Locust Valley -- Loblolly

This was 5 ½ acre garden was established by the current owners in 1986. The garden features a formal Japanese water garden with descending ponds, bridges, and a tea house, as well as woodland areas with meandering paths, rooms, and specimen trees. The entrance to the property is marked by metal gates with fieldstone pillars flanked by Ilex crenata. The border to the entrance is planted with pachysandra, rhododendron, Canadian hemlock, and flowering dogwood. An island of rhododendron and Korean azalea lies between the driveway and the parking circle.

Major hardscape features on the property are the red Japanese Tea House and arch bridge with red and green railings. A lower pond lies at the bottom of the tea house with a nearby waterfall spilling into it. Surrounding the pond are iris and Japanese crabapple. A fountain terrace at the end of the lawn features a round pool with four cherubs seated around it. Two curbed flagstone terraces separated by a curved stone and flagstone bench are bordered with flowering dogwood, Japanese crabapple, Korean boxwood, and evergreen azalea. The view from the terrace features hinoki cypress and mixed hostas and ferns alongside descending ponds. Through the gazebo flanked by annual-filled urns and Rosa 'New Dawn' climbing roses lies a cutting garden divided into four quadrants. The garden is lined with flagstone paths and a circle in the middle featuring a column surrounded by daylily. The front two quadrants are mixed roses and the back are smooth hydrangea. Each exit has a wrought iron arch, two with Japanese honeysuckle and one with white climbing roses. A white oak grove stands at the east end of the house, featuring a thatched and timbered dog house modeled after the main house. Facing south is a large expanse of lawn bordered by banks of rosebay rhododendron with two Chippendale benches. The secret garden is enclosed by yew and features two stone benches that flank a circular bed of ilex with a statue in the center.

The upper pond is shaded by a large tulip tree and mixed oaks. A low arch bridge next to the Catawba rhododendron crosses the stream between the upper pond and the koi pond. The koi pond is surrounded by large boulders found on the property, as well as statuary and meandering stone paths planted with rhododendron. A large Japanese maple stands by the koi pond. A stone bridge engraved with a quote by Andrew Jackson, crosses back towards the koi pond. Conn Lane, named after one of the designers, starts at the stone utility structure with a gothic-arched door built into the berm. The roof is topped with pachysandra and a metal swan. Boxwood and English ivy create the border. The gravel path leading from north to south has a stone wall on the west side and is flanked by bigleaf hydrangea, mixed ferns, and ilex. Through the yew hedge is a garden room with rosebay rhododendron, astilbe, English ivy, mixed ferns and hosta. Natural-locust post stairs lead up the berm next to a giant shagbark hickory. The second garden room has a semi-circular stone walled area planted with trailing myrtle, astilbe, mixed ferns, hosta, and Korean boxwood.

Persons associated with the garden include: Mr. Eustus Langdon Hopkins (former owner, 1927-unknown); Mr. And Mrs. Stanley Rumbough (former owners, 1949-1950s); Mrs. Herbert Wellington (former owner, 1969-1974); Mr. Robert Strawbridge III (former owner, 1974-1985); Charles A. Valentine (architect, 1927); Mervyn Conn (landscaper, 1986-2013); Nancy Taylor, Innocenti and Webel (landscape architect, 1986-2019); David Conn (landscape architect, 1986-present).