New Canaan CT, UNITED STATES, July 12, 2021 -- Some of the best memories of Patti Trompeter's chaotic childhood are the times she helped her adoptive mother plant and harvest the vegetables from the family’s small garden in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn.
As one of six adopted children in the family, Trompeter says her mother raised vegetables because the family didn’t always have the money to buy them at the grocery store.
“She had a huge garden and we would spend days canning vegetables to store over the winter to feed our family. It was some of my fondest memories,” Trompeter said.
Many years later, after Trompeter became a mother herself and settled into a home in New Canaan, CT, the gardening instincts she learned from her mother became a passion.
Trompeter not only created a spectacular garden at her New Canaan home, she also oversaw the construction of a “garden shed’ that’s like few others in the country. Her garden and shed are two of the many stunning features of her home at 309 Lukes Wood Road in New Canaan that is currently for sale for $4.3 million. The house is listed by realtors Melissa Rwambuya and Kristen Harrow of William Raveis Real Estate in New Canaan.
The 10,034-square-foot home has six bedrooms, 7 full baths and 2 half-bathrooms, a sprawling outdoor patio area that includes a pool, firepit, and a built-in kitchen. The home sits on 4.5 acres that abuts Grace Farms on the northeast side of the property and preserved property to the south.
Almost every room inside the home has been renovated. There’s a gourmet kitchen, a stunning master suite that includes a sitting room, a fireplace, two huge walk-in closets, and a spa bath.
An enormous dining room features a fireplace and French doors that open onto the deck with glass railings that overlook the patio area, pool, and immaculately manicured backyard. The lower level walkout has a large fieldstone fireplace, wine cellar, family room, gaming room, theater, state-of-the art home office, and two full bathrooms.
But to truly realize the amenities that are included with this home, Trompeter’s garden shed is a must-see. It starts with a fingerprint-entry security system, dishwasher, wine fridge, refrigerator/freezer drawers, a 50-inch oversized sink with special cutting boards, a state-of-the-art sound system with an 80-inch TV, and walls of glass to view the garden, landscaping, and huge lawn. Outside, a huge gas grill is part of another built-in kitchen.
“It became my sanctuary,” Trompeter says of the building, which sits about 50 yards from the main house. “It also became a family centerpiece. At night, we’d go out, harvest what was ready and then decide how we’d want to cook it. It’s where my two children learned to cook.”
Over time, as Trompeter’s garden expanded and she became an empty-nester, she started donating a large portion of the vegetables and fruit she was growing to food pantries and shelters in several communities in Fairfield County.
“I’m known as the tomato lady in some places,” Trompeter said. “It’s such an incredible feeling to see someone eat a tomato that wasn’t store bought for the first time.”
Her generosity extends beyond the food she gives away. She donates regularly to the independent Waterside School in Stamford, CT, which provides a rigorous curriculum for children in kindergarten through the fifth grade who show academic promise regardless of income status.
As a former foster child herself, Trompeter identifies with Waterside’s mission of providing children with solid academics while also promoting character and strong morals regardless of income.
“If I could I would give my last penny to (Waterside School),” Trompeter said. “They make learning fun and they teach their students the value of a good education. This school is the model that will close the education gap in the US. I wish I had a school like Waterside when I was growing up”
Trompeter says she plans to stay in the tri-state area even though she has decided to sell the home she has lived in since 2010. Her one wish is that the house is sold to a family who will enjoy it for years to come.
If you are interested in viewing the home, contact Melissa Rwambuya at 917.670.5053 or email her at melissa.rwambuya@raveis.com.
