January 21, 2017
Winter News . . . a note from Rick
Thank you!
Because of your support,
Bridge Gardens continues to grow and thrive.


Your garden membership helped us make the most of 2016, with noticeable changes made to our edible landscape. With your support, we were able to expand our Community Garden to 20 plots, and made them a bit bigger to allow room for more fresh food to grow. It was a great year for growing vegetables too - many of the plots were lush with fresh greens, zucchini and squash, eggplants, sweet and hot peppers, a myriad of tomatoes, and even spinach, kale and peas!   

More Vegetables . . .
Our demonstration vegetable garden, which sits alongside the 4-quadrant herb garden, provided lots of fresh produce for our garden-to-table programs, and also fed the hungry at local food pantries. Its size was also increased to allow for more varieties of kale, lettuce greens, sweet and hot peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and much more -- thank goodness for Bridgehampton loam soil!
 
You may have noticed another exciting addition to our edible landscape: berry bushes, including raspberry, blackberry and blueberry! With a new raspberry/blackberry hedge behind the vegetable garden, and a mound of tasty raspberries behind the community garden plots (thanks to community gardener Rand Stoll) our gardeners have plenty to snack on while they tend their plots. Though still another year from full production, I expect a small harvest in 2017. Blueberries have also been added in several locations, along with a small patch of everbearing strawberries behind the herb garden. Once these plantings mature, look for workshops and classes to be offered about small fruit production for the home garden!

A Space for Pollinators
Looking ahead to the 2017 season, I plan to feature more displays of small fruit plantings and continue our work on the "no-mow" pollinator garden along the south side of the property. I'll add more high-bush blueberries, native black raspberries, grasses and native wildflowers to make a sustainable, easy-care, edible and attractive display that you can easily emulate at your own property. I hope you'll stop by often to see them grow.

I certainly hope you enjoyed our "Long Island Grown" spring lecture series, came for a free tour on National Public Gardens Day (save the date for this year: May 5), and visited with Paul Wagner of Greener Pastures Organics on a Wednesday to discuss your lawn questions. Paul's free advice days will continue on Tuesday afternoons in 2017.

Fridays at Four Tasting and Tour series was a hit -- special thanks to the "producers":  Roman Roth of Wolffer Estate Vineyard, Carl Brandl of Channing Daughters Winery, Deborah Aiza of Sweet'tauk Lemonade and Vaughan Cutillo of Montauk Brewery for coming by, sharing your locally produced wine, beer, and lemonade and giving us more than just a little "taste."

We love hearing your stories and look forward to more wonderful partnerships this summer, starting on June 30


Did you make it to our Holiday Open House? 
 
 
I hope you enjoyed our fun, family-friendly activities, including the scavenger hunt, narcissus bulb planting, holiday ornament making and a holiday table decorating workshop, all accompanied by lots of refreshments! 
 

Special thanks go to Richard Udice of C. Whitmore Gardens and Diana Conklin for lending their expertise to make the weekend extra special!
 





I look forward to welcoming you back to the gardens this Spring -- and just to let you know, if it's a beautiful day and the garden gates are open, come on in for a look around. The gardens, while not lush, have a special look in the heart of winter that can be inspirational.

Wishing you a very happy New Year in 2017 and here's looking forward to an early Spring!

Now is the time: Become a 2017 Member Today!

Your garden membership helps us continue to grow and thrive. And now is the perfect time to renew your membership to Bridge Gardens . . . or join for the first time! 
 
Members are entitled to visit the gardens any time throughout the season, receive discounts to programming -- including free admission to our music nights -- and reduced entry to our lecture series!

Individual membership is $50, family membership (for up to 4 guests per visit) is $75. 



Interested in expanding your support of the garden's programming, including lectures, workshops, and edible landscape?

Consider membership at a higher level:
Become a Supporter, Friend, Benefactor, Patron or Partner.  
 
Gardening: What You Can Do Now

Winter is a great time to plan your vegetable garden!

Rick's favorite resources for vegetable seeds are: Fedco Seeds, Johnny's Selected Seeds, and Territorial Seed Company but definitely look at:
Seeds of Change, Vermont Bean Seed Company, Park Seed, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
.

When asked about his favorite varieties, Rick shared the following: reliable bush beans include Masai, Soleil, Concador and Provider, while pole beans Musica and Helda never disappoint. Carrots like Nelson, Hercules and Napoli are dependable, and easy to grow beets include Detroit Dark Red and Golden Grex, a yellow variety.

Thinking of growing fresh greens? Try Lacinato or Dinosaur kale this year, or the heavy producing White Russian or curly-leaved Darkibor. Lettuces do well in the cooler weather, so consider an early planting of Tango & Merlot for leaf lettuce, Skyphos or Yugoslavian Red for Bibb lettuce, and Truchas or Rosaine for colorful, crispy romaines. Finally, spinach is another good option for the early gardener, including Asian-leaf selections like Flamingo or Escalade.

If you're focusing your attention on your indoor garden right now, be careful of over-watering your houseplants. Depending on your home's humidity and room temperature, they may not need as much water as you think. Even at sunny windows, light levels are low and many house plants go into a dormant period. Check them once a week and water accordingly. Consider adding a saucer under the pots so plants can take up what they need when they need it, which reduces the likelihood of root rot.

Relax, enjoy this peaceful time, and before you know it, we'll be in the daffodils again!
Upcoming Events: Save the Date

The Peconic Land Trust's Connections calendar, including our educational and recreational programs at Bridge Gardens, will be available online on February 1, 2017, and in mailboxes by February 10.

Check your inbox to keep up to date with all of our exciting programs including:
  • "Long Island Grown" lecture series focused on local food and beverage producers: March 5 & 19, April 2 & 23. Registration begins February 13
  • Spring tree and shrub pruning workshop with Jackson Dodds on March 25
  • Organic lawn care series with Paul Wagner starting on April 8
  • Organic rose care series also with Paul Wagner starting on April 29
  • Annual free, open day in honor of National Public Gardens Day on May 12
Meet Heber Zabala-Canales!

In the late summer of 2016, we were fortunate to add a new garden assistant to the team at Bridge Gardens. Heber quickly became an invaluable partner in the upkeep of the garden. His mechanical abilities were quickly revealed when he took apart, cleaned, and expertly reassembled mowers and other mechanical tools used to keep the garden looking its best. In addition, we really appreciate his attention to detail, ability to think ahead as the needs of the garden change over the seasons, and the pride he takes in doing a great job. Next time you visit, make sure to say hello! 

We also extend our congratulations to Heber and his family on the birth of his first child - Andres, born right before Christmas!
Sponsors and Partners in Programming

Bridge Gardens is very thankful for the support of a number of sponsors and partners in 2016. These include:
  • RB Irrigation -- as a financial sponsor and assistance with our irrigation. RB has been wonderfully supportive of our gardens and is also a member of our community garden.
  • Summerhill Landscapes -- for professional landscaping services, including installation of new trees and vegetation for our buffer, and also for donating the Christmas tree and lights for our holiday open house.
  • Greener Pastures Organics -- offering year-long free advice for lawn and landscapes. Paul Wagner will continue this again in 2017 on Tuesday afternoons!
  • Perfect Earth Project -- providing support for our sustainable landscape practices.
  • Jackson Dodds & Co. -- for arborist and landscape assistance throughout the year.
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County -- for assistance with programming and sustainable landscape techniques.
In addition to the valuable support received from our members, our sponsors and partners are integral to our ability to grow and thrive. 
 
Thank you!
About Bridge Gardens

Bridge Gardens is a unique demonstration garden with a focus on sustainable horticultural practices, located in the heart of Bridgehampton. It features an expansive herb garden, perennial and vegetable beds, an array of specimen trees and shrubs,
native grasses, community garden plots,
and much more!

Managed by Rick Bogusch, Bridge Gardens is a stewardship project of the Peconic Land Trust, which conserves Long Island's working farms, natural lands and heritage. Bridge Gardens supports the Trust's mission by serving as a multi-purpose, multi-disciplinary outdoor classroom, demonstration garden and community resource.

For more information, visit our website:
631.283.3195

Please help us further reduce our carbon footprint: If you change your address,
or would like to receive all (or some) of your communications from the
Peconic Land Trust by email, let us know!
Contact Janet Schutt, Donor Services Manager:
631.283.3195 ext. 24 

Peconic Land Trust conserves Long Island's working farms, natural lands
and heritage for our communities now and in the future.


STAY CONNECTED:

Financial Disclosure Statement: A copy of the last financial report filed with the New York State Attorney General may be obtained in writing to: New York State Attorney General's Charities Bureau, Attn: FOIL Officer, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271 or Peconic Land Trust, PO Box 1776, Southampton, NY 11969.