Winterizing the Terrace at Skylands

October 7, 2017

Hard to believe it's already October - the summer seems to have flown by so quickly, as it does every year!

It's been about four and a half months since we planted the terrace at Skylands, my tranquil home in Seal Harbor Maine. If you recall, I go up there every spring to fill the containers with lovely tropical specimens. Once the temperatures dip in autumn, it's time to remove all the plants from their heavy stone planters and prepare them for the ride back to my Bedford, New York farm, where they reside during winter.

Last week, my gardening crew at Skylands - Mike Harding, Wendy Norling and Chris Koppel - completed this huge task, while Cheryl Dulong documented the transformation. Enjoy these photos.

: Here is my “ice” terrace before the great clearing. I love my annual weekend at Skylands when we fill the planters with beautiful agaves, alocasias, ferns, begonias, and so many more. It just brings this expansive terrace to life.

: Every year, I plant uniquely shaped succulents in this ancient English stone trough. Many Echeveria species are popular as ornamental garden plants. They are drought-resistant, although they do better with regular deep watering and fertilizing.

: This sitting area was created a few years ago, with the faux bois bench and the Gertrude Jekyll style pots. Gertrude was an influential British garden designer, horticulturist, artist and writer.

: Here’s another view of one end of the terrace before the plants were removed. In the middle is a giant, and very heavy, 1920s Soderholz planter. It will require a lot of hands to remove the Lady palm, Rhapis excelsa. This one is underplanted with yellow Helichrysum.

: On both sides of the planted silver-blue agave are my glazed terra-cotta sphinxes watching over the terrace. These sphinxes were designed by Emile Muller. Soon, these sphinxes will also be moved indoors for the winter.

: Here are more plants enjoying the afternoon sun before being removed from their stone planters. Everything has grown so full since we first planted these pots last May.

: This is the stone trough I bought at Trade Secrets several years ago. It has worked perfectly here at Skylands, and looks beautiful planted up with succulents. This year, I wanted it planted in color blocks with pink gravel – the same pink gravel that covers the carriage roads at Skylands.

: The vine growing on my home is kiwi, or Actinidia. This vine should be planted in well-drained soil. Kiwi vines can tolerate a lot of different light conditions, but more exposure to sun brings out better colors in the leaves, some of which can be variegated.

: From above, the area still looks so inviting. The agaves below are waiting their turn to be removed from their planters. The vines on the retaining walls are also ancient actinidia, which are small kiwi. This great, fast-growing, sturdy vine is fruit producing.

: In the front are two large, antique lead containers planted with blue agave and more Helichrysum. This pair was made sometime in the 18th to 19th century. Behind them are two other very heavy lead pots – it is a big chore to empty them all every year, but a very important one.

: Here are my Maine gardeners, Mike and Wendy, carrying some of the smaller plants in plastic containers – they will be put aside until they’re loaded onto my big trailer and driven home to Bedford.

: This is such a pretty part of the terrace – right in the center. Here, Chris Koppel, who is now working for me in Maine, is also helping to remove the plants from their heavy pots and urns.

: Mike just removed this agave from its pot. These plants, with their big root balls, can be quite heavy, so remember to move plants before they are watered.

: We fill this area with so many plants during the warm season – it undergoes such a transformation when autumn arrives and the plants are put to bed.

: The blue agaves were already removed from these pots leading up to the western terrace.

: On this wall of the western terrace, two of three Soderholtz pots. Eric Soderholtz was a pioneer in American garden pottery and a most creative artist – his works are collectible items. The hanging Boston ferns will also be moved from this spot for the cold season.

: I love this copper pot. This year, we planted a palm in it. After it was emptied, the pot gets covered with a lid to protect the inside.

: Most of the pots are now empty. The heaviest ones will be covered with wooden boxes painted my signature gray.

: Here is the terrace after all the potted plants have been safely removed. The kiwi vines keep the space green and lush. The trailer will be at Skylands this weekend, and loaded with all the delicate warm weather specimens.