This Month in the Garden: Long Island Places, Sunflowers, and Childhood Dreams Come True!

This Month in the Garden

Welcome to This Month in the Garden! I have been a gardener all my life and ever since I was a small child, I have had a fascination with sunflowers. Every summer my parents and I would go for a Sunday drive out east here on beautiful Long Island, a tradition which I continue to honor along with my husband of 37 years. While growing up back in the 60's, sunflower fields were not readily available to the public and I would gaze in awe each time we traveled past the fields of yellow discs pointing towards the sky. Times have changed and just recently in 2018, farmers have opened up their fields to the public. I am thankful to have for the first time last year experienced standing among acres of sunflowers, I couldn't wait to revisit the fields this year. Come along! 

Late Summer Perennials at Verderber's Garden Center & Nursery

On the way out east, there are some amazing nurseries on the way, some which are more like botanical gardens. Here is a late summer display of Black Eyed Susan, Joe Pye Weed and Russian Sage, each perennial being an attraction for pollinators. They can be seen at Verderber Nursery out in Aquebogue. The family owned business comprising of 300 acres of conifers, shade trees, perennials and shrubs is run by husband-and-wife team John and Maria Verderber and their three children, aged 26 to 28, all who possess a love of horticulture.

Verderber's Nursery

This beautiful Natchez Crape Myrtle is in full bloom for the late summertime into fall. It's one of my personal favorites for late summer interest and enjoyment in the garden.

Perennials at Verderber's Nursery

Here is Joe Pye Weed close up with a  butterfly visitor! Now that I've gotten my nursery fix, onto the sunflowers!

Bayview Farms & Market

One of the local farm stands we regularly visit on our rides out east is Bayview Market & Farms, a 200-acre farm in Aquebogue, Long Island. The farm, owned by the Reeve family started when Orry Reeve floated wagons across the Peconic Bay to peddle produce to Southampton hotels. As the family expanded and after many years of selling fruits and vegetables off the back of a truck, George C. Reeve, Sr. and his sons George Jr. and Bradford Reeve built the first roadside stand, which they named Little Chief, after George's favorite variety of sweet corn. In 2002, Bradford Reeve, Sr. and his wife Lorraine, built a larger farm market, returning it to the original name Bayview Farms and Market. In 2014, the Reeve family further expanded, building a second market in Jamesport.

Sunflower Field

Here is the family owned sunflower field that lies on the property of Bayview Farms. This was our second year visiting it and it was just as beautiful as the first time!

Sunflower Maze North Fork Long Island

Continuing on the journey, my husband and I visited the North Fork sunflower maze for the second year. The Sidor sisters, Cheryl and Maureen, decided to open the fields to visitors in 2018 after growing sunflowers at the site for several years. They tried doing a sunflower maze back in 2012, and after a six-year break, they decided to bring it back for the 2018 season by popular demand. The fields are grown in succession with a variety of different types of sunflowers, each producing a differently flavored oil for the production of their well-known potato chips.

One with the Sunflowers!

Life is the accumulation of memories and experiences. The meaningful trip out east in 2018 and being able to stand in a field among the glorious sunflowers sparked childhood memories, and ended up opening an idea for a chapter in my latest book, Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener, recently published in December of 2018. It is amazing how experiences, memories of childhood and a love of horticulture can make dreams come true. After much research and accumulating past and present memories, the words for Chapter 4 materialized. The meaning and uses behind the mysterious sunflower throughout centuries of garden history and folklore made the memories I have even more dear to my heart.

Long Island Sunflowers-Sunflower Maze 

I will look forward to the next encounter with my field of dreams. Now...onto the rest of our journey!

Wisteria Arbor Jamesport, Long Island

I am a Long Island native and continue to be amazed by all the beauty and history that exists here. On our way back, we stopped to view this Wisteria lined pergola at the Jedediah Hawkins Inn, a historic property nestled in the town of Jamesport. Jedediah Hawkins, born in Stony Brook in 1837, ventured to sea at the young age of 12 and became the master of a trading vessel by the age of 18. He and each of his four siblings later moved eastward and settled in the town of Jamesport.

Jedediah Hawkins Inn, Jamesport, NY

Jedediah Hawkins built this Italanite style home in 1863 on a 22 acre plot in Jamesport, Long Island, New York. The home was occupied into the first half of the 20th century, but became abandoned in the 1980's. The home was acquired in 2004, just days from planned demolition, and restored to its original form. Jedediah Hawkins Inn opened in September of 2005 and was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 2008. 

There are numerous features on the grounds such as this beautiful fountain...

and scenes like this garden bench surrounded by Weeping Japanese Maple, Hydrangea, Black Eyed Susan, Nepeta and Hosta...

and this welcoming gazebo surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Monarch Butterfly

The gardens at the Inn are full of pollinator friendly flowers and August and September are Monarch season, so there are plenty to be seen. This Monarch Butterfly stayed and posed for me!

Long Island Sunflower Maze, North Fork

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden for September. Be sure to stop by on the 1st. of each month for This Month in the Garden, as I share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! As you can see, there is always more to explore within your own backyard and childhood dreams can come true. 

Visit my Amazon Author Page and Books

To read more about sunflowers and other musings, check out my newest book...

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

For gardening information and design tips, check out my other two books:

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9 
 and Landscape Design Combinations 

~As Always...Happy Gardening!~

Linking with:  Floral Fridays, Macro Monday 2, Friday Photo Journal, Image-in-ing Weekly Photo Link-Up and Dishing It & Digging It.

~As Always...Happy Gardening!~

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2019. All rights reserved.

Design of a Long Island Native Garden Part II

Long Island Native Planting 

Two years ago I was given the opportunity to design a Long Island native planting and was delighted to be back to design the other side of the property this past summer of 2014.  As mentioned previously in part I of this post I do enjoy a good challenge and this was yet another fulfilling experience.  As in the first round I was determined to create a native garden that was environmentally sound and aesthetically pleasing.  As you may know...this is not an easy task when it comes to planning natives.

Long Island Native Planting Before

The grounds started off as a heavily wooded area with an existing asphalt roadway leading from a back gate to a bridge that gave access to the other parts of the property.  The area was densely blanketed with heavy foliage mainly including non-native trees (some expired), numerous vines and weeds.  In addition to a native planting, the non-environmentally sound asphalt driveway needed to be removed and replaced with a permeable paver walkway that was environmentally friendly.

Long Island Native Planting After (with Permeable Paver Walkway and Planting)

After a full day of demolition and removal of asphalt and debris, the area was graded and the permeable walkway was constructed leading a path through the gardens to be.  This was the start of my design becoming a reality followed by a new fence and the plantings which were on the way.  Come stroll along and view a series of before and after photos of the gardens as they are transformed into what they are today.

Long Island Native Planting Before

Long Island Native Garden After with Permeable Paver Walkway and Planting

Long Island Native Planting and Walkway Before

Long Island Native Planting After with Permeable Paver Walkway and Planting

Long Island Native Planting After with Permeable Paver Walkway and Planting

Here are some of the plantings that were used in the garden.   I used a combination of shade tolerant native evergreens, flowering shrubs and perennials to achieve a garden that would provide interest throughout all seasons and serve the function of providing an inviting pathway from one entrance of the property to the next. Below are some descriptions of each selection.

American Holly Ilex opaca (Native Holly)

Hardy in zones 5-9, American Holly is a native evergreen to the eastern United States.  It prefers to be grown in partial to full shade and matures to a height of 15-30 feet tall by 10-20 feet wide but can be maintained at a smaller size.  Inconspicuous greenish-white flowers appear in spring followed by red berries which ripen in fall and persist throughout the winter and are enjoyed by wildlife.

Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar)

Eastern Red Cedar is a hardy coniferous evergreen native to the northeast.   It is hardy in zones 6-9 and prefers to be grown in full sun to partial shade.  Juniperus virginiana grows to a mature size of 15-25 feet tall by 6-10 feet wide in a columnar habit.  Foliage is a desirable feathery blue-green and the plant makes an attractive screening in the landscape. 

Ilex glabra (Inkberry)

Inkberry is a hardy mid-sized evergreen shrub with glossy green leaves hardy in zones 4-9.  It prefers to be grown in full sun to partial shade and reaches a mature height and width of 4-6 feet. Small white flowers in spring are followed by black berries in fall.  This plant is known to be tolerant of a variety of conditions.

Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel)

Mountain Laurel is an excellent shrub for shady areas and is hardy in zones 4-9. It is noted for its leathery glossy evergreen leaves that are dark green above and yellow green beneath along with attractive pale pink blooms in spring.  Hardy in zones 4-9, Mountain Laurel prefers partial to full shade and grows to a mature height and width of 3-10 feet.

 Arrowwood Viburnum dentatum (Native Viburnum)

Viburnum denatum is native to the eastern United States and hardy in zones 3-8. It is a useful medium-sized to large deciduous shrub that is tolerable of many growing conditions and soil types.   Flattened clusters of creamy white blooms appear in late spring into early summer and when planted in groupings with other viburnum cultivars flowers develop into blue-black berries that attract birds.   In fall, foliage turns to shades of yellow, burgundy or purple-red for additional interest.  Arrowood Viburnum grows to a height and width of 6-10 feet and prefers to be grown in full sun to part shade.

Eupatorium dubium Little Joe (Dwarf Joe Pye Weed)

Joe Pye Weed. also known as White Snakeroot or Mist Flower is a native perennial displaying enormous umbrella-like rosy-purple blooms in mid-summer throughout early fall.   Hardy in zones 4-9, Eupatorium grows in full sun to full shade to 36-42 inches tall and 30-36 inches wide and will tolerate moist soil.  The variety 'Little Joe' is the first compact form of this plant.

Solidago sphacelata Golden Fleece (Goldenrod)

 Solidago (Goldenrod) is known for its desirable and outstanding display of golden-yellow blooms appearing in late summer into early fall.  Hardy in zones 4-9, Goldenrod prefers to be grown in full sun to part shade and displays an attractive clumping compact habit growing to 18-24 inches in height and width.  Solidago should not to be confused with the common allergen ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)!

 Iris versicolor (Blue Wild Iris)

Hardy in zones 4-8, Wild Iris (Iris versicolor) is a marginal aquatic plant that forms clumps of sword shaped, blue-green leaves with stalks of violet blue blooms in late spring throughout early summer. Wild Iris grows to a height of 30-42 inches tall and 30-36 inches wide and prefers full sun to part shade.

Whereas the first native planting was mostly in full sun this one had its own challenges in that is was in a woodland shaded area.  Having done massive research for the first project it was easier to select the plantings for this one and I was pleased with the results as was the homeowner.  If you are planning a native garden the moral of the story once again is...an environmentally sound garden can also be aesthetically pleasing!

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.