A Beautiful Day to Host a Garden Tour: Sayville Garden Tour: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

Every other year, the Sayville Garden Club and BAFFA (Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts) host the Sayville Garden Tour: "A Little Garden Music...and Art" for a beautiful day of self-guided tours of six private gardens. Participants receive directions and a tour guide describing the story behind each garden and are greeted by the garden owners themselves, all willing to answer any questions visitors may have. Garden artists and musicians are on site to add to the atmosphere of the tour as visitors explore each garden with its unique personality. After being one of the homes on the tour in 2010, my husband and I were honored to be one of the six homes participating in this years tour on the 16th of June. Come along and experience the day!

OUR STORY:

“A Garden of Dreams and Memories”

     Built in 1953, our home stands on what was once a gladiola farm. Our gardens originated from a vast lawn shadowed by maple and wild cherry trees along with an original iris garden planted by my mom, which still exists today. There is also an eastern red cedar that I planted with my dad, which was my first “real tree” ever dug into the soil. You see, I never left the home that I grew up in, so there are many memories here. 

     My husband and I, now both retired educators, took over the home in 1982 and the journey began when we decided to put in a pool in 1996. I had a deep passion of gardening within me since the age of five which continued into adulthood, as I designed the gardens of friends and neighbors. Through the encouragement of many, I furthered my education in horticulture and design and began a landscape design business, called Landscape Design by Lee. As the business grew I had an increasing desire to expand on our own property. With that thought, our grounds gradually transformed into a private sanctuary for us to enjoy, and the gardens have become a part of what brings joy into our lives.

Double Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz' Greets Guests

     Our surroundings consist of a combination of colorful evergreens, flowering shrubs, grasses and perennials that highlight each season of the year. The centerpiece of the back garden is a mountain lake pool with waterfall, accompanied by Western Arborvitae, Dogwood, Star Magnolia, Weeping Norway Spruce, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Montgomery Globe Spruce, Weeping White Pine, Crepe Myrtle, Spirea, Daylily, Salvia and Coral Bells among other plantings. The front gardens are highlighted by specimens including Golden Oriental Spruce, Weeping Japanese Maples, Blue Atlas Cedar and Hinoki Cypress, with blooms of Nepeta, Coreopsis and Coneflower. My main goal was to create continuous interest.

    The journey continued in 2010, with the debut of my blog, A Guide to Northeastern Gardening. Today, I am also a published author of two books, A Guide to Northeastern Gardening (2015) and Landscape Design Combinations (2017), each where I share my passion of all things green. When not designing or writing, I can be found in my own gardens planning the next addition, a never-ending process. “A garden is an extension of its owner, a thing of beauty that constantly changes and can be enjoyed forever. It is also a place where dreams can come true.”  We hope you enjoy your visit.

Original Iris Garden Planted by my Mom

As guests entered the property they could view this iris garden that was planted by my mom while I was growing up, and still remains today. A couple of blooms held on just long enough for the day of the tour!

Salvia 'May Night', Heuchera 'Caramel' and Sedum 'Brilliant (Back to Front)

I am a huge fan of combining foliage with blooms. Here is a combination of purple perennial Salvia, 'Caramel' Heuchera and Sedum for all season interest. 

Visitors Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

Once our visitors started to arrive, there was lots to see and talk about. Some faces were new, while many were past acquaintances. 

Visitors Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

I enjoyed every moment of discussing plants and answering any questions that visitors may have had.

A little music from BAFFA (Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts)

Thanks to BAFFA, the background music provided added a nice touch to the tour as visitors walked the gardens.

Some friends dropping by

Even some good friends stopped along to share the special day.

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

Here is a view of the northern border garden as seen from the pool. Arborvitae, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and Knock Out Roses can be seen in the backdrop, while Spirea, Weeping Norway Spruce and globe shaped Allium Globemaster rise above Daylilies in the foreground.

Garden Artist Jeanne Salucci from Jeanne Salucci Art

Garden artist Jeanne Salucci amazed us as she so beautifully captured the above view in an oil painting of our garden! Without me knowing, my husband had purchased the painting and surprised me with it after the artist had left! It will be such a wonderful memory of our garden and a perfect day.

Come around to the back southern side of the secret garden.

Come along and take in some other views that visitors experienced in the gardens.

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

Northern Garden with Japanese Kousa Dogwood and Roses in Bloom

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

A visitor gazes out towards the pool and gardens on the western side of the property.

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

This is Joan, the lady next door and avid gardener who is like a second mom to me and who taught me an appreciation for all things green. I dedicated my second book to her!

Eastern Side of Pool Border

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

Perennial Border with Lamb's Ear and Astilbe Starting to Bloom

Blooms of Astilbe and Lamb's Ear have started to appear in the perennial border for the day of the tour...

Back Southern Side Secret Garden

while the back northern garden is in full bloom for June with Spirea, Nepeta and Heuchera.

Back Northern Side Secret Shade Garden

I refer to this area as my secret garden. A bluestone path leads through a shade garden with a surprise bird bath at the end.

Back Shade Garden

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art" Garden Greeters!

These wonderful ladies did a great job of greeting all the guests as they entered the property.

Sayville Garden Tour June 16th, 2018: "A Little Garden Music...and Art"

The weather was perfect, the garden tour was a wonderful success and we got to meet so many wonderful people who visited our property. Much thanks to the Sayville Garden Club and BAFFA for inviting us to participate once again in this fabulous event. It's another wonderful memory to add to the list!

~As Always...Happy Gardening!~

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.