It was a glorious, bright sunny day and perfect for visiting the lush, creative garden displays at six East Hampton homes. According to Kristina Lange Lewis, Director of Marketing & Communications, this was ARF’s 21st annual event and a popular fundraiser for the foundation. The day consists of touring the gardens and enjoying a cocktail party after the tours are complete. Tickets for the tour and cocktail party are sold separately, therefore guests may select to go on the tour or attend the tour and cocktail party. The money that ARF (Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, Inc) raised at this event and others throughout the year help provide for the health and welfare of dogs and cats on the South Fork. Among the gardens listed for this year’s event were Martha Stewart’s, Grey Gardens (home of Jackie O’s aunt and cousin), Woodhouse Park garden of Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper, The Dubose-Eliel Garden, garden of Martin Newsman and Jim Anderson, and the garden of Alexandra Munroe and Robert Rosenkranz. This fund raising tour is a wonderful way to get ideas, see magnificent gardens, enjoy the day out and then come home with increased enthusiasm to create your own beautiful backyard surroundings.

Tickets and maps are available in advance or at the gardens on the day of the tour. ARF puts together a program that has a map outlining directions to each house and the name of the property. (Only the outside of each home is toured) Visitors are welcome to follow any order they prefer for the tour and decide how much time they want to spend at each garden location. It is imperative that you understand these gardens are not your typical backyard garden. Consider it impossible to copy all that you will see on tour. Most of the homes are right out of a designer magazine and the gardens have been created by landscaping experts and maintained by crews of trained horticultural staff. In a way, the tour should be viewed as a day spent visiting several small botanical gardens. You will come away with some realistic ideas that you can incorporate into your own garden. Like reading a decorating or fashion magazine, the whole picture may not be achievable, but some tiny parts can be useful to create your own original composition. Many of the gardens had themes and were followed with impeccable taste and originality. Flowers in full bloom, giant trees pruned and manicured and lawn art abounded to awe and impress the hundreds of guests that had signed up for the tour. Each year the homes seem to get more lavish and the tour grows in size of the guests attending this wonderful event. Do not miss next year’s ARF garden tour to see for yourself the beauty of the East End gardens.

For more information about this and other ARF events, visit their website at www.arfhamptons.org or call them at 631 537-0400. Mark your calendar for two other popular events coming up this year. August 18th - Cats-A-Blanca! The Moroccan Bow Wow, Dinner dance. Contact Kristina Lange at ARF or Kristina@arfhamptons.org or on ext. 208. October 6th, the 14th Annual Stroll to the Sea Dog Walk. This runs from Mulford Farm in the Village of East Hampton and is a two-mile walk to the ocean and back with your pooch. Register in August at www.arfhamptons.org Come visit! When you are in Wainscott, be sure to stop by the ARF facility and see all the beautiful dogs and cats waiting for adoption. ARF is also looking for people to come walk the dogs on their grounds and spend some quality time with them. It is a wonderful organization and operated by caring, loving individuals that are doing all they can to help care for animals until a good home is found for these dear creatures.