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'Morning Glory', oil, by Kusuma Bheemineni
'Herbalism', pyrography on wood, by Lauren Prochera
'Standing Alone', pen ink,zentangle, by Maureen Ginipro
'Flowering Echinacea & Other Herbs', watercolor, by Ellen Ferrigno
'Flowers in Front of the Fountain', oil, by Hayley Brennan
'Number 51', photography, by James Kelson
'White Roses', oil, by Patricia Lind
'Roadside Bouquet', colored pencil and pastel, by Patricia Luppino
'Bouquet 2', gouache on wood panel, by Jessica Rybak

Whether gifted, grown in a garden, or admired in nature, flowers delight us with their natural beauty. In a floral tribute, the Smithtown Township Arts Council will present The Language of Flowers, a juried exhibit at Mills Pond Gallery in St. James from June 28 to July 25. 

The prospectus called for artists to “unleash their creativity and share their artistic interpretations of flowers … art that captures the spirit of blossoms or conveys personal emotions or narratives, or simply captures the captivating beauty of flowers.” The response was overwhelming.

“Using oil, acrylic, alcohol ink, colored pencil, dye-sublimation photographic print, fused glass, gouache, graphite, ink, mixed media, oil, pastel, pen & ink, photography, pyrography and watercolor, 84 artists  have found astonishing ways to portray the delicacy of flowers whether represented in realism, impressionism or abstraction,” said Allison Cruz, Executive Director of the Smithtown Township Arts Council and Mills Pond Gallery. 

“No matter the style, we are sure gallery visitors will enjoy this bouquet of original works,” she added.

Exhibiting artists include Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Mireille Belajonas, Kusuma Bheemineni, Matt Bodkin, Hayley Brennan, Joyce Bressler, Kevin Casey, Carol Ceraso, Tobi Cohen, Bernice Corbin, Jane Corrarino, Denise Cousins, JoAnn Dumas, Paul Edelson, Ellen Ferrigno, Elizabeth Fusco, Arlene Gernon, Maureen Ginipro, Theresa Graff, Alexandra Guma, Linda Hartman, Scott Hartman, Karen Jakubowski, Sally Anne Keller, James Kelson, Kathee Shaff Kelson, Angelica Kempa, Samantha Kenny, Megan Kenny, Lynn Kinsella, Julianna Kirk, Elizabeth Kisseleff, Lynn Larrison, Peter Leeds, Syndee Levy, Patricia Lind-Gonzalez, Patricia Luppino, Jackie Mallon, Diane Maniscalco, Adriena Masi, Liz Jorg Masi, Kathleen McArdle, Bonnie McLoughlin Stiegler, Frederic Mendelsohn, Avrel Menkes, Felecia Montfort, Gail Neuman, Loretta Oberheim, Josephine Parlagreco, Sharon Pearsall, Eva Pere, Sean Pollock, Lauren Prochera, Bernice Rausch, Catherine Rezin, Sandra Riddle, Khrystyne Robillard-Smith, Robert Roehrig, Jessica Rybak, Lori Scarlatos, Lisa Scrima-Castelli, Hillary Serota Needle, Stephen Shannon, Mike Stanko, Maddy Stare, Judy Stone, Betty Ann Tedeschi, Ashley Thorbjornsen, Susan Toplitz, Robert Tuska, Diane Van Velsor, Joseph Weinreb, Patty Yantz, Steven Zaluski, Theodora Zavala and Tianzhou Zhao.

The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, June 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to meet the exhibiting artists and enjoy the beautiful art. 

The Mills Pond Gallery is located at 660 Route 25A in St. James. Regular gallery hours are Wednesdays to  Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission to the gallery is always free. For more information or directions, call 631-862-6575, or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

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Joe-Pye weed
A Column Promoting a More Earth-Friendly Lifestyle

By John L. Turner

John Turner

An emerging and growing aspect at environmental sustainability has been the embrace by many homeowners to implement a number of positive practices in and around their homes to help wildlife. Perhaps foremost is the idea of landscaping with native plants to support pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies while also being attractive to the human eye. 

Responding to this growing trend of using native plants in residential landscapes,  a number of Long Island based nurseries and other sources have begun to offer a wide variety of native species.  One outstanding source for native plants is the Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI, www.linpi.org), located at the Sisters of Saint Joseph property at 1725 Brentwood Road in Brentwood; it offers a wide variety of attractive native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses for purchase, including more than forty species from which to select.

Joe-Pye weed

These are not only native species but plants which were grown from seeds collected from native species growing here on Long Island, known as our local ‘ecotype.’ These include numerous trees and shrubs such as eastern red cedar, northern bayberry, sumac, and beach plum; wildflowers like milkweeds, asters, Maryland golden-aster, Joe-pye weed, several bush clovers, common evening primrose, and prickly pear cactus, and grasses like little bluestem, purple top, and deer tongue.    

LINPI’s website also contains a helpful plant database that can guide you toward certain species depending on the homeowner’s sun and soil tolerance and other aspects like bloom season, attractiveness to butterflies and birds, or deer resistance.    

Planting native species that support wildlife has never been easier and is a great way to pay our debt to insects that help to sustain human society.

A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.

 

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Cicada. Pixabay photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

In 2025, Brood XIV of periodical cicadas are emerging across the eastern United States. This specific brood is among the three largest of all the periodical cicada broods, which famously emerge every 17 years. Beyond its size, this brood is not unique in any biological manner, although it was the first observed by European settlers in the Plymouth Colony. 

Cicadas courtesy of Three Village resident, Herman Warner. Photo by Beth Heller Mason

Broods of cicadas emerge every 17years: the length of time that is required for the cicadas to grow into adulthood. These broods are categorized by their generally synchronized emergence timing, although stragglers are also important for continued genetic diversity and interbreeding between broods. 

University of Connecticut entomologist Chris Simon emphasized the prevalence of misconceptions surrounding that 17-year period. 

“They don’t hatch out of the ground; they hatched from eggs in tree branches seventeen years ago,” Simon wrote in an email. “They are not sleeping underground, they are actively growing and passing through five juvenile stages.” 

Simon also addressed some other misconceptions about the insects while elaborating on their environmental importance. 

“They will benefit the local environment by fertilizing the soil, and feeding birds, turtles, snakes, fish… etc. above ground and soil invertebrates and moles underground,” Simon wrote. “Periodical cicadas are not dangerous… we are much more of an imposition on them, clearing their trees and building asphalt parking lots on top of them.” 

She added: “They don’t fly around in large groups and they don’t ‘emerge in writhing masses.’” 

Three Village resident Herman Werner said he had noticed an unusual number of cicadas on his property, but noted that their impact had indeed been minimal. 

“They don’t really bother anything,” Werner said. “[They] just get louder as the day gets warmer.” 

Simon stressed that people should try to enjoy the moment of emergence rather than considering the cicadas a threat.

“Rather than thinking of them as alarming or ‘annoying,’ think of having a ‘David Attenborough special’ in your own backyard,” Simon said. “They don’t invade. They have been there the whole time, quietly feeding on roots underground.” 

Simon also added an anecdote about the origin of the insects’ scientific name. 

“Avoid saying things like a certain area of the country was ‘spared’ from a ‘Magicicada’ emergence!” Simon wrote. “Rather, those areas were denied the spectacle! Periodical cicadas are ‘magical’; that is why they were renamed ‘Magiciada.’”

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Smile Farms ribbon cutting event at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital on 6/9/25.

In an effort to address food insecurity on Long Island, Catholic Health and Smile Farms, Inc. have expanded their existing partnership, with monetary support from the Proskauer, by introducing a third cooperative food garden at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown. The announcement was kicked off with a ribbon cutting on June 9. Members of the Smithtown Rotary Club were also on hand to install a Peace Pole on the hospital property.

Members of the Smithtown Rotary with the Peace Pole on June 9.

Created to support mental health, the Smile Farms garden, which consists of seven flower beds, will be tended by youth volunteers from the Smile Farms Club at Saint Anthony’s High School in Huntington, as well as volunteers from the Smithtown Youth Bureau and Horizon’s Counseling and Education Center. One of the seven flower beds will also be tended by St. Catherine of Siena Hospital employees. 

Aligning with Catholic Health’s mission in addressing food insecurity, produce from the Smile Farms garden will be donated to local parishes and shelters.

“We are extremely grateful for the meaningful partnership with Smile Farms, Proskauer and all of our community partners,” said St. Catherine of Siena Hospital President Christopher Nelson. “The Smile Farms garden gives volunteers the opportunity to give back to their community, to nuture the garden to life, while also fostering teamwork. For our youth volunteers, as well as our hospital staff, it is a meaningful endeavor to know that the fresh produce that will be grown at St. Catherine’s, will be donated to local parishes in our surrounding communities.”

The first Catholic Heath/Smile Farms garden opened in 2023 at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in Garden City, followed by a second, larger Mercy Hospital garden in 2024. The produce has been shared with food-insecure individuals at Mercy Hospital’s Family Center, an outpatient clinic for women and children.

“Our collaboration with Catholic Health is special and unique as it affords our Smile Farmers the opportunity to give to others while concurrently giving to themselves. The mental health benefits of gardening are well documented, including decreased anxiety, stress, and depression, and increased creativity, productivity, attention, memory, and self-esteem. We welcome and empower people with all abilities, skills, and experience for a day in the garden to engage with nature and each other. We are grateful to Catholic Health and Proskauer, for helping us serve the community while empowering people with disabilities,” said Smile Farms Managing Director Steve McDermott.

Catholic Health’s multifaceted food insecurity initiative currently offers emergency food “to-go” bags distributed in Catholic Health’s six emergency departments and throughout. Individuals who receive the bags are also provided with direct referrals to community-based organizations to identify resources, such as the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) for regular access to healthy foods.  

For more information about Catholic Health’s behavioral health services, visit https://www.chsli.org/behavioral-health

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Pinelawn Memorial Park

Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine joined Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum in Farmingdale on June 9 to honor its recent recognition as a “Certified Audubon Classic Sanctuary” by Audubon International, the noted New York based not-for-profit, recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Pinelawn is the first cemetery in the world to hold this prestigious certification. In fact, there are only two facilities in the entire nation – Pinelawn and the Osprey Point Golf Course in Boca Raton in Florida – with this distinction.

One of several fountains at Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum. Facebook photo

In honor of this achievement, County Executive Romaine proclaimed June 9 as Suffolk County Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum Day.

“Pinelawn is truly a place of great beauty. Everyone here today can understand why the Audubon Society has honored them,” said County Executive Romaine.  “You come here, surrounded by the beautiful trees and flowers, and you are immediately put to rest with a sense of serenity.  Thank you for Pinelawn for what they do for this country, thank you for what they do for our veterans and their families; and congratulations go to the entire team.”

“Our goal is to minimize our impact on the environment while making our grounds a place of peace and beauty for all those who visit,” said Justin Locke, President and CEO, Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum. “We are extremely proud to be the first memorial park to be recognized globally for environmental excellence, and I thank my team for their ongoing commitment to implementing innovative practices that set a new standard in environmental care. This important certification is a testament to our team’s hard work and the legacy we continue to build for the community.”

Audubon International requires strict environmental standards, including adopting design and operations practices consistent with the principles of sustainability, including a strong commitment to energy efficiency, waste reduction and other environmental safekeeping.

“To reach certification as a Certified Classic Sanctuary, Pinelawn needed to demonstrate that it maintains a high degree of environmental standards in a number of areas,” stated Christine Kane, CEO, Audubon International. “These categories included environmental planning, wildlife & habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation, and water quality management.”

Specifically, some of Pinelawn’s initiatives that lead to its new status included:

  • Replacing underground fuel tanks with safer, accessible, above-ground alternatives.   
  • Introducing a new, water recycling washdown station for Pinelawn’s fleet of vehicles.  
  • Installing a weather station to optimize its irrigation system and reduce water usage. 
  • Enhancing its wildlife habitat by creating buffer zones and habitat centers. 
  • Continuing its successful on-site community education programming. 

Pinelawn is located at 2030 Wellwood Avenue in Farmingdale. For more information about Pinelawn’s ongoing environmental efforts, please visit pinelawn.com.

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Above, one of the locations featured in the Historic Barn and Garden Tour. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

The Three Village Historical Society and Museum (TVHS) in Setauket has announced the launch of their first Historic Barn and Garden Tour — a brand-new fundraising event in support of the ongoing construction of The Dominick-Crawford Barn Education and History Center. 

This unique event, to be held on Saturday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the first of its kind in the Three Village area in many decades.

Above, one of the locations featured in the Historic Barn and Garden Tour. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

“The Three Village Historical Society + Museum has long been known for ushering in the winter holiday season with our beloved Candlelight House Tour for 45 years. Now, we’re delighted to introduce what we see as its springtime cousin, an outdoor celebration that welcomes the summer season with beauty, history, and community spirit,” said Mari Irizarry, Director of the TVHS.

This exciting initiative has officially become a challenge grant fundraiser, thanks to the generous support of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, which has pledged to match every dollar raised, up to $10,000. “That means together, we can raise up to $20,000 to help bring The Barn to completion!” said Irizarry.

With the help of sponsors TBR News Media, Howard Hanna | Coach Realty and Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, this tour will take you to four beautifully preserved historic barns and six stunning gardens, where you’ll hear captivating stories of the area’s agricultural past. 

“Barns are iconic symbols of our farming heritage, and we’re honored to partner with property owners who have lovingly stewarded these historic structures for generations. The gardens you’ll explore are just as special, many of them carefully curated and nurtured by their homeowners over decades, reflecting a deep love of the land and dedication to beauty and sustainability,” said Irizarry.

Your day doesn’t end there. Visit TVHS headquarters at 93 North Country Road, Setauket, to be among the first to explore their brand new art gallery, sponsored by Cathy Minuse, opening with a “Barn and Garden” themed exhibit, and enjoy guided tours of TVHS’s ReWild Community Garden, packed with inspiration for sustainable gardening and backyard biodiversity.

In addition, Four Harbors Audubon Society will hold a Native Plant Sale on the front lawn of the historical society from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring plants for a bird-friendly garden; an assortment of native shrubs and herbaceous perennials, some of which are deer and/or shade resistant; educational exhibits; and live music for kids. 

“Join us as we celebrate the beauty of the land, the legacy of our barns, and the spirit of community, all while supporting a transformative new space for education and history at TVHS,” said Irizarry.

Tickets are $50 per person, $40 members. To order, visit www.tvhs.org/barnandgarden. For more information, please call 631-751-3730.

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Coneflower. Pixabay photo

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport and Anthony Marinello of Dropseed Native Landscapes will host an interactive Pocket Prairie workshop on Sunday, June 8, from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Learn about Long Island’s grasslands and how to convert a section of lawn into a pocket prairie.

Participants will learn about Long Island’s unique grassland communities, discover what makes them unique, and why they deserve our appreciation and preservation.

Marinello will demonstrate how to convert a section of lawn into a “pocket prairie” by restoring a small section of the native grasslands frequently lost to suburbanization and ornamental landscaping.

Take-home kits will be available for an additional fee. Each kit includes a 3×4′ sheet of cardboard, a bag of cedar mulch, and 12 landscape plugs. All plants will remain under 3 feet tall and are native to Long Island, which will attract and support butterflies and songbirds throughout their life cycle.

Workshop only: $50/$45 Members

Purchase Tickets 

Take-home kit (includes cardboard, mulch, and 12 plugs): $100/$90 Members

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Pixabay photo

Join the Rocky Point Civic Association for their annual Rocky Point Garden Tour, a self-guided tour through nine beautiful home gardens plus a docent led tour of the historic Hallock Homestead home and gardens, on Saturday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition, artwork, plants and garden supplies will be available for sale at several gardens. Held rain or shine. $20 per person. Tickets are available at Heritage Paint & Home Design, 637 Route 25A, Rocky Point and Flowers on Broadway, 43 Broadway, Rocky Point. For more information, call 631-521-5726.

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Zinnias are the perfect choice for homegrown bouquets. Pixabay photo

By Alice Dawes

National Garden Week takes place annually in the first full week of June. This year it is held from June 1 to 7. It is spearheaded by National Garden Clubs, a nonprofit national organization headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that promotes the love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility. 

The day is about bringing more awareness to the importance of gardening and preserving gardening traditions and practices by passing on knowledge to new gardeners. Most importantly, the day is about simply enjoying gardening. 

The Three Village Garden Club, organized over 90 years ago, is a member of the National Garden Clubs along with 30 other local garden clubs on Long Island. The club meets weekly on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Setauket Neighborhood House and welcomes our community members to join us to learn about gardening skills, environmental action and civic programs to enhance our community. Information about our current meeting topics can be found at threevillagegardenclub.org and selecting ‘upcoming events’ in the tool bar. 

The club protects and enhances our Three Village Garden Club Arboretum at the end of Bates Road in Setauket and encourages all to visit and enjoy a walk through nature. Pets on leashes only, please! 

The club provides educational programs on floral design, gardening pointers and youth creative projects through Emma Clark Library’s educational program series. With Emma Clark we also provide a Teddy Bears’ Picnic every summer at the Three Village Garden Club Arboretum for our younger neighbors to enjoy. 

National Garden Week is a time to have an adventure in planting, create and savor our wonderful gardens and the plants we grow there. Plant something new, make a bouquet for your home and introduce our children to the wonders of growing with nature during National Garden Week

Author Alice Dawes has been a member of the Three Village Garden Club for over 20 years.

 

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Two Grey Arches

Garden lovers in Long Island are in for a treat this Saturday, May 24, with three unique opportunities to explore three diverse private gardens through the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program. The featured gardens are:

Tranquility

Tranquility (Mount Sinai). Hundreds of perennials, shrubs, trees, and annuals are combined with water features, lawn art, and recently relocated garden trails that allow the visitor to enter the owner’s vision of an Impressionistic garden painting. Footpaths wind through the extensive garden, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of nature and escape the general stress of modern lifestyles.

Two Grey Achers

Two Grey Achers (Setauket/East Setauket). This garden was designed by its owners to provide beauty and interest in all seasons. Adjacent to Conscience Bay on Long Island’s North Shore, the mild maritime microclimate is reflected in the broad range of taxa thriving on this intensively planted site. A remarkable collection of choice conifers and Japanese maples, amassed over three decades, creates a year-round tapestry of color, texture, and form. Come, enjoy, and find specific ideas for stunning, hardworking woody plants to add to your own garden.

Woodland Garden

Woodland Garden – Bill & Veronica Schiavo (Wading River). The property features a heavily wooded landscape with one large pond, three small ponds, and two streams. Twelve- to fifteen-foot rhododendrons and flowering shrubs encircle the house. The lawn-less, deer-resistant terrain showcases diverse plants, including a new shade and fern garden with a stone patio. A nature trail winds through the front woods alongside a 75-foot stream and waterfall. Behind the house, two ponds, one with a Japanese red maple and waterfall, are surrounded by trees and grasses. The woodland garden is a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

Open Days offers a unique opportunity for visitors to peek behind the garden gates of otherwise private gardens for one day only, and to explore a variety of garden styles and horticultural traditions.

The gardens will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for registered guests. Tickets for garden visits are $10 per person, or $5 for members of the Garden Conservancy. Children 12 and under are admitted for free when accompanied by a parent or guardian. All registrations must be processed online through the Garden Conservancy’s website. Visit gardenconservancy.org/opendays.

Fueling America’s passion for gardens, the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days™ program is the only nationwide garden visiting program. In 2025, Open Days marks its 30th year. Over three decades, Open Days has welcomed more than 1.4 million visitors into thousands of inspired private landscapes—from urban rooftops to organic farms, historic estates to suburban sanctuaries—in 41 states.

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