Out with the cold. In with the blooms. The trees and ground are dressing to impress as spring finds its groove. It typically starts with lush greenery, which adds automatic brightness even to days that are a bit darker because of April showers. But you know what they say about those — they bring May flowers. All this bursting and blooming makes for a perfect excuse to saunter through one or more of the South Fork’s gorgeous gardens.
LongHouse Reserve, 133 Hands Creek Road, East Hampton, 631-329-3568
Cherry blossoms and daffodils set the stage each spring. And red rose bushes highlight a walk through the dramatic Red Garden throughout the high season.
But they’re not the only thing to take in while perusing this 16-acre reserve founded by Jack Lenor Larsen, a textile designer, author and collector who calls the grounds home. There’s a pond with water lilies and works from notable names, including a gigantic chess board by Yoko Ono. Currently open Wednesday through Sunday.
Madoo Conservancy, 618 Sagg Main St., Sagaponack, 631-537-8200
Another garden with an artistic twist, Madoo Conservancy once served as the home of the renowned painter Robert Dash. The two-acre grounds include whimsical pathways lined by lush trees, a purple gazebo and blue bench made for quiet reflection and a circa 1740 barn that is now an exhibition space. The current exhibit features paintings by Elizabeth Hazan, an artist who blends abstraction and representation and spent significant portions of her childhood out East. Past exhibitions have included works from the former artist-in-residence of sorts, Dash. Visitors will be accepted by appointment only beginning April 15.
Halsey House & Garden, 249 Main St., Southampton, 631-283-2494
Once inhabited by Thomas Halsey, Sr., a founder of Southampton, Halsey House & Garden’s property includes a circa-1683 farmhouse built by his son, Thomas Halsey, Jr. Guests can step into the farmhouse and back in time as they peruse the textiles, furnishings and other necessities for farm life before the Declaration of Independence was signed. After taking in the home, a trip to the gardens, where culinary and medicinal plants still grow in an herb garden, is a must, if only to smell the rosemary and lavender. Open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Tours by appointment only.
Bridge Gardens, 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton, 631-537-7440
Bridge Gardens epitomizes the idea that it takes a village. The five-acre spot in the heart of Bridgehampton has space for community garden plots. And it leans into volunteers for help making some of guests’ favorite places, like the spacious rose garden, look sharp. Bridge Gardens gives back, too, with a bountiful programming schedule that includes art classes, conversations with local growers and musical performances. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..
