Another job on our long to-do list is now "done and dusted."
I love baskets - baskets of all different kinds. Over the years, I've collected a number of them from auctions, antiques fairs, and tag sales, or from the talented basket-making artisans themselves. When I moved to my Bedford, New York farm, I built a small structure to house my growing collection. The Basket House matched my home and all the other outbuildings on the property. Recently, I decided it was time to replace its timeworn Alaskan yellow cedar roof with a longer-lasting standing seam snap-lock roof system - the same type of roof that also covers my Stable Barn. A crew from Harbor Roofing in nearby Yonkers came by and finished the task quickly, efficiently, and neatly.
Here are some photos.
In one corner of of this garden behind my Tenant House, nestled within a grove of tall bald cypress trees is my Basket House. It stores all these beautiful and very useful baskets.
A good number of these baskets were used during my catering days. Some of my baskets are antique, some more contemporary.
The cedar shingle roof was almost 20-years old. Although it wasn’t showing any signs of leaking, it was definitely ready to replace.
Until now, the roof was made from Alaskan yellow cedar shingles. Alaskan yellow cedar is actually more closely related to the cypress family than the cedar family. It is known for its natural beauty and durability.
Earlier this week, we called the team from Harbor Roofing owned by Richard Moynagh – a company that specializes in roofing repair and installation. Harbor Roofing also installed the roof on my Stable Barn last year.
The first step was to remove the old roofing shingles from both sides of the roof.
The team works carefully to remove the wooden shingles one by one.
Tarps are hung on both sides to catch the loose shingles. This also protects all the nearby garden beds from any falling debris.
The tarps are draped over the side walls and ladder scaffolding, so nothing is damaged when debris falls.
Here are some of the old shingles. The roof could have probably lasted a bit longer, but it is always a good idea to stay on top of home maintenance projects before any problems arise.
Here is a closer look at the shingles being removed. The four man crew works quickly. This day was unusually warm – about 85-degrees Fahrenheit.
Here is a view from the inside. There are shelves all the way around for storage and an open center for larger baskets. And all painted my signature “Bedford Gray.”
Here are the snap-lock panels for the new roofing system. Snap-lock is a type of standing seam metal roof panel that has a male and female leg that snap together. Clips are used to attach the panel to the roof deck.
Here, one can see the ridge cap pieces that will cover the roof at its peak. Richard pre-cuts the pieces at his shop, but if needed, these panels can also be adjusted on site.
Once the roof shingles are removed, the roof deck is fully exposed.
Next, the team cleans the area and covers the roof with a synthetic roofing underlayment – a layer of protection installed between the roof deck and the new roofing panels. It provides ventilation as well as a backup waterproof membrane in case of leakage.
Here is Richard explaining how the snap-lock roof panels work. It uses one-inch seam clips which work best on roofs that have a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 or greater. The clips also eliminate the need for any screws.
Here, the panels are laid and the ends are folded under the roof decking and hammered into place…
… And then secured with the clips and a snap-lock punch.
Here is a section done – its thin distinctive ribs and wide panels give the roof a more modern look.
And here it is all done – with its new “Bedford Gray” standing seam snap-lock roof. The new roof is coated with Kynar. Kynar coating is a metal finish that is chemical resistant, abrasion resistant, flame resistant, and stable under strong UV rays. I am glad to know this structure will be well protected by a good, sturdy and attractive roof for 80 to 90-years, or even more. Next step… organizing and putting back all those gorgeous baskets – stay tuned.
Developing any garden takes time, planning, and lots of patience.
A couple of years ago, I decided to create an azalea border along one side of the carriage road between my Summer House and my stable. I wanted to plant lots of colorful azaleas - a variety of unique specimens in shades of pink, orange, crimson, and white. I already have many azaleas growing and flourishing in this area, but I wanted to expand the collection. First, we planted about 170 azaleas on one side of the carriage road, and then another 200 on the other side. Every year since, my gardeners and I watch how the plants grow and add more where needed. Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays - I am looking forward to seeing this garden bloom later this season.
Enjoy these photos.
If you follow my blog regularly, you may recall I designed this expanded azalea garden in 2021. For this garden, I purchased hundreds of gorgeous azaleas in a variety of bright, cheerful colors. The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so you can see their flower colors and forms.
I decided how they would be placed on both sides of the carriage road – planted by color from white to pink to red and then orange and yellow. When selecting a location for planting, be sure you know the mature size of the plants so they can be grouped accordingly in the landscape – tall plants in the background and short plants in the foreground. Plant height ranges from about three to six feet for most varieties, but rare plants can range from under one foot to well over 15-feet tall. It’s also important to keep azaleas where they can be protected from midday and winter sun to prevent leaves from drying out and burning.
I also decided to mulch most of the garden, so there would be less grass to mow and maintain. Fortunately, we are able to make lots of mulch, and compost, right here at my farm. Last year, the azaleas bloomed so beautifully.
Many of the plants were filled with healthy, gorgeous flowers.
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron.
Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in late April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.
Leaves of most azaleas are solid green, with a roughly long football-shape. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Here, one can also see the bud in the center.
Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe and North America. These plants can live for many years, and they continue to grow their entire lives.
The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center.
Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals.
Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping rounded petals. They can also be flat, wavy or ruffled. Many azaleas have two to three inch flowers.
Right now, most of the azaleas are still bare of any flowers, but here is one of the first true azalea blooms of this season – such a lovely shade of pink.
Yesterday, my gardeners planted a collection of azaleas that we have been nurturing in pots. Here, they are positioned thoughtfully where there are empty spaces.
When planting, dig the hole at least twice the size of the plant. Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter. The hole sides should be slanted and the hole should be no deeper than the root ball is tall, so it can be placed directly on undisturbed soil. Digging a wide planting hole helps to provide the best opportunity for roots to expand into its new growing environment.
Next, a generous handful of good fertilizer is sprinkled in the hole and in the surrounding soil. We used Holly-tone.
This fertilizer is great for for feeding hollies, azaleas, camellias, evergreens, dogwoods, rhododendrons and others. It is a slow-release fertilizer that is easy to sprinkle into the freshly dug holes. Remember, if you eat, so should your plants.
The potted plant is placed into the hole to ensure it is the right depth. Planting too deep could eventually cause bark deterioration at the soil line and kill the plant.
Once a proper hole is established, the plant is removed from its pot, and small portions of the root ball are loosened to create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new spot.
And always save the pots. We save all our plastic pots to use again for younger plants and trees.
The azalea is positioned so its best side faces out. Always buy plants that are sturdy, well-branched, and free of insect damage or diseases. And, avoid plants with weak, spindling growth and poor root systems. The azalea is backfilled and the soil is lightly tamped for good contact with the root ball.
This plant has a lot of room to grow and spread. Some azaleas, including native types, can reach towering heights of 20 feet or more. Dwarf azaleas grow two to three feet tall, and many garden azaleas stay four to six feet in height with as wide a spread. I am excited to see both sides of this carriage road burst with colorful azaleas in another four or five weeks. I’ll be sure to share photos.
Today in Bedford, New York, we're expecting plentiful sunshine and near record high temperatures, for this time of year, in the upper 80s. We are well into springtime weather and all the gardens are transforming.
It always amazes me how quickly plants and trees grow from day to day. I am constantly noticing something new blooming at my farm. And, while many of the spring flowers are erupting with vibrant color, we've also been taking photos of the various trees and all the precious buds just beginning to open on their branches.
Enjoy these images.
This week, all of us here at the farm are enjoying the show from these two weeping cherry trees down behind my stable. A weeping cherry tree is at its best when the pendulous branches are covered with pink or white flowers. These trees are in full bloom right now, but it doesn’t last long – only a couple weeks.
Look at the gorgeous blossoms. These trees are big eye-catchers when guests are lucky enough to see them in flower.
One of the earliest trees to flower here in spring is the magnolia. I have several pink, white, and creamy yellow magnolias. 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 shades of pink, white, red, purple, or yellow – the blooms are so stunning.
Here are the flowers of a white magnolia outside my Summer House. The magnolia family is one of the oldest trees in existence. Because of this, their flowers do not have true petals and sepals; instead, they have petal-like tepals. Also, the flowers do not produce real nectar, but attract pollinating beetles with fragrant and sugary secretions.
Magnolia flowers range from three to 12-inches in diameter. Some species of Magnolia flowers are also protogynous, meaning they appear with or before the tree’s leaves.
Very few ornamental trees offer the variety of tree shapes, sizes, bloom shades, and fruits as the flowering crabapple tree. The crabapple has more than 35 species and 700 cultivars. Crabapple trees can reach 50-feet tall, but most remain in the 15-25-foot range. They can be columnar, spreading, weeping or vase-shaped.
Once the flowers, which tend to be small, but bountiful, all bloom, they can last for up to several weeks. Flowering crabapples are quite adaptable, but thrive in rich, loamy soil with a pH of about 5.0 to 6.5.
These “ancient” apple trees are original to the farm. These, too, are showing seasonal growth.
In spring, the apple trees’ buds unfold, and newly formed leaves and pure white flowers begin to grow on the ends of the twigs.
These are ‘Miss Kim’ lilacs, which bloom in May. They are some of the most fragrant of all the lilac bushes. These lilacs prefer full sun, but will also live in partial shade.
Here is some of the early spring growth. Soon, these sweet ‘Miss Kim’ lilacs will be smelled all over the garden. The blooms will become bright lavender and will stand out nicely against their dark green leaves.
Across the carriage road are the beautiful Malus ‘Gravenstein’ espalier apple trees. I am hopeful we will have a very productive apple season this year.
These trees are also showing off their early springtime buds.
Just outside my Winter House is this weeping katsura, one of my favorite trees. 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.
Tiny red flowers emerge in late March or early April before the leaves. Here is a closer look at the fresh foliage.
I love these rare weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus ‘Pendula’ – the branches of these trees gracefully weep creating an umbrella of foliage that reaches the ground.
Hornbeam is monoecious, meaning male and female catkins, which appear before the leaves, are found on the same tree.
From a distance, everyone notices the stunning golden-yellow weeping willows. Here is one grove of weeping willows at the edge of my pinetum. The golden hue looks so pretty against the early spring landscape.
When the tree blooms in late winter or 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.
And remember my grove of American beech trees which we treated organically last year? I noticed they were not as vibrant and was worried they had caught a relatively new beech leaf disease that is spreading rapidly through the Northeast killing both mature American beeches and saplings. We are now seeing lots of new buds all over the trees. I can’t wait to see how they look all leafed out.
This is a weeping larch, Larix decidua ‘Pendula’. It has bright green needles in spring, which turn gold before dropping in fall. This curvaceous tree is located at “the triangle” where the carriage roads leading to the Boxwood Allée, the Pin Oak Allée, and the woodland, all converge.
Looking closely, one can see all the new spring growth starting to emerge.
Aesculus hippocastanum is a large deciduous tree commonly known as the horse chestnut or conker tree. I have many of these trees. This is one of two located at one end of my stable at the foot of my long Boxwood Allée. The flowers provide a rich source of nectar and pollen to insects, particularly the bees.
Here are the leaves of the horse chestnut which will grow over the next few weeks. Even at this early stage, one can clearly see leaves and developing flowers. By mid-May to early June, these trees will be in full bloom.
Here’s another espalier of fruit trees. I purchased 10 espalier Asian pear trees and planted them outside my stable near my peafowl, and geese enclosures. Espalier refers to an ancient technique, resulting in trees that grow flat, either against a wall, or along a wire-strung framework. Many kinds of trees respond beautifully to the espalier treatment, but fruit trees, like apple and pear, were some of the earliest examples. These trees are all doing excellently.
I have six ‘Shinseiki’ and four ‘Nijisseiki’ pear trees. These flowers will soon be open.
And here is a weeping Japanese cherry in pink. This was gifted to me last year and is now planted at the east end of my Boxwood Allée.
Look at the spring blooms. Its showy pink and white flowers attract butterflies like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Everything here is just bursting with spring life. I am so pleased with the gardens and I am looking forward to sharing more photos as the season progresses.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
