31 Photos
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
The gardens of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger in East Hampton. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Frances Schultz's garden in East Hampton is one of the stops on the ARF Garden Tour. DANA SHAW
Some of the most interesting gardens in East Hampton will be featured as part of the 31st annual garden tour to benefit the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons on Saturday, June 17.
The self-guided tour will be held rain or shine, and will allow visitors to get an inside look at a variety of gardens within a tight geographical area, with influences from Spain, Japan and the Victorian era, to name a few.
Each year, the tour moves to a different area of the South Fork. Through plenty of outreach and with the help of landscapers, ARF carefully selects a variety of gardens to include. What started as a small fundraiser has now grown into an event that garners upward of 400 visitors annually, said Mark Fichandler, an event co-chair.
One of this year’s most notable gardens is The Bee Cottage. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the village on Fithian Lane, this cottage provides the best of both worlds: Far away enough to enjoy the intimate garden designed by Jane Lappin, yet close enough to Main Street to walk down to Citarella.
This perfectly represents the owner, Frances Schultz, who decided to purchase the property after years of living in New York City, where a garden was not always feasible. The house and garden sit on a modest third of an acre, so making a sprawling garden design posed a challenge. “A cottage-y house calls for a cottage-y garden,” Ms. Schultz said.
This garden is truly as unique as the memoir that was written about it, “The Bee Cottage Story.” Carved into every gate are images of bees, which represent Ms. Schultz’s vision for the property, inside and out. She purchased the home and renovated it, leaving some of the original design from when it was built in the 1920s.
“I love bees, which, after all, are focused and hard-working,” she said. “They love flowers. They’re social. They have a queen. I like all that!”
To give a sense of architecture to the garden, both Ms. Schultz and Ms. Lappin incorporated hedges in the backyard of the property and boxwoods in the front yard. One of the unique aspects of the garden is the swimming pool: Equipped with fountains on each side, which meet in the middle when turned on, Ms. Schultz said it is reminiscent of the Villa d’Este in Tivoli, Italy.
Ms. Schultz also noted influences from English and American gardens, from the designs of Rosemary Verey to those of Ryan Gainey.
Just down the block from The Bee Cottage, on Cross Highway, is the garden of Alex Goren and Brooke Kroeger. They refer to the property as “Hippocampus,” which mirrors the name for the part of the brain that is the center of memory and thought. It is thought to be where memories are made.
The name is taken both figuratively and literally, as the owners have collected hippos in many shapes and forms, for many years, said Mr. Goren. They are found on the opening gate as well as outside various entryways.
The house itself was moved from Pantigo Road to its current location in 1954 by William Ronan, who was chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and is referred to as the Stafford Hedges House.
Speaking of hedges, the ones simultaneously lining the driveway and shading the tennis court on this property are, as Mr. Goren suspects, well over 50 years old.
The family added various aspects to the garden to make it their own, after the wife of a previous owner had contributed to the design before they purchased the property. “We added numerous trees, the peonies and roses garden, the white garden, and most of the orchard,” Mr. Goren said. “We put in a cutting garden for fresh flowers.”
Among other notable stops on the tour is the garden of Richard Axel, known for its vibrant colors and rich textures. The Carol and Paul Mendes garden is noted for its “woodsy, park-like atmosphere.”
The benefit will kick off on Friday, June 16, with a 6 p.m. cocktail party at the historic garden and home of Libby and Shahab Karmely, built originally for Sarah Diodati Gardiner. The tour will begin on Saturday at 11 a.m. and will run until 5 p.m.
For more information visit arfhamptons.org or call 631-537-0400.
27east on Jun 9, 2017