Friday, May 15, 2026

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up: Join Me For A Walk Through My May Garden

Welcome to my May Garden!
"It's into the garden I go to lose my mind and find my soul", is a well-known quote by John Muir and one that I live by. As the garden awakens in May, it is one of my favorite months of the gardening season. After an unusually cold April and start to May, the temperatures are now finally rising from the chilly 50's into the 70's and maybe even the 80's by the end of the week! There are new blooms to be seen everyday as the garden explodes with new growth and color. Join me on a tour of my zone 7b Long Island garden!
Rhode Island red Japanese Maple & Salvia 'Blue By You'
The first stop is my Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple, which I cherish. The new foliage is a beautiful and vibrant pinkish-burgundy in springtime, then ripening into a darker maroon throughout the rest of the season. This compact maple is perfect in the patio garden and just keeps getting better with time! Salvia 'Blue By You', a repeat blooming Salvia, stands in front of the maple and is starting to display its purple blooms!
Kwanzan Cherry Bloom
In the southern border, Kwanzan Cherry was full of blooms, a sight I look forward to every spring. I am holding on to every remaining flower as they slowly drop to the ground, creating a sea of pink.
Patio Border
Along the patio border is Weeping Norway Spruce, Dwarf Cryptomeria, Nandina 'Obsession' and Blue Star Juniper. In the backdrop along the fence is newly planted Nepeta 'Cat's Meow' (Catmint).
Nepeta 'Cat's Meow'
I am enjoying the vibrant blooms!
Allium 'Globemaster'
Here are the buds of Allium 'Globemaster' along the pool border, getting ready to explode into an array of large lavender blooms, which should happen by late May into early June.
Spirea 'Candy Corn', Lamb's Ear & Daylily
Along the patio border, the vibrant foliage of Spirea 'Candy Corn', white, fuzzy foliage of Lamb's Ear and spiky foliage of Daylily can be seen, with blooms to follow!
Relaxing in the Garden
Relaxing in the northwestern patio border is a statue I can see year round outside my window, and it always makes me smile...
Peony 'Bartzella'
and in the western patio garden is Peony 'Bartzella, which seems to be loving the snow cover we had this past winter and cooler spring temperatures. It is getting bigger by the day and seems even larger than I remember from previous years. 
Peony 'Bartzella' Bud
I am hoping that the blooms turn out to be even more abundant this year. 
Azalea Girard's Pink
Azalea 'Girards Pink' resides in the back pool border, and as I travel around the winding path in the back garden, the blooms are there to enjoy.
Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple
Along the patio border is Trombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple, an upright and more slender form of red maple... 
Pool Border
and here is my favorite statue of all time, one which reminds me of childhood. It stands among a patch of mixed cultivars of groundcover Sedum.
Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken' Blooms
Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken' is not only an attractive broad-leaved evergreen, but it also displays lightly fragrant bell shaped white blooms in springtime. Two groupings of three can be seen along the right and left of the main waterfall.
Pool Waterfall
Here is a closer view of the waterfall, with Weeping Norway Spruce, Upright Variegated Boxwood, Golden Pacific Juniper and Sedum. 
Weigela 'My Monet'
In the back raised island bed, Weigela 'My Monet' is getting ready to show its pink blooms along with its variegated foliage...
Front Island Bed
and in the newly renovated front island bed is a new hybrid of Nepeta called 'Chartreuse on the Loose'. It blooms all summer and the foliage remains the color it is now, so I hope it does well!
Patio Planters
Last but not least, are two of the planters by the back entry providing color with Spirea 'Candy Corn' and groundcover Sedum. I started having planters along the entries and patio area years ago, as they can be enjoyed every time one steps out the door!
Thanks for Visiting!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to my May 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!


Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

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

Friday, May 1, 2026

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.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

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 WoodsImage-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
 ðŸŒ¼
It's time to plan your garden! Visit my Author Page ðŸ‘ˆto 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!


Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

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