Here at my farm, we’re expecting morning showers, cloudy skies, and temperatures in the low 50s, but the gardens continue to transform.
Despite the erratic weather, there's new spring growth every day. And, while many of the flowers are erupting with vibrant color, we've also been taking photos of the various trees and all the precious leaves, buds, and blooms just beginning to open on their branches.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I tour the farm several times a day to see how all the trees and plants are doing. This time of year, there’s always something new to admire. Malus sargentii, occasionally called Sargent’s apple or Sargent crabapple, is a species of crabapple in the genus Malus. The plant is a shrub growing about six-feet tall. Here are two of four that flank the carriage road between my Tenant House and my studio.
They’re showing off many buds on their branches. This is the early stage of spring bloom. The buds are reddish-pink or pale pink and open to fragrant, white flower clusters.
Bordering one side of my playing field, a large stretch of lawn adjacent to my pergola, are these weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus ‘Pendula’ – the branches of these trees gracefully weep creating umbrellas of foliage that reach the ground.
Weeping hornbeam leaves are ovate with pointed tips and serrated edges.
In spring, the apple trees’ buds unfold, and newly formed leaves and pure white flowers begin to grow on the ends of the twigs.
My orchard surrounds three sides of my pool. These are the pink buds of one of my peach trees.
Fruiting pear trees bloom from April to May, with stunning white flowers.
This is my Pin Oak Allée. The trees are beginning to leaf out, but at this time it is easier to see its recognizable branch habit, where the lower branches hang down, the horizontal middle branches flare out and the upright upper branches point up.
These Cotinus leaves are small now, but they will grow large, broad, and oval to oblong in shape, with a smooth, glossy surface.
From a distance, it is easy to notice the golden-yellow weeping willows. This grove is at the edge of my pinetum. The golden hue looks so pretty against the early spring landscape.
When the tree blooms late winter to spring, yellow catkins such as these appear. The catkin flowers are one to two inches long, and each blossom consists of hundreds of hairlike protrusions. The flowers mature to yellow before they are disbursed by wind or rain.
This is a weeping larch, Larix decidua ‘Pendula’. It has bright lime green needles in spring, which turn gold before dropping in fall.
Here, one can see how the foliage grows on the tree giving it an elegant sculptural effect. This tree is planted at the intersection between my pin oaks and my Allée of Boxwood.
Look closely to see the tiny young leaves of the Ginkgo with their distinguishable fan-shape. When mature, they will be up to three-inches long, with a petiole that is also up to three-inches long. This shape and the elongated petiole cause the foliage to flutter in the slightest breeze.
I have several Cercis canadensis ‘Merlot’ trees, or eastern redbuds. They’re all just starting to show off their beautiful early season purple-pink flower buds.
Redbud flowers are among the most striking early spring sights. They are small, pea‑like blooms that appear in clusters along bare branches and sometimes on the trunk before the tree’s leaves emerge.
Nearby are two cherry trees. Cherry trees belong to the genus Prunus and are in the family Rosaceae. These trees are famous for their sweet or sour stone fruits called drupes and their eye-catching blossoms. Unfortunately, we all wait with anticipation for the fruits, but oftentimes squirrels beat us to them.
Here are the leaves of the horse-chestnut. Even at this early stage, the leaves and developing flowers are big. By mid-May to early June, these trees will be in full flower.
On my terrace parterre and on one side of my home are weeping katsura trees, one of my favorites. Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum has pendulous branches that fan out from the crown and sweep the ground. Caramel-scented foliage emerges bronze or purple-red, turns blue-green, then fades to gold or apricot in autumn.
The leaves are heart-shaped, typically two to three inches long, with a wavy or finely serrated edge and a pointed tip.
And here are the Japanese maples – so full of color. Spring has sprung with such energy and growth. I hope you appreciate something new in your garden every day.
I was given the award yesterday at a private club in New York City. Presented by The Decorators Club, the Elsie de Wolfe Woman of Vision Award honors those individuals who have made notable contributions to the fields of interior design and the arts. It is named after the woman credited as the first professional interior decorator of the United States. 200 guests attended the fundraising event and luncheon, which supports The Decorators Club Education Fund Scholarship Program.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
It was so nice to see so many familiar faces at the Elsie de Wolfe Woman of Vision Awards event. Here I am with interior designers and event co-chairs Elizabeth Pash, Charlotte Barnes, and Katie Leede. (Photo by @elizabethobaker)
In this photo I’m joined by event co-chair Victoria Hagan and education leader, Suzie Kovner.
I’ve known Katie for many years. Her family owned Skylands, my home in Maine, before I did.
The fundraising event also included a lovely luncheon for all the guests.
The tables were all decorated with and evergreen theme. The topiaries included were courtesy of Atlock Farm, and the tablecloths courtesy of Schumacher. Place cards are by Mr. P’s Place Card Company.
The wait staff was so pleasant and ready to offer guests refreshing beverages and cocktails.
There was also a themed cocktail – can you guess what these are?
They’re my signature lemon drops – served as both cocktails and mocktails. (Photo by @elizabethobaker)
Several friends attended the event with me including Danielle Vadai and interior designer Stephen Sills.
Everyone started with baskets of country breads.
The main course was a cobb salad with Romaine and Iceberg lettuces, diced chicken and bacon, with tomato, avocado, egg, blue cheese and a buttermilk ranch dressing.
On each table, candy bar favors with custom wrappers by Darcy Miller, owner of Darcy Miller Designs. Her whimsical sketches and illustrations are so much fun.
On the side, several items for raffle, including a Martha Stewart Pollywood garden bench, Martha Stewart bedding, and a glazed earthenware ceramic garden stool with gold and platinum luster.
Kiki Dennis is the President of The Decorators Club She welcomed all the guests and spoke about the Woman of Vision Award and the scholarship program.
Every table was full.
Elizabeth Pash also took to the podium and presented the award to me.
The award is a beautiful handmade vessel made by talented ceramicist, photographer and gardener, Frances Palmer. I’ve known her many years.
There was also an on-stage conversation and interview where I answered a series of questions from our own Chief Creative Officer, Kevin Sharkey.
Dessert was served – key lime chiffon pie with mango coulis.
Thanks to The Decorators Club for such a wonderful honor and a great event. Please go to their web site and learn more about The Decorators Club programs. And here’s to the next generation of talented and inspirational experts in interior design. (Photo by @elizabethobaker)
We're expecting temperatures in the 50s today with possible frost tonight - very different from the recent warm weather we had when so many of the spring flowers were blooming.
Last week, temperatures reached the high 80s. Every day, something new came to life with vibrant spring color - Fritillaria, Leucojum, Muscari, the tulips, the Mertensia with their charming blue flowers that open from pink-tinged buds, the large blooms of the Magnolias, and of course, lots and lots of daffodils. I hope they all make it through the cold snap.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Fruiting pear trees bloom from April to May, with stunning white flowers. These espaliered Asian pear trees are hard to miss outside my stable. Here I have six ‘Shinseiki’ and four ‘Nijisseiki’ pear trees.
Swaths of Muscari are blooming under my old apple trees. Muscari is a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia that produce spikes of dense, most commonly blue, urn-shaped flowers that look like bunches of grapes in spring.
Here they are up close. Muscari is also known by its common name for the genus – grape hyacinth.
These are the flowers of a weeping cherry tree with its cascading branches. This is one of several outside my stable. They only bloom for a short while. These trees are eye-catchers when guests are lucky enough to see them filled with white flowers.
When in bloom, weeping cherry flowers attract many butterflies and hummingbirds.
A handful of azaleas along one side of my farm are also blooming. Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays. I have hundreds planted outside my Summer House and down the carriage road to the stable.
Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.
My long daffodil border is broken up into various groupings – different varieties, different shapes and sizes, and different blooming times. This provides a longer splash of color through the season. More and more pop up every day.
The flowers are generally white or yellow with either uniform or contrasting colored tepals and coronas. This white daffodil has a bold contrasting orange center.
Underneath the majestic pin oaks in the allée and in the pits under the weeping willows I have a variety of Narcissi named after me by Van Engelen Inc., a wholesale flower bulb company in Bantam, Connecticut.
Commonly known as Guinea Hen Flower, Checkered Lily or Snake’s Head Fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris is an heirloom species dating back to 1575. It has pendant, bell-shaped, checkered and veined flowers that are either maroon or ivory-white with grass-like foliage on slender stems.
Here is one of the blooms in white.
These are Snowflakes – not to be confused with Snowdrops. The Snowflake is a much taller growing bulb which normally has more than one flower per stem. Snowflake petals are even, each with a green spots on the end, whereas Snowdrops have helicopter-like propellers that are green only on the inner petals.
Snowflakes, Leucojum, are native to Eurasia and are members of the amaryllis family. These perennials increase over time and are not attractive to deer or rodents.
This trout lily is ‘Pagoda Dogtooth.’ It produces up to 10 clustered, 12-inch arching stems that bear yellow, nodding flowers with reflexed petals.
Anemonella thalictroides is an easy-to-grow, deer-resistant, durable, but dainty looking plant. The genus name Anemonella roughly translates as ‘little anemone’ because its flowers are miniature copies of the windflower. These are a light pale pink.
Mertensia virginica, or Virginia bluebell, is a perennial that is native to North America. Its buds are actually pink, but the flowers are blue. They can grow in any garden and bloom in early to mid spring and continue blooming through early to mid summer.
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol. Growing as large shrubs or trees, they produce showy, fragrant flowers that are white, pink, red, purple or yellow, which may be bowl-shaped or star-shaped.
The foliage of the tree peonies are also starting to emerge.
In my vegetable garden, I also have a few beds of blooming tulips. There are currently more than 3000 registered tulip varieties, which are divided into at least 15-groups, mostly based on the flower type, size, and blooming period.
My long pergola is just full of lush green foliage. Soon, it will display a palette of blue, purple, and lavender Alliums, Camassia, and Spanish Bluebells. Hopefully the cold weather won’t affect the plants too much – fingers crossed.
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