Bloomin Haus: Organic In Your Backyard

Stroll along the goldfish pond garnished with Japanese maple leaves; take a detour through the tropical house on your way to the gazebo, and don't forget to witness the peacock showing off his turquoise splendor. What may feel much like an exotic, therapeutic getaway, is an informative and relaxing shopping trip to the Bloomin Haus Nursery and Garden Center in Holtsville.

Nestled on both sides of Waverly Avenue, Bloomin Haus is 15 acres laced with 100 greenhouses filled with local, home grown organic vegetables, plants, trees and shrubs. Each of which is equipped with a navigation map, making it easy to find what you are looking for. The property has plenty of awnings and benches to keep shoppers refreshed and relaxed.

Bloomin Haus first opened its doors in 1985 when owner Joseph Pazienza, 63, from Holtsville, started growing plants in his home under grow lights as a hobby and sold them at the family business, Bay Fuel Oil Company.

"I remember it as a kid," said Mike Pazienza, 39, from Holtsville, who has taken over for his father. "I remember the trays of plants and grow lights; he used to sell the plants at the fuel company until the demand got too high and here we are now."

Customers flock to Bloomin Haus for a combination of unique, quality plants, low prices and an overall enjoyable experience. They currently feature over 50 types of hostas, 90 colors of impatiens, zebra grass, tomatoes, strawberries, a full line of water plants and their most popular flower: knockout roses.

The nursery also includes a petting zoo where patrons can had feed deer, donkeys, bunny rabbits, pheasants and hens. There is also a gemstone mining station in which a bag of gems, dinosaur fossils or arrowheads can be purchased to sift through water.

"It is really important to get kids involved into gardening," said Mike. "Today all of the school age kids are on the Internet or playing video games and we feel it's a big thing to get them interested and really adds to the family experience here."

 Conservation, being self sufficient and cutting back on energy costs and usage is also a priority. The nursery grows 99 percent of what it sells. It uses and sells a full line of Daniels plant food, which is organic and made out of soy, in addition to environmentally friendly garden animal repellents, fertilizers and insect repellants. The Pazienza family does not do any spraying or use pesticides and tries to mainly utilize biodegradable pots, many made out of bamboo and cocoa.  

In the coming year Bloomin Haus plans to keep expanding on the experience by adding a concession stand and a recycling center for plastic pots as well as expanding the gift shop.

Bloomin Haus is located at 816 Waverly Avenue in Holtsville and is open seasonally from early April to mid September, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.. For more information call 631-447-5831, or e-mail:  Thebloominhaus@aol.com.