Montauk Pioneer - March 27, 2009

There is nothing quite like a summer garden in full bloom for tranquility and respite. There is nowhere like Montauk, with its hills and views of the bays, lakes and oceans to lift the soul and one's essence of being to the next level. Put the two together along with a garden at your Montauk home and it brings it almost a religious experience. Thirty years ago, as a child, while going to Gosman's with my parents, I watched Mary Gosman tend to her garden around Gosman's Dock. My mother chatted gardening with her and it seems to be a universal language. Springtime and gardening seems to be connected in the minds of most homeowners, whether it is the spring cleanup, such as hacking away branches of a runaway bush that is blocking your front steps, cleaning out winter dead leaves, collecting broken branches from winter storms, or the ceremonial annual plantings. Driving down the many historic and quaint roads, lanes, drives and main roads of Montauk one is always drawn to the fact that every home has its own theme on what shrubs, plants and tree's should surround the house.

With the topography of Montauk unique compared to the rest of the Town of East Hampton, rising to over 1200 ft above sea level, there are more homes on steep hills, rolling hills, lazy hills, and even some down in gullies. Driveways are lined with wonderful annual flowers, as well as traditional shrubs.

The trees planted by a new homeowner over time become markers of longevity. I myself planted a Japanese maple tree some 20 years ago from a practical seedling and now take pride in seeing this huge red multi armed tree majestically in the yard of my former home in Westchester. When I sail around Montauk in the summer, I often sail along the shore to see the magnificent homes that shape it. The colors of the blooming flowers blossoming everywhere along the vista with the many species of birds they attract are eye catching, usually gathering up notions of how peaceful and serene Montauk is on a summer's day.

But there is a price to this serenity. There is hard work; and chores that must be done to keep a home and its grounds in good repair. There is the cutting of the grass, raking, turning of soil, putting down fetilizer, planting of seasonal bulbs, annual plants, advanced and continual raking, watering, pruning and of course tender loving care.

There is something about a rose bush in bloom, with its pleasant rose pedaled fragrances mixing with the fresh scent of the wonderful ocean summer air to lift your being into a spell of total pleasure in being so alive in the movement. Do you not ever find yourself just admiring the gardens of homes on Montauk while driving down new roads, and lanes, perhaps going to a home you have never been to? Or the flip side, what is the feeling you get when you pull up to a home that is not well maintained, with bad grass, no plants and a poor yard? It's usually an Addams family moment. Compare that feeling to pulling into a driveway limed with colorful in total bloom summer annuals with flowering shrubs, bushes and fruit tree's, in neat cared for rows.

So if you have a home, be it a summer one or a full time one, it's time to get out there and spruce up the place. The sea air is becoming warmer every day and will make the labor of bending down and picking up, leaves, compost, fertilizer, rakes and shovels better than workouts on health machines in the gym. The longterm effects will most likely be more gratifying, too. There is a tradition to the garden. Someone still tends Mary Gosman's garden, her themes of planting still live on. It is a way to put poetry into the reality of your surroundings. It is time to get off the couch and take action on the garden and the grounds of your Montauk home.