A Spring Day on Long Island

June 16, 2020

My gardens at Lily Pond are thriving.

Every year, I try to make several visits to my home in East Hampton, New York - especially during late spring and summer when I can check out the gardens in full bloom, and see how the perennials and other plantings have progressed. Many of the beds have been planted for years, while others have been transformed and revitalized. I went for a brief day trip over the weekend - the weather was just lovely here in the Northeast. In the evening, I visited my longtime publicist and dear friend, Susan Magrino, for a delicious al fresco dinner at her home.

Enjoy my photos.

: Lily Pond’s large front yard has a circular lawn surrounded by four-quadrant gardens filled with perennials. In each quadrant, I planted one Parrotia persica tree, also known as Persian Ironwood. These trees have grown magnificently and are always so admired by guests.

: This plant goes by several names such as smoke bush, smoke tree, Cotinus, cloud tree, and wig tree. It’s an easy-to-grow, wonderful addition to any garden. The stunning dark red-purple foliage turns scarlet in autumn and has plume-like seed clusters, which appear after the flowers and give a long-lasting, smoky haze to branch tips.

: I have many hostas at Lily Pond. Hosta is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies, and occasionally by the Japanese name, giboshi. They are native to northeast Asia and include hundreds of different cultivars. When planting, be sure to give them adequate room to grow. Small varieties spread three times as wide as they are tall. Medium-size varieties spread twice their height, and the larger varieties are at least as wide as they are tall.

: This is one of the larger varieties with huge, heart-shaped, blue-green leaves. It matures to three-feet tall and four-feet wide.

: Japanese maples and hostas look so beautiful together.

: Along this path – Japanese maples, lilies, shade-loving plants, and lots of large Cimicifuga with long candle-like spikes of airy white flowers and dark-green leaves.

: The Japanese maples have done very well here and I expect they will thrive for years to come. With more than a thousand varieties and cultivars including hybrids, the iconic Japanese maple tree is among the most versatile small trees.

: This is one of two large compact spruce trees I planted in the shade garden. These trees are also thriving and growing more full every year.

: Here is another view of the shade garden with Japanese maples, Solomon’s seal, boxwood, ferns, and more hostas.

: This view is from the east looking down the beautiful swimming pool towards the guest cottage. The swimming pool is adorned with aqua glazed strawberry pots which are planted with many different tropicals. The tall trees are European hornbeam. The smaller shrubs are boxwood.

: This garden surrounds this male Ginkgo biloba tree I planted about 20 years ago. Luckily it does not drop all the billions of berries that the great old Bedford tree behind my Summer House does. I planted this garden with red Japanese maples, hostas, ferns, and boxwood. It is so nice to see all the plantings doing so wonderfully – I hope to visit my beloved Lily Pond home again very soon.

: In the evening, I visited the home of my friends, Susan Magrino, and her husband, Jim Dunning, who live on the North Fork of Long Island, in Orient.

: The weather was perfect for dining outdoors.

: Their gardens are looking so vibrant – look at these hydrangeas. Hydrangeas feature an old-fashioned charm that is hard to resist. They are easy to cultivate, tolerate almost any soil, and produce abundant blooms in blue, pink, white, lavender, and rose blossoms —sometimes all on the same plant.

: Susan set a fun table decorated with a lovely lobster theme – I hope you saw my photos on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48.

: The napkins were such a big hit – all lobster sayings. This one says “Butter Me Up!”

: Another says “You Crack Me Up!” – Susan has collected a lot of fun lobster paraphernalia.

: “Hot Legs!” was on another napkin.

: Our delicious dinner was from Southold Fish Market in Orient. We enjoyed lobsters and potato salad along with strawberries from Fred Terry and Son Farm. Click here for farmers’ market locations. Our fruit was topped with fresh whipped cream made by Susan.

: A whimsical lobster shaped dish held the lemon slices on the table.

: Here is a painted rock – also decorated with a lobster on a plate.

: And here I am with Susan and Jim. Don’t worry, we have all been tested, and were safe to dine together. What a great meal and a great evening with friends.