Garden Tours – VanDyke Gardens

Lake Ronkonkoma Beach
Recently, there was a cleanup/ beautification happening at Lake Ronkonkoma Beach. We were so excited to be a part of another project like this through Keep Islip Clean. There was many volunteers from the Lake Ronkonkoma Beautification Group and Nature’s …
Longhouse Reserve Garden Tour
Located in East Hampton Township, Longhouse Reserve covers 16 acres of property. Jack Larsen has owned the property since 1970, and has turned it into a work of wonder. Every inch of this land is covered in gardens, established lawns, …
Islip Historical Society Garden Walk 2017
On July 15th, the Historical Society of Islip held their annual garden walk. Bob and I had a booth for Keep Islip Clean, where we shared information about the KIC message of anti-littering and gardening/beautification. We also gave away hundreds …
Clark Botanic Garden Tour
Clark Botanic Garden is located in North Hempstead, NY. It is 12 acres of lush plant life, rock gardens, and a pond. They even have bees! While walking we found a turtle roaming in the grass, as well as a …
Eisenhower Park Memorial
On June 24th, Bob and I visited Eisenhower Park Memorial in Nassau County. The memorial was erected in 1947 as a tribute to those who died in World War II. The grounds surrounding the memorial were very beautiful and maintained. …
Best Hiking Trails on Long Island
Summer is nearly here, which means getting out of the house and having some fun with friends and family in the sun. Want something to do other then go to a beach? How about hiking! It’s something fun that any …
Islip Beach Planters
Here is some photos of the beautiful planters that are at Islip Town Beach. The large planters are located along the boardwalk by the sand. I love all the colors from the flowers against the sandy beach background. There are …
Intercostal Cleanup at Knapps Lake
Photos attached of our day on Knapps Lake at Brookwood Hall for the Intercostal cleanup. I filled out the “Citizen Scientist” sheets and sent them in the provided envelope so our debris could be counted as part of a global …
Glover Farm
Here are some photos from when we visited Glover Farm! Jim Glover was kind to give the Master Gardeners a private tour. Jim is the guy in the center of the photo, wearing the straw hat. They have 23 acres …
Catapano Goat Farm
Here is a couple of photographs from Catapano Goat Farm in Peconic. It’s so much fun watching goats get milked! They line right up and it only takes a minute or two for each one to be done. It’s funny …
Landcraft Garden tour details
Here are some up-close photographs of the garden tour at Landcraft Gardens! All of the colors from the lush plant-life was so beautiful. There were so many different shades of purples and greens. All of the plants were showcased so …
Landcraft Garden Tour
This week we went on a Master Gardener tour of Landcraft Gardens in Mattituck. The grounds were strikingly beautiful and breathtaking. All of the landscaping was done with a meticulous hand, it was perfectly executed. All of the grass was …
Joan’s Daylilies
A group of Project Bloom Gardeners toured Joan Turano’s beautiful home garden. Here are some photos of her amazing Day Lilies! All of the lilies were in full bloom, and were bright and boisterous. My favorite Day Lilies are the …
Joan’s Garden
A group of Project Bloom Gardeners toured Joan Turano’s beautiful home garden full of Day lilies, Hostas and Hydrangeas. All the flowers were bright and gorgeous. I loved the color on all of the blooms. Her entire yard was super lush, and …
Trip to Orient Point
Yesterday, Bob and I took a drive out to Orient Point for Independence Day this past weekend. We visited Catapano Dairy Farm (to see the goats of course) and the Glass Greenhouse. The greenhouse was beautiful, and all the flowers were gorgeous. …
Islip Historical Society Garden Walk 2016
This weekend on June 25th at noon, the Islip Historical Society will be hosting a garden walk. You can either purchase tickets online or at Caroline’s Flower Shoppe on Main Street (between 11AM and 1PM.) Once you have purchased your …
Planting Fields
On Tuesday June 21st, we attended the Summer Twilight Tour at Planting Fields Arboretum. It was hosted by LINLA (Long Island Nursery & Landscape Association.) We were taken on a tour of the gardens, with Vincent Simone as our tour …
Cherry Blossoms and Sakura Matsuri
On Saturday April 30th, I went to see the Cherry Blossoms and Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It was such a beautiful and sunny day, it was no surprise that I was not the only one who thought …
Cherry Blossoms in Brooklyn
Its that beautiful time of the year again, when Cherry Blossoms are in bloom left and right. At the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in Brooklyn, you have the chance to see these magnificent plants right now! On their website, they have …
Botanical Gardens and Arboretums Around Long Island
When people say summer on Long Island, the first thing that comes to mind is our lovely beaches and parks. However, there is another way you should be spending your time this summer. Throughout Suffolk and Nassau County there are …
Adventures in the East End
While out in the East End, we visited some farms, Lavender By The Bay, Catapano Goat Farm, Custer Institute Observatory and Garden of Eve. The Lavender Farm has been on Long Island for the past 15 years, and is still …
Canoeing in the Connetquot River
We went canoeing on the Connetquot River here on Long Island this past weekend, we went with another couple and had such a lovley time. We saw schools of fishes under the water, baby ducks, and a baby swan! It …
Staten Island Garden Tour and Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
Established in 1945 by Jacques Marchais, the gardens have been transformed to resemble a tibetan monastery. The buildings in the garden represent the first Himalayan style architecture that was built in the United States. It was also the first Museum that …
Commack Train Layout
This is an impressive example of a privately owned large scale outdoor garden railroad. It contains horticultural and architectural elements. Adjacent to the railroad is a Koi pond and waterfall. There are also Bonsai plantings throughout the garden. All of …
Project Bloom’s Top Gardens Tour
In August of 2014 the team of Project Bloom got together and caravaned around Islip Hamlet to look at some of the best garden beds we had seen all season. These beds are maintained by KIC volunteers, and were planted …
Vanderbilt Museum
We visited the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport some time ago. The dioramas inside of the garden was interesting. The gardens were also equally beautiful and lovely to look at. I especially loved the amazing shell museum. I bet a lot …
Old Westbury
The Gardens at Old Westbury are stunning. It is like stepping back in time, or being transported into the garden of a wealthy nobleman. The ponds and pathways are designed with elegance. The walled gardens and statuary are wonderful and …
Bayard Dahlias, Great River
The Bayard Arboretum in Great River has many beautiful flower beds. Here are some photos from the dahlia garden. This garden is planted each year, and maintained by the members of the Long Island Dahlia Society. It’s really magnificent this time …
Bayard Arboretum, NY
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River, NY is a great place to visit. They have a garden strictly for dahlias which is lovely. You can see more of that here. It is about 600 acres of natural beauty, full of …

LA Arboretum
I had the chance to visit the Los Angeles County Arboretum in late May. The place was over-run with Peacocks! Showing off and trumpeting loudly. The LA Arboretum is 127 acres and is located just off Route 66, just east …
National Arboretum in Washington
Over the Christmas holiday, we visited Washington D.C. and got to tour the National Arboretum. It was so beautiful, so many flowers! There were so many different types of flowers; including Hydrangeas, Orchids, Amaryllis, Bigleaf Hydrangeas, A Chocolate Tree (wow!), …
New Elevated Park in NYC
This past week, a new elevated park opened in New York City. It is called Liberty Park, and opened at the World Trade Center. It has a twenty five foot high vertical garden and also contains a sapling from a …
Oldest White Oak in the Country
In the quiet town of Basking Ridge NJ, lives a town that is united by the love of one tree. White Oak to be specific. This tree has been part of U.S. history since the beginning, when George Washington decided …
Ladew Topiary Gardens
This past week we had the chance to visit Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland. Harvey Ladew was an avid traveler, artist, and fox hunter. He purchased the 200+ acre farm from the Scarff family in 1929, due to its closeness …
Longwood Greenhouse
Here are some photos from the greenhouse at Longwood Gardens. It was just as spacious and beautiful as the garden grounds. The greenhouse is 4-acres and is a splendid space for peace and relaxation. One of the highlights from the room …
Longwood Gardens
We recently just visited Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. This garden has a lot of history behind it, such as it’s founder Pierre S. DuPont’s reasoning for purchasing it. The original park was a small area and was to be torn …
Cherry Trees in Bloom in D.C.
These photos were taken last weekend on April 10th by my friend Gail Griffin. She writes “I lucked out this year and hit the cherry blossoms at the exact hour of peak (the National Park Service really does time this!) …
Disney’s Epcot Flower Show 2015 Part II
Here are some close up shots of the flowers in Epcot. All the displays were eye catching and were such a welcome sight after the long NY winter. I would highly recommend seeing this show if ever given the chance. …
Disney’s Epcot Flower Show 2015
Every spring for the last 5 years, my sisters and I meet up with a trip to Walt Disney World. This year we were lucky to be going the same time as the Epcot Flower Showcase. Epcot was lush with …
Bellingrath Gardens, AL
Opened in 1932, Bellingrath Gardens is located in Theodore, Alabama. When first opened, Mr. and Mrs. Bellingrath wanted to keep the gardens as a free activity– so there was no charge to get in. There was an overwhelming response to …
Disney Epcot Flower Show 2014
The Epcot Flower show never fails to impress me. All the vibrant colors and showcases– just magnificent. The showcase has many things surrounding the flowers, from viewing the topiaries built with hundreds of flowers, to having food and drink inspired …
Florida Keys
When we visited the Florida Keys, it was like being in a tropical paradise. Kathy swam with dolphins on Islamorada, we stayed on San Marco and Key West. I loved the pelicans, and all the exotic plant life. All the …
Maine
Maine is a beautiful part of the country. The lakes and coastline were beautiful, it looked surreal, like a painting at some places. We stayed in Arcadia National Park, and ate lobster every night, and blueberries for breakfast and dessert …
Fort Myers, FL
While in Fort Myers, Florida we visited many beaches and the land that surrounded our hotel. It was such a tranquil area to visit. All the animal and plant life was interesting and new to this Long Islander. I loved …
Duke Estate, NJ
The Doris Duke Estate was begun in 1903, with plans to build a new mansion were put into place by J.B. Duke. He also had plans to build other mansions in New York and North Carolina. After the foundation was …
Central Park, NYC
We took a visit into Manhattan this month. It was so nice being able to walk around Central Park. We visited the Central Park Zoo while we were there as well. It is so amazing, that there is such a …
California
I visited my Dad in San Clemente CA, and went with my stepmom Annie to a Garden near their home. We saw lovely tropical plants there including a large variety of bamboo and other flowering plants like cactus. All the …
Boyce Thompson Arboretum, AZ
The Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Arizona, is an interesting place. It is not like the traditional arboretums we are familiar seeing here in New York, where there is a ton of greenery. This was a more dry, and arid place …
Tempe AZ Garden
I took these photos when I was visiting my sister in her home in Arizona. I had such a lovely visit with her. I couldn’t resist taking photos of her garden! This is the garden she has at her house. …
Biltmore Estate, Ashville, NC
The Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina has a lot of beauty behind the walls of the estate. The gardens on the property are magnificent and definitely worth seeing. There was one plant that caught my attention during our visit. …
Bike Ride to the Phoenix Zoo
While in Arizona, I had the chance to take a bike ride to the Phoenix Zoo. There were so many different animals. There was monkeys, flamingos, turtles, tigers, many different birds and various other mammals. All the animals there were …
Chiluly Exhibit at Phoenix Botanical Garden
We visited this Chiluly exhibit which filled the Phoenix Botanical Garden. All the glass sculptures were made to represent the plants growing. There was glass sculptures of rocks, cactuses, trees and flowers. We went during the day, and then came …

Keukenhoff
Here are photos of when we visited Holland and went to Keukenhoff to see the tulips. It was breathtaking with all the beautiful colors and the meticulous gardening. The sheer numbers of tulips was overwhelming (in a good way!) It …
Holland from the Train and Bus
Being on foot and looking at Holland is beautiful, but get into a car or plane and the view elevates. Being able to get a bird’s eye view of the fields and landscape gives a feeling that can’t be described. …
Castle in Holland
We also visited a castle in Holland. The medieval architecture of the estate was amazing. The castle looked straight out of a storybook! There was even a drawbridge with a moat. It felt like being moved back in time. The …
Botanical Garden – Amsterdam
While in Amsterdam, we visited the botanical garden. They had an amazing variety of plant life. Many of it was encased in glass to keep it safe from the outside world. We loved the display cases and the massive tropical …
Amsterdam
When we visited Amsterdam, it was an unforgettable experience. All the buildings were artfully built, and the city just screamed beauty. We passed a street vendor who was selling tulips. All the different choices were mind boggling. Really, all the …
Aalsmeer
Aalsmeer is the largest flower auction held in Holland. The town that the auction is held in, is referred to as the Flower Capital of the World. All the flowers that were being auctioned off were magnificent and so vibrant …

Giants Causeway
Giants Causeway in Ireland is one of the natural wonders in the Northern Ireland. It was created by volcanic activity, and when basalt intruded the volcanic plateau. The basalt pillars that came up from the ground are all hexagon shaped …
Around Ireland
When Bob and I visited Ireland, it was an unforgettable trip. Everything was super lush and beautiful in early September. We started our tour south of Dublin, then turned north to Northern Ireland and the Devil’s causeway, then over to …
Powerscourt
When the house on the Powerscourt property was rebuilt in the decade after 1731, the grounds were also rebuilt and remodeled. The desire was to create a wider landscape, and boy was that accomplished! There are hundreds of trees and …
Muckross House
In 1861 Queen Victoria was to visit the Muckross House, so in preparation for the joyous event extensive gardening began in the 1850’s. Later, the family continued this gardening tradition. As a focal point within Killarney National Park, Muckross House …
Mt. Usher
Mount Usher Gardens were created by four generations of the Walpole family over a period of 112 years from 1868. The garden comprises of 22 acres with the Vartry River running through it and contain many champion trees of Ireland …
Mt. Stewart
Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland. The house and its contents reflect the history of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, who played a leading role in British and Irish social and political life. After the …
Loughkey Forest
Loughkey Forest in Ireland is a tranquil piece of land and estate. It has many broadleaf and conifer trees growing along the paths, as well as many wildflowers and mammals. The forest looked almost magical, as if something out of …
Lough Rynn Estate
Located on an isthmus between the lakes of Lough Rynn and Lough Erril, the Lough Rynn Estate was the home to many wealthy families in Ireland. Opening in 2006 as a hotel, the estate got much more attention for the …
Lisadell House
The terraced oceanfront walled garden was breathtaking on this property. It was raining, and a long walk through an open field, but it was so amazing!! The house was built between 1830 and 1835, and Lisadell House is a historic …
Kylemore Abbey
Founded by Lady Mary Percy in 1598, this monastery has a long history stretching back almost three hundred and forty years. The purpose of Kylemore Abbey was to provide an education and religious community for Irish women during times of …
Glenveagh Castle
Glenveagh Castle is located in the middle of Glenveagh National Park in Ireland. Built between 1870 and 1873 by Captain John George Adair, it was left to the Irish Nation in 1981. It was used by Hollywood movie stars as …
Garinish Island
Garinish Island is located in Southwestern Ireland. The entire island is an Italianate garden built by a man for his beloved. It is known for the exotic plants that grow there in an unlikely climate. The gardens that are nestled …
Dunmore House
The Dunmore House was my favorite “Secret Garden” in the world. Our innkeeper sent us “across the street” to the most spectacular walled gardens. We walked through them in awe. All the plants were by deep green leaves and shrubbery. …
Botanical Garden-Dublin
The Botanical Garden in Dublin, was a beautiful place to be. Originally created in 1790 by the Parliament for agriculture, it was taken over for primarily botanical purposes in the 1830’s. The new visitor center was opened in 2000, and …
Bantry House
We visited the Bantry House while in southwest Ireland. The estate has been around since the 1700’s and has been a part of Irish history. During the Irish Civil War it was used as a hospital for 5 years and …
Bamboo Park
The Bamboo Park in Glengariff Ireland was created in 1999. It has many varieties of plants, not just bamboo. Other notable plants included a lot of hydrangeas, ferns and palms. Although a lot of the palms were badly hurt by …
Adare
When we visited Ireland, we went to the town of Adare. Adare is a small village that still has it’s old buildings and cottages that have lasted for hundreds of years. We got the chance to walk around, and the …

Long Island and New York Garden Tours

Garden Tours around the US and Canada

Garden Tour of Holland

Garden Tour of Ireland

Garden Tour of Bermuda