Five houses on the market LI gardeners will love

The 18th century French writer and philosopher Voltaire once penned some advice on how to attain a peaceful lifestyle. Cultivate a garden, he wrote.

Sometimes, it's a good way to sell a home, too.

"It's definitely an advantage," says Theresa Rottkamp, an agent with Coldwell Banker Premier Homes. "When buyers see that nothing's been done to a property, they think of it as an expense. Like, 'Gee, I'm going have to put in trees or do some landscaping.' With a garden, they think, 'Now, all I have to do is cut the grass.' "

Exactly how much value a garden adds to a home is hard to pin down since it's primarily an aesthetic issue, agents say. It can even be a disadvantage for those intimidated by the upkeep. But for a buyer with a green thumb, discovering a yard filled with azaleas, roses and butterfly bushes can be a closer.

"When you get people who love a garden, it's a slam dunk," says Margaret Trautmann, an agent with Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty.

Even chores like garden maintenance can have their upside, green thumb people say.

Henry Tong, a retired clothing buyer who has expanded the garden at his Sound Beach home over two decades, says he spends a couple of hours a day tending to his small paradise.

"I like to spend time outside," he says. "If you've got something to do, it's not so boring."

For Diane Lim, tending the garden at her West Hempstead home is a way to calm down after a stressful day working as a nurse.

"It's a way to keep my sanity," she says.

Ruta Jaget, who, with her husband, William, bought a home five years ago on Centre Island, agrees with Monsieur Voltaire about the equanimity a garden brings. The property they purchased had been neglected for 17 years, she says, and a major part of their home renovation was adding a French-themed garden.

She says she loves to putter around it in the mornings, pulling weeds and pruning plants.

"I'm an early riser, and it's always a very peaceful and meditative place," she says. "It's very rewarding. If you put some time and effort into a garden, it shows."

Here's a look at the homes of Jaget, Tong, Lim and several other garden-lovers whose properties are for sale.

Centre Island

PRICE $2,295,000

LOCATION 353 Harbor Dr.

LISTING HISTORY On the market for two months with no price changes

ANNUAL TAXES $20,486

WHAT'S FOR SALE A three-bedroom, two-bath Colonial country cottage with an eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, a combination den and family room, full basement and a fireplace. Outside is a terraced porch, a two-car garage and a wooden deck overlooking the harbor. The home has beach rights.

THE GARDEN This garden was designed by the owners, Ruta and William Jaget, to resemble something from Provence, France. "It helps the house look like a little vacation home in Europe," Ruta says.

LISTING AGENT Margaret Trautmann (cell 516-361-4646) and Linda Kennedy (cell 516-413-0092) with Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty at 516-759-4800

Bridgehampton

PRICE $750,000

LOCATION 660 Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Tpke.

LISTING HISTORY On the market for one month with no price changes.

ANNUAL TAXES $1,700

WHAT'S FOR SALE A three-bedroom, three-bath Cape with an open-plan living room, a gourmet kitchen and a finished basement with a full bath and laundry area. The home is close to the beach and Bridgehampton village.

THE GARDEN The owner, Mauricio Borge, says his wife began putting out plants a decade ago and kept going to the point that the garden now takes up a large part of their yard. "She gets happy in there," he says. "So, I'm happy."

LISTING AGENT Sally Huns with The Corcoran Group Real Estate at 631-537-4198 or 631-235-9766

West Hempstead

PRICE$399,000

LOCATION 301 Taylor Rd.

LISTING HISTORY On the market for a month with no price changes

ANNUAL TAXES $9,464

WHAT'S FOR SALE A Cape with three bedrooms and two baths, a formal dining room, a combination den and family room, a full basement, a fireplace, wood floors and an attached garage. The covered patio overlooks the garden pond, and the backyard also contains a hot tub.

THE GARDEN The garden that Diane and Roy Lim have been cultivating for 18 years is filled with mostly perennial plants and some vegetables. It attracts lots of butterflies and hummingbirds, Diane said.

LISTING AGENT Joan Cody with Prudential Douglas Elliman at 516-354-6500 or 516-523-0592

Sound Beach

PRICE $375,000

LOCATION 46 Sayville Rd.

LISTING HISTORY On the market for three months with no price changes

ANNUAL TAXES $8,264

WHAT'S FOR SALE A five-bedroom, two-bath ranch with an eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, home office, finished basement and beach rights.

THE GARDEN This garden is filled with flowering plants on a hillside behind the home with a trail running through it. The owner has been expanding it with cuttings for 20 years.

LISTING AGENT Edward Figueroa with Pristine Properties EF Inc. at 631-474-5000

Wading River

PRICE $325,900

LOCATION 193 Northside Rd.

LISTING HISTORY On the market for four months with this agent. There has been one price change.

ANNUAL TAXES $9,513

WHAT'S FOR SALE A raised ranch with two bedrooms and two baths, an eat-in kitchen, a den, hardwood floors and a two-car garage on a half-acre close to the beach. The lower level has a large den with a wood-burning stove and a room that can be used as a recreation room or an extra bedroom.

THE GARDEN The owners, William and Clara Storms, made the flower garden as maintenance-free as possible by planting mostly perennials. A neighbor says it reminds her of her grandmother's garden in England, Clara says.

LISTING AGENT Theresa Rottkamp with Coldwell Banker Premier Homes at 631-220-5519