Garden Walk 2023

The Historical Society of Islip Hamlet hosted its 6th "Secret Gardens of Islip" - Garden Walk on Saturday, July 14th, on a sunny afternoon.

The Crane and Auciello Garden was on the tour before but under different ownership. There are now 3 generations living in the large Victorian home. A built-in pool was added as well as many new trees, shrubs and perennials. Limelight hydrangeas and a Southern Magnolia as well as a vegetable garden have been planted. A putting green is now underway of being added to the property.

The Laterza Garden; when the owners moved in, the house had been vacant for several months and so the lawn/garden beds were overtaken by weeds. Peonies from their previous home were moved and planted to the front of the porch. New garden beds, Leland cypresses and limelight hydrangeas were added as well as vegetable and herb garden beds. A sitting area was added by the pool. Chives, Stargazer lilies, Cala lilies and vivid orange Asiatic lilies also came from their previous home's garden.

The Blyskal and Puzio Gardens were proud to share their joy of native plants and water-friendly gardening practices; trees were marked with plaques denoting their common name, genus and species. The property is a Certified Monarch Waystation, providing habitat and nectar for these charismatic butterflies. A plethora of heat and drought-tolerant native plants populate the beds: Eastern Prickly Pear, milkweed, sedum, phlox and crocosmia.

The Vanasco Garden, also on the original 2012 Garden Walk, is a work in progress and always changing. The front of the property includes Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Andromeda and Lilacs. The pool shed has been whimsically decorated. The potted herb garden is conveniently located near the house for easy access. A garden on the opposite side of the pool has Hostas, Astilbe and ferns as well as a hammock. Also added to the property is a gazebo, a bug-free place to entertain. A "Selfie Station" was on site, complete with props to create a fun and memorable photo.

The Umstatter Garden was originally showcased in 2018. Ivy and vinca that remained from when they purchased the house in 1976 have been transplanted into their current garden beds. A lovely iron bench is surrounded by evergreen shrubs, potted Azaleas, Sedum, Blue Fescue and colorful annuals. There are several perennial garden beds encircled by boxwoods, a climbing hydrangea, many ornamental grasses and Black-eyed Susans. Two sheds, built by the owners, hold many garden tools. Between the sheds are large evergreens and a Japanese Maple.

Seatuck Environmental Association (Suffolk County Environmental Center) is a public nature center which opened on Earth Day 2010. The 1917 Normandy-style chateau was built for Louisine Peters-Weekes and designed by renowned architect Grosvenor Atterbury. The house was one of three mansions built on the estate of Samuel T. Peters. Louisine's daughter, Happy Scully, bequeathed the 70-acre estate, effective upon her death, to be a nature preserve. The property is a diverse mix of habitats, including salt marsh, freshwater wetlands and mature upland forest.

The society would like to thank the homeowners, Garden Walk guides, Caroline's Flower Shoppe, volunteers from the Islip Public Schools (Isabella, Elizabeth, Ryann, Kathryn, Melanie, Jailany), Sue Avery (Seatuck's head gardner), our refreshment bakers (Cathy, Roberta, Madeline, Elaine, Christine, Ann, Katrina), all the businesses that donated to our raffle and our ticketholders for making this walk so successful.