July 8, 2006 [Saturday] 6th Annual Patchogue Garden Club Tour

The Merrifield and Rothstein Garden and Open House
“Welcome to the Lodge” became the greeting to visitors when, in August 2001, we found ourselves the proud caretakers of this unique property. Upon learning this early 1960’s home was inspired t by the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, we became dedicated to “restoring “ and “revealing”, both inside and out the features that Wright himself might have embraced.

As you walk towards the front door, on your left is the north garden featuring azaleas, choral bells and hydrangeas. Around the curve, just past the sweetheart bench, you’ll see that dahlias in the courtyard seem to like the warmth of the sun. Glance through the front window to view the garden within. As you walk away from the front door, turn left and meander south. On the right will be the south garden, with the assortment of fern, euonymus, some perennials and rhododendron. Turn left and head east down the narrow path to the back yard. On the way you’ll be among lilac and fern. Turn left (north) and you will come to the path by the waterfall. Halfway down, turn left under the trellis and stroll along the marble path bordered by daylilies and other perennials. Just before the end, turn right, go down the steps, and continue to Pine Lake. Once you’re there, turn around and view the terraced landscape, a feature often incorporated by Wright after visiting Japan. You’ll see almost the entire rear garden at one time.

On your left, close to the lake, is a butterfly garden. To continue, walk past the birch and Montauk daisies, half way up the ramp to the plateau and berry patch, bordered at the wood line by perennial boxes. Please enjoy whatever berries may be ripening. To exit, we suggest you turn left here and walk back toward the waterfall along the rose lined path.

We sincerely hope you enjoy your moments here. For us, living here seems like paradise

Originally trained as a civil engineer, Wright was a great innovator and had a strong sense of how to relate buildings to gardens and landscapes. He said ‘no house should ever be ON a hill or ON anything, it should be OF the hill, belonging to it, hill and house should live together, each the happier for the other’. He might have added that a house should not be 'ON a garden', for he surely believed it. So did those who worked in Wright’s style. Their designs for homes, like his, flow with the landscape designs to become one with nature. Wright had a rare ability to integrate buildings with the landscape, which stemmed from his deep love and knowledge of nature and his keen ecological and aesthetic sensibilities. That is what makes his buildings and the buildings of his followers seem so in tune with our environmentally conscious era.

“When organic architecture is properly carried out no landscape is ever outraged by it but is always developed by it. The good building makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the building was built.”
    —Frank Lloyd Wright