A Step Inside History: The 2026 Long Beach Historical Society House & Garden Tour

Historic Garden Tour

Each year, the Long Island Historical & Preservation Society opens the doors to some of Long Beach’s most fascinating private homes, and the 2026 tour continued that tradition with a fresh lineup of residences. This year’s event took place on Sunday, April 26, 2026 and unlike a typical museum visit, this experience was immersive and personal. Guests move from home to home by either walking or driving along a roughly mile and a half route while discovering interiors and gardens rarely seen by the public. 

Museum House Garden: Hollywood Juniper & Kerria

The tour officially kicked off at the Society’s museum, located at 226 West Penn Street, a historic home dating back to 1909. Here, visitors receive a brochure outlining the route, background information, and highlights of each property. From that moment on, the day becomes a self-guided exploration through Long Beach’s architectural past. Beyond the interiors, the gardens are a highlight in their own right. Spring in Long Beach provides the perfect backdrop for coastal-friendly plantings, backyard retreats and historic landscaping elements that echo early 20th-century style. These outdoor spaces offer inspiration for gardeners and plant lovers alike, blending ornamental beauty with practical design suited to seaside living.

Kerria japonica (Japanese Kerria or Japanese Rose)

A Little Garden Whimsy!

Garden of Eaton Dedication

Museum House Garden

Museum House Garden 

Spring Tulips

Residential Garden

Residential Garden

Residential Garden Raised Planters

Residential Garden Arbor

Daffodils are Blooming!

Grape Hyacinths

A Little Something Extra While on the Way-Topiary Garden

Topiary Garden

Topiary Garden

What makes this tour truly special is the collaboration behind it. Homeowners, volunteers, and local historians all come together to create an experience that is both educational and welcoming. The event also serves a larger purpose, supporting the preservation work of the Historical Society. Proceeds help maintain the museum and fund restoration projects that keep Long Beach’s heritage alive for future generations. The Long Beach Historical Society House & Garden Tour isn’t just an event,  it’s a journey through time, told through homes,landscapes, and the people who preserve them.

If you’ve ever wondered about the history your neighborhood holds, a house and garden tour is the perfect chance to step inside and discover the past, one doorway, one garden, and one chapter of history at a time.

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2026. All rights reserved.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up: Spring Has Arrived & April Blooms!

Welcome!

Welcome to my April Long Island zone 7b garden! It has been another rollercoaster ride of a month with lots of wind and temperatures fluctuating from in the 50's one day (that feel like in the 40's) and rising up into the 60's other days, and now temperatures have risen over the past two days to an almost record breaking upper 70's! The garden has been a couple of weeks behind, but there have been frequent gentle rain events to help the flowers grow, and the blooms are now catching up. Join me for a tour! 

Hellebore 'Champion'

Buried beneath a blanket of snow throughout the month of March, Hellebore 'Champion' is a delight for the eyes. I was happy to see that it was unharmed and the foliage even looks a bit better than after other winters. The blooms were certainly worth the wait!

Hellebore 'Merlin'

Joining 'Champion', Hellebore' Merlin' is blooming and joining the display...

Hellebore 'Dark & Handsome

and well, hello there to 'Dark & Handsome too!

Allium ' Millenium' & Golden Yew

In the back garden, Allium 'Millenium' has appeared almost overnight, next to Golden Japanese Yew. 

Pieris 'Cavatine'

As we get some warmer days, the petite bell-shaped white blooms of Pieris 'Cavatine' (Dwarf Andromeda) are showing themselves in the backyard garden...

Peony 'Bartzella'

and the bright reddish-pink stems of Peony 'Bartzella' are emerging from the ground!

Sedum Groundcover

Around the pool border, a mixture of groundcover Sedum is coming to life with a combination of golden yellow or deep pinkish-burgundy colored foliage. Stalks of yellow blooms and tiny pink blooms will follow in mid to late summer...

Pulmonaria (Lungwort)

and look...the Pulmonaria are blooming too!

Hyacinths are Blooming!

Along the patio border, the Hyacinths are in bloom, joined by the foliage of Daylily 'Stella D Oro'.

Spirea 'Candy Corn'

Here is 'Candy Corn', a relatively new dwarf cultivar of Spirea, which is displaying its vibrant new pinkish-red growth. Pink blooms will follow in late spring to early summer. Lamb's Ear joins in the mix!

'Repandans' Spreading Yew & Sweet Flag

For a little more foliage, here is Repanden's English Spreading Yew and Sweet Flag, a combination that maintains interest all year long, and now in springtime, the succulent rosettes of Sedum are a delight too!

Sedum 'Brilliant'

As daylight lengthens and the days grow warmer, spring is certainly underway with lots of expectations that await. It is time to get out into the garden and get some spring pruning and cleaning done, a task which is actually good for the soul!

Thanks for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my April garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.

Connect With Me 🌼

It's time to plan your garden! Visit my Author Page 👈to learn about and purchase my books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey! If you have read any of my books and have found them to be useful, reviews are very much appreciated!

Also, check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe or you can pledge a donation to show support for my work, or upgrade to receive extra perks monthly right into your inbox!

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2026. All rights reserved. 

NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Orchid Show 2026: Mr. Flower Fantastic's Concrete Jungle

NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Orchid Show 2026

Welcome to the 2026 NYBG Orchid Show virtual tour! I recently had the pleasure of experiencing the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show, designed by renowned artist Mr. Flower Fantastic. The theme for this year is Mr. Flower Fantastic's Concrete Jungle, a connection between nature and urban scenes, as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory transforms into a floral display of NYC landmarks. Available to the public since 2003, the NYBG orchid show runs each February through April. This year's exhibit runs from February 7th to April 26th, as the beauty of nature blends with urban landscapes.

Meet the Designer

Known as one of the most in-demand floral artists in the world, Mr. Flower Fantastic is a former graffiti artist turned floral designer. Growing up in Queens, his love of flowers began with his mother's garden. Over the years, he became a self-taught floral designer, and as his passion for designing grew, he started experimenting with various mediums and gained a presence through private events and trade shows. In 2018, his defining  moment occurred when Serena William's team invited him to create a floral interpretation of her Nike "Queen" Air max 97 sneakers (designed by Virgil Abloh). The artist created a large scale sculpture that was then presented to Serena at the U.S Open. Following that event, Mr. Flower Fantastic (AKA MFF or Flower) has worked with major brands and media including Nike, Netflix, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, and NBC Sports among others. He is now one of the most in-demand floral artists in the world. 

NYC Apartment

There is more to the story. Ironically, the artist Mr. Flower Fantastic is highly allergic to flower pollen, and has to wear a gas mask and gloves while working on displays. It turns out that the signature mask and gloves he originally wore to manage his allergies ended up becoming part of his identity. According to sources, the renowned "MFF" or "Flower" desires to remain anonymous because he wants the focus to be on his work and not on him." Usually when he's out and about in public, he wears a gas mask and gloves, both to protect his health and to hide his true identity. 

 Rhyncattleanthe Golden Angel Orchid

Now, onto the rest of the virtual tour!

NYC News Stand

Moth Orchid Display

Terrarium Mix of Orchids and Tropical Plants

Conservatory Fountain & Sitting Area

Passageway to Desert Garden

Welcome to the Desert Garden!

Desert Garden- Yucca & Cacti

Desert Garden-Barrel Cactus

Pizza Shop-Surrounded by Orchids & Sweet Flag

Apartment Balcony & Fire Escape

 Laundromat for Plants!

Tropical Greenhouse

Bromeliad (Goudaea)

Decorative Dumpster!-With Orchids & Sedge

Car Wash - Taxi Cab Created with Carnations, License Plate Orchid!

Urban Steam Vent with Mist!

Thanks for Visiting!

Mr. Flower Fantastic's love of and belief in the power of flowers truly becomes a reality in the 23rd. annual NGBT Orchid Show! I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden and the virtual tour! 

👉 My Books! 👈

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations  

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2026. All rights reserved.