Summer Growth at Skylands
My large terrace at Skylands is so full of growth and splendor this season.
It has been such a beautiful summer at my home in Bar Harbor, Maine. The weather has been warm, but glorious and we have had a lovely time exploring, hiking, and entertaining. As you know, every May, I come up to Skylands to plant the large urns on my terrace. I am happy to report they all look fabulous - every planter is overflowing with lush, green specimens.
I've been taking many photos to share with you - enjoy. Tomorrow, I will post images from my wonderful birthday celebration here at Skylands - you will love them.
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- From my large terrace, these magnificent red spruce trees frame the glorious view of Seal Harbor, with Sutton Island in the distance.
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- Here’s another amazing view.
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- The vines growing on my home are kiwi, or Actinidia. These attractive woody vines are original to the house, very hardy and can tolerate shade.
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- They are also fast-growing climbing vines that are capable of surviving slow temperature drops in winter.
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- Here is one of the two glazed terra-cotta sphinxes that watch over the terrace and guard this entrance to the house. These sphinxes were designed by Emile Muller.
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- One of my favorite spring traditions is coming to Skylands and filling the large planters with beautiful specimens. My greenhouse at Skylands cannot accommodate the large plants, so many of them are wintered over at my Bedford farm and then loaded onto a trailer back to Maine for the summer months.
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- Last May, we filled this antique square lead planter with agave and the easy-to-care-for senecio.
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- And look at it now – there has been so much growth this season. The planter is one of a pair, and was made sometime in the 18th to 19th century.
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- Last May, we also planted this urn on my terrace.
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- Here it is now – so full, you can hardly see the planter. It is filled with palm and underplanted with Helichrysum petiolare, and alocasia.
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- This large urn looks wonderful with the agave and Helichrysum.
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- At the front entrance circle, purple smoke bushes, hay-scented ferns, and yellow spruce trees fill the garden bed. The spruce trees are Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’. When I found them, I got many to plant at my Skylands.
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- This peaceful sitting area on my terrace is located outside my dining room. It’s decorated with a faux bois bench and Gertrude Jekyll style pots. Gertrude was an influential British garden designer, horticulturist, artist and writer. She created more than 400 gardens in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. She has been described as a “premier influence in garden design” by English and American gardening experts.
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- I grow lots of true lilies. Lilium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs and all with large, prominent flowers. They’re also tall – some grow up to six-feet. This year, the lilies peaked earlier up here in Maine.
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- Here are more lilies growing outside this leaded window.
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- On one of the landings off the western terrace, reclining in the moss and ferns, is the lady – La Riviere by Aristide Maillol.
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- On the windowsill, large jars of stones I’ve collected over the years.
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- This photo was taken using a drone. Luca Acuna, the grandson of my longtime housekeeper, Laura, has a business called Full Focus Films. He often shoots company videos or events when he is not in school. Recently, he visited Skylands to take some photos. I will share more of his stunning photos in an upcoming blog. http://www.fullfocusfilms.net/
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Hi Martha, What glorious views of seal harbor in Maine my home state! Also it's amazing to see so many beautiful specimens of plants up here in Maine that are kept in greenhouses in winter . They complement your house beautifully with the stone. Love it! --Roberta
Posted by: Roberta Mathieu | August 12th, 2016 at 8:04 am
I love the new scrolling ability for these wonderful pictures. Much easier!
Posted by: Peggy Hensley | August 12th, 2016 at 8:08 am
Hi Wonderful Martha! Sure hope You are feeling so much better already and I always love all of these delightful blogs that You present to us every day that You can show us every day the best things that You love to share with us! Todays delightful blog and comments shown today is absolutely beautiful to see more that You are doing in Skylands and I absolutely love every photo and comments that You share with us! Showing so many lovely places all around Your lovely home at Skylands are absolutely beautiful to learn more about what You do at that lovely area You are in now and I also love all about Your Bedford Farm also! It was so nice that You had great friends there who helped You grow such lovely items all around Your beautiful Skylands area! I loved todays blog again today! Sure hope You have another great day! God Bless You again! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | August 12th, 2016 at 8:35 am
I know your site is undergoing changes, but I have found the pictures the last few days to be too dark. It is still not possible to enlarge them, so all details are unable to be seen.
I think photo editing could improve the quality. I frequently have to do that to my own pictures when unable to take them in ideal lighting.
I love all the pictures of your properties and hate to be critical, but thought the feedback might help. Keep the animal pictures coming, too, please. Yours is one of the first blogs I check everyday. Too many bloggers are adding advertising between pictures. I hope you don't go that route.
Posted by: Peggy Winter | August 12th, 2016 at 8:46 am
The before and after photos of the planters are amazing Martha. Everything is growing so well. Beautiful picture of the sphinx with the pink lilies in the background. Looking forward to seeing pics of your birthday celebration, have a great weekend!
Posted by: Cindy F | August 12th, 2016 at 9:02 am
Just wondering if there will be a way to make the pictures bigger on your blog? I love the "new" format and it is lovely but I used to be able to click on the picture and make it bigger myself . I do not see as well as I used to so I could then see a larger picture in more detail. This format does not seem to let me be able to do that. The gardens are lovely and special. Been to Seal Harbor many times and brings back happy memories.Thank you for memories of the area.
Posted by: debbie | August 12th, 2016 at 9:04 am
Can never get enough of Skylands and Maine -- thanks for sharing these wonderful photos.
Posted by: Rosanna Hoverman | August 12th, 2016 at 9:16 am
Thank you for sharing the nice pictures.
Käthe
Posted by: Käthe | August 12th, 2016 at 10:10 am
Add my name to the list of individuals who does not like the new photo/blog format. Love the blog as always but do NOT like the new format of photos- too dark, unable to enlarge, not able to see detail. Why mess with success? The photos previously were just great. Hope this gets fixed soon. Looked forward to the blog each but this is just frustrating.
Posted by: Emmie | August 12th, 2016 at 7:09 pm
Please go back to the old format as it is so much easier to use.
All the photos are lovely today, as usual. Thank you.
Posted by: Paula Cosgrove | August 12th, 2016 at 9:55 pm
Hi Martha,
Your Skylands is exquisitely, breathtakingly beautiful! Your home with the kiwi vines, the glorious planters on the terrace all full of lush specimens is most excellent. I am enjoying enlarging the photos on my iPad! Your blog is beautiful, inspiring, and I am so looking forward to your birthday celebration in pictures.
Have a lovely weekend.
Fondly,
Karen
Posted by: Karen H | August 12th, 2016 at 10:54 pm
I LOVE following your blogs.....especially about your new Frenchies
Posted by: jacquelyn solomon | August 13th, 2016 at 7:30 am
Happy Birthday! Your party looks divine as always, because you pay such attention to detail and you're well prepared. Glad to see you enjoy celebrating
with friends and family. I love watching you soak up life every moment.
Such a joy! Can't wait to tune in to your collaborative effort with Snoop Dog.
What a hoot is in store for all. Congratulations on another beautiful year bringing
all Good Things to the world.
Posted by: Joan Spicer | August 14th, 2016 at 8:29 pm
These shots are awesome. It is awfully nice to have such interesting and serenely beautiful, over-the-top examples of idyllic outdoor settings. It's all good inspiration- for those of us who would have to do things on a smaller scale- to glean from. The nice pix and the accompanying information make me want reclaim overgrown areas, concentrate on keeping the vegetable rows cultivated, plant more wildflower seeds in the back of my patch out by the woods, or whatever I feel the need to do, or the want to do. And, again, the areas that these photos show are like something out of a dream, or where mythical gods might live. That might sound a little extreme, but the grounds of all of Martha's properties that I have seen over the years are beyond compare. Thanks for sharing all of it- looking forward to what you guys share in the future.
Posted by: Jonathan Alford | August 15th, 2016 at 10:33 pm