-foot eastern white pines described by the homeowners as "part of the family," served as the impetus for change in their Northport garden.
This spring the pines were replaced with arborvitaes, mulch and perennials. The property also boasts a striking handcrafted birdhouse and a geode adorned with clematis.
Docents will greet visitors at the residences, and refreshments will be served at several locations. Owners will be on hand to answer questions at some homes.
Admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Advance registration is suggested as the event is usually a sell-out. Reservations, which are non-refundable, are currently being taken at the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport Village.
For more information, or to register by phone using a credit card, call 757-9859. Brochures detailing the gardens will serve as the entry ticket to the event, and will be available in the museum starting at 11:30 am on June 14. Maps and parking information will also be provided.
Guests are invited to view the museum garden honoring Dorothy Sammis, to enjoy the current exhibit, "20th Century Mirrored in Fashion and Events" and to visit the museum shop, where some garden-related items have been added to the inventory.
| |
|
|
|
| |
Copyright 2010
(631) 751-7744 | news@tbrnewspapers.com | www.northshoreoflongisland.com | About |
|
| |
|
