The Garden of Dianne B.

About

April 19, 2025 Open Day:

In April, come and join me under our astounding pink magnolia and share the fragile freshness of my ebullient spring garden. I felt so disappointed during last year’s Open Day (the 2nd week of May) as most of the breathtaking of spring’s astonishingly tender shades had come and gone. Please come to see them in their prime: the Fritillaria—the garish, the subtle, the shy, the climbers; the hyacinths—the big floppy and the refinements of many Muscari; the quince and the redbuds sporting their ethereal branch-caressing flowers; a dozen different Trillium showing off their sensitive minutiae; Virginia bluebells nestled among maidenhair ferns at the feet of St. Francis; the Euphorbia’s chartreusiness enlivens the soft returning foliage of the nearly 2 dozen different Japanese maples; really tiny and shy but absolutely fascinating bloodroot and corydalis; provocative new red growth of the Likiang spruce, and finally—the at least 100 hellebores (most different) vie for space with the emerging Jack-in-thepulpits (my most beloved). No matter the weather—Please come and share my lusty spring garden treasures— they promise a fresh start.

June 22, 2025 Open Day:

In the past few years, this already unusual garden has gotten even wilder in response to the “meadow” that has overtaken the better part of what-was-once-lawn. In keeping with the East Hampton Village Nature Trail, which is literally next door, specimen trees mix with plants and grasses while the moss garden thrives. You won’t find any roses; but the late season Jack-in-the-Pulpits and other exotics, many Iris such as Red Velvet Elvis, myriads of Lilies, two dozen different Japanese maples and masses of Japanese Painted Ferns in all their hues. In this layered, low-key garden living things are mixed with symbols and sculptures from across the globe and lend a special kind of karma.  

Dianne labels herself a “garden stylist” fond of weaving together texture, accessories, color, and patterns echoing her twentieth-century career in fashion. Her blog, Dirtier, diannebgardens.com, is the progeny of her ‘90s gardening book, Dirt (still available at Amazon).

This garden’s estimated size is 1 acre.

Open Days 2025: 

• Saturday, April 19
• Sunday, June 22

Hours:11-4