Bridgehampton - John v.H. Halsey, President of the Peconic Land Trust, and Rick Bogusch, Garden Manager, announced the opening of Bridge Gardens for the 2010 Season. Bridge Gardens, a wonderful oasis in the hamlet of Bridgehampton, was donated to the Peconic Land Trust in 2008 by Jim Kilpatric and Harry Neyens.

Cunning and planning were called for to grab as many eggs as possible.

Free admission to Bridge Gardens will also be offered the weekend of May 7 through May 9 in celebration of National Public Gardens Day. (Note: Friday, May 7 is a special open day in honor of National Public Gardens Day), and beginning June 4, Friday Night Music evenings will kick off for a second season.

"We hope to see many new faces at Bridge Gardens this Spring, Summer and Fall. This is a wonderful place to explore and relax. Friday night music in the summer - which had a small group of enthusiasts last season - will be expanded. It's a wonderful evening to share with friends - both old and new," said Bogusch.

The Gardens will open on weekends from April 3 through the end of October. Beginning Memorial Day, through Labor Day, the Gardens will expand its open days to include Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Hours Of Operations
 • Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 • Sundays: 12 noon to 4 p.m.
 • Wednesdays and Thursdays (beginning May 26): 12 noon to 5 p.m.
 • Fridays (beginning May 28): 12 noon to dusk
 • Admission: $10/adults; $20/family
 • Seasonal memberships: $35/individuals; $50/family
 • Family admission/membership covers four individuals

Bridge Gardens opened with an Egg Hunt.

In addition to open days, the Trust will offer educational and recreational activities at Bridge Gardens through its Connections programming, including a talk on sustainable lawn care with James Sottilo on April 17 and a conversation with Maura McGoldrick, director of horticulture at Old Westbury Gardens, on the "Gardens of the North Shore," on April 25. Future program topics will focus on aspects of the gardens, including the herb and rose gardens.

And on Fridays beginning June 4, Bridge Gardens will once again offer live music in the late afternoon/early evening. The Gardens will be open on Fridays until dusk; families and groups are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the summer early evenings.

About Bridge Gardens
Bridge Gardens was established in 1988 by Harry Neyens and Jim Kilpatric, who designed and installed the gardens over the ensuing 10 years. In 1997, Bridge Gardens Trust was created as a charitable corporation to maintain and preserve the gardens. In 2008, Neyens and Kilpatric donated Bridge Gardens to the Peconic Land Trust. Rick Bogusch is the Garden Manager.

Bridge Gardens covers five acres and consists of an Inner Garden and an Outer Garden. Developed first, the Inner Garden features a large, meticulously-trimmed knot garden surrounded by beds of 180 different culinary, medicinal, ornamental, and textile and dyeing herbs. Overlooking these plantings, the garden house is the manager's residence/education center. In the Outer Garden, the favorite attraction is a collection of 800 antique and modern roses. Bridge Gardens also contains animal topiaries, a lavender parterre, perennial beds and borders, a water garden, woodland paths, a hidden bamboo room, double hedgerows of privet with viewing ports, and specimen shrubs and trees.

Waiting for the competition to move on, a little boy goes in for the egg.

About The Peconic Land Trust
The Peconic Land Trust was established in 1983 to conserve Long Island's working farms and natural lands. With the help of many, the non-profit Trust has worked in partnership with landowners, local government, organizations, and communities to conserve over 10,000 acres of land on Long Island. The Trust's professional staff carries out the necessary research and planning to identify and implement alternatives to outright development. While working to conserve the productive farms, watersheds, woodlands, and beachfront of Long Island, the Trust is also protecting the unique rural heritage and natural resources of the region. The Trust has Stewardship Centers in Cutchogue, Bridgehampton, and Amagansett and its Main Office is in Southampton. A common misconception, however, is that the Peconic Land Trust is the recipient of the monies raised through the Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Fund (also referred to as the two percent land transfer tax or the Peconic Land Tax). This is not the case. The CPF tax is collected by Suffolk County and then redistributed to the five East End towns, the distribution of which is based on the location of the property from which the tax is acquired.

For more information go to www.peconiclandtrust.org, or call Rick Bogusch at 631-537-7440 or Justina Fargiano at 631-283-3195 or email BridgeGardens@PeconicLandTrust.org.