Come on over! Let yourself in!

If you would like to walk around the my backyard, go to www.larrymancini.photosite.com, click on "My Father's World" then click on Slideshow. Sit back and enjoy! I'd love to have you!

This all began as way back when I grew up in Bellmore. Our next door neighbors Helmut and Hildergard Weiss had one incredible yard. It also had a fish pond. From that time "seeds" began to be planted in my mind of having a yard similar to theirs. Around the same time I would visit my grandparents in Queens. They lived in an apartment in Laurelton. Their landlord's name was Schwartz. The Schwartzs had a beautiful garden in their yard off to the side of the house. It was gourgeous. More seeds were planted. It all began to come together as my oldest daughter and I watched the Karate Kid and saw the beautiful garden Mr. Miyagi had created. We put in our own water garden in the spring of 1995. Paul Limmer (http://www.lidaylily.org/MemberGardens/Limmer.htm) my coach from Mepham's cross country and track teams lives near me. He got me started growing day lilies back in the late 90's. There are plants from China outback. The seeds for those plants were harvested and given to me by our family there. My daughter's mother-in-law provided new additions of daffodils and primroses. There are others from folks from my church. One of them, the sweet pea, was given to me by Gretel Roth, who is now in heaven. She was confined to a wheel chair when she had a home health care aid go out and collect them for me over 20 years ago. Ilona and Margot have provided some unique flowers- so beautiful. Charlie and Diane, John and Edie and my youngest daughter given meaningful signs. The bird bath was a Father's Day gift years ago. I just filled this this morning. My lounge chair was a gift from my oldest daughter. One of the bird feeders were given on Father's Day one year as well. Even my gardening tools (from my oldest daughter) and my gardening cart (from my middle and youngest daughter) were gifts. My backyard is rich with treasures like this from dear people. You can see why I feel like the richest man on earth. Everything I have back there I have been given by people who love me.

Come on- take a walk through it!