The theme for this year's annual event was “Home is the Tapestry of Your Life." The three-day affair featured more than 150-dealers of fine antiques and art, as well as horticultural exhibitors, and some of the most renowned design, landscape, and architectural speakers in the world. At least 16-thousand visitors walked through the many booths and displays. At this show, there was also a special auction of two chicken coops - one designed by me, and the other by my friend, Christopher Spitzmiller. The coops were built by Cook Builders, LLC in a space designed by Duke Design Group in collaboration with James Dunn of Vintage Millworks. It was a fun project and a great cause - all proceeds from the show benefit Cheekwood Estate & Gardens and the Economic Club of Nashville (ECON). Although I was not able to attend the event, my special projects producer, Judy Morris, went down to see how it all went.
Here are some photos, enjoy. And be sure to see more of my chicken coop on an upcoming episode of "Martha Gardens" on Roku.
The Show is a great mix of antique, vintage, and new items for the home and garden. Many vendors came from other states, but there were also a large number right from Nashville like this booth by Creekside Garden Center – filled with indoor and outdoor plants and gardening inspirations.
This booth was for Moss Studios by Breck Armstrong. It featured many items hand-crafted and carefully made by Breck Armstrong, who was trained by my friend, and master potter, Guy Wolf.
This booth display showed many small leather boxes.
There were lots of cut flower vases and botanical themed wall decorations.
And of course, lots of flower frogs. Do you know what a flower frog is? A flower frog is a A flower frog is a device used to help arrange flowers. Some, such as the Japanese kenzan, are utilitarian metal devices that fit into a vase or bowl and fix the stems by metal needles. Other designs use a number of holes or guides that stems could be fit through for arranging.
In this booth, there was also jewelry – some new, some vintage, and some antique.
It’s always fun to decorate with multiples of one item, such as these botanical prints.
As you know, I love chickens. Judy spotted this charming antique stone rooster garden ornament and took a quick snapshot. It was displayed by Two Maisons – an antiques shop in Colorado that specializes in European Antiques.
And I also love copper. I have a large collection – many pieces decorate the studio kitchen of my guest house at the farm.
VE Designs was also at the show with some of their Swedish Mora Clocks. The classic Mora Clock is a type of floor clock with a unique shape and soft, muted colors. It was a tradition in some Swedish families to gather around the home’s Mora Clock on Sunday mornings while it was wound and readied for the week ahead.
On this wall, a grouping of framed bathing suits from Julie Harris Antiques. Julie has been an antiques and collectibles dealer for more than 30-years specializing in vintage sports and college memorabilia.
Madison James showcased this handmade avian wall hanging.
Atlanta Planters is from Georgia. They had these whimsical antique mushrooms for the garden.
And do you know what these are? These are called staddle stones. Staddle stones were originally used in the 17th and 18th centuries as support bases for granaries, hayricks, and game larders. They typically looked like giant stone mushrooms. These are originally from England and shown here by Finnegan Gallery of Chicago, Illinois. I have a group of square staddles at one end of my pool.
Can you see it? It’s a colorful peacock sitting atop this arbor and bench. The tail was made out of Schumacher fabric. Schumacher, the show’s design sponsor, has been making fine fabrics, wall coverings, pillows and trims since 1889.
And here is a glimpse of the chicken coops Christopher and I designed. Mine is on the left and Christopher’s is on the right. For my coop, I chose board and batten siding with a wood shingle roof, glass windows with screens that open, and sliding doors. Scaled to fit perennial flower beds, holly-filled planter boxes, and a stone wall surround the coops.
Here’s Christopher with one of the show’s co-chairs, Kathryn Saunders.
This is James Dunn of Vintage Millworks, who sourced all the reclaimed wood, windows, and hardware to complete the designed coops.
And here is a photo of Christopher joined by Gavin Duke of Duke Design Group, James, and West Cook of Cook Builders, LLC – all flanked by two “chickens.” Wait until my show to find out how much the coops went for at auction. It was a successful and fun show for those who attended – I hope to go next year!
Here in the Northeast, temperatures are expected to hit 40-degrees Fahrenheit today, with even warmer, spring-like weather at the end of the week - very different from the below-freezing conditions and strong winds we had here just a few days ago.
It's very important to be well-prepared for any storm or drastic change in weather. Before the freezing cold last week, my outdoor grounds crew, gardeners, and stable staff worked hard to ensure everything was safe and secure. They checked that every greenhouse was well-insulated and equipped with portable heaters. They checked all the bird enclosures, making sure adequate heat spaces were accessible to all our chickens and fowl. They also made sure all the animal water systems were in good order and that my horses got a little extra hay in their feeders. Fortunately, the cold snap only lasted two days - it was back to unusually mild winter weather by the end of the weekend.
Enjoy these photos.
At the end of last week, the skies over my Bedford, New York farm were partly cloudy with patches of sunshine, but the forecast called for bitterly cold weather over the weekend. For anyone battling extreme weather, it’s important to have a good supply of food and water— at least for three-days, knowing where all the flashlights are kept and making sure they are equipped with fresh batteries, stocking the first aid kit, and checking that all vehicles are filled with gas – a full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing. Here at the farm, we also have to check all the animals and greenhouses.
I bring my horses, donkeys, and pony indoors when it is gets very cold or windy. I know they would prefer to be outdoors, but it is much safer and definitely warmer in their stalls. We expected below-zero night temperatures, so they were all brought in at the end of the day.
The stalls are all cleaned and filled with a little extra bedding, just to keep them cleaner until they were let out into their paddocks again.
All the waterers are checked. I have automatic systems so these never freeze – there is always fresh water to drink.
Rufus and Truman “TJ” Junior are just in from their day outside and now waiting for their afternoon meal.
… And so is Jude “JJ” Junior. Or maybe she’s waiting for a c-o-o-k-i-e.
My handsome Friesian Hylke is also safe in his stall – watching all the activities in the stable.
Hay is prepared in the barn shower stall. Some of the horses get their hay wet, so we soak it for about 30-minutes and then let it drain completely before feeding. We’re using our Scenic Road wheelbarrow with drain.
My stable crew is very mindful of the horses’ hay intake. Each feeder holds up to three flakes of hay. When they are kept indoors during the bitter cold, we give them a little extra – the eating keeps them warmer and keeps their blood circulation going.
In the goose enclosure, we put down bales for hay for extra bedding. My geese hate being inside. They have a shelter on the other side of the pen, but they prefer to be out and about. The hay also prevents their feet from freezing or getting stuck to any patches of ice.
These geese all enjoy each other’s company and like to huddle together to keep warm.
In the chicken coops, we make sure the Sweeter Heaters are all in working order. I use Sweeter Heaters in all the coops – they’re safe, reliable and easy to install. We got them from our friends at My Pet Chicken, a company I’ve used for many years. These Sweeter Heaters stay at or below a safer heat level, and use far less electricity – and, they’re also designed and assembled right here in the United States.
We also have units down low for those chickens on the ground.
And of course, the greenhouses are well-inspected before any drastic drop in outdoor temperature. I am fortunate to have several tropical hoop houses to keep my large collection of plants safe in the winter.
All the thermometers are checked – there are a few in every greenhouse. To simulate the best subtropical environment, we try to keep the temperature between 50 and 85-degrees Fahrenheit with some humidity.
Outside, more bales of hay are used to give the structures more insulation.
We also install residential door sweeps in all the areas where drafts could enter the hoop houses. The are secured vertically along the side walls.
Inside, The heaters hang from above and are fueled by propane…
… but extra portable heaters are always standing by – just in case.
And although it was getting more windy and cold as the day progressed, look who is out enjoying the weather – a Cooper’s Hawk. This is one of a mating pair that seems to love it here at the farm – thankfully, all my animals are safe in their fenced in enclosures. I love hawks and always enjoy seeing them around my home. We were all set for the cold – which didn’t last long, but always better to be safe than sorry…
It's no secret that I love gardening, and I love plants of all kinds - in particular, potted plants. I keep many in my greenhouses, including a wide-ranging group of orchids - all the vibrant colors and variations in shape and size make me so happy.
Last week, I visited White Plains Orchids, a family-operated nursery not far from my Bedford, New York farm. There, I found some beautiful orchids and a few other container specimens to add to my collection.
Enjoy these photos.
Whenever I get the opportunity, I always try to visit and support the businesses in my neighborhood. White Plains Orchids is the only orchids nursery in Westchester County.
Its main greenhouse is filled with orchids, those flowering and often fragrant plants that bloom indoors from late winter to spring.
Orchids grow on every continent except Antarctica. They are native to the tropical regions of Asia, Australia, the Himalayas, and the Philippines. The orchid forms one of the largest families in the plant kingdom, with more than 25,000 species worldwide.
The size of orchids depends on the species. They can be quite small or very large. However, every orchid flower is bilaterally symmetrical, which means it can be divided into two equal parts.
Rule of thumb – orchids that receive a proper balance of light, humidity and temperature will have healthy bright green leaves. Too little light would make the leaves very dark. The size, shape, and texture of leaves depend on the habitat. Orchids that live in dry climate have large, thick leaves covered with wax, while species that live in warm and humid areas have thin, elongated leaves. And certain species of orchids do not have leaves at all.
Optimum temperatures for orchids in winter are 45 to 55-degrees Fahrenheit at night and 65 to 75-degrees Fahrenheit during the day. When plants are in bud, temperatures must be as constant as possible.
Most orchid genera are epiphytic, meaning they grow on trees and rocks rather than in soil. Orchid roots need to breathe and therefore cannot live buried in dirt.
This is Eric Wang, senior sales associate at White Plains Orchids. His parents are also orchid experts and have more than 30-years experience in selling all different varieties here in New York and in the Dominican Republic.
Dendrobium is a large orchid genus, with more than a thousand species. The evergreen canes are topped by a single three to five-inch long inflorescence, each one producing four to eight flowers.
Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. A lightly shaded south window is best. This is Dendrobium Roy Tokunaga. Its main feature is an incredibly long bloom time – it begins to flower in November, and continues blooming for close to six months.
Paphiopedilum orchids are often called ‘lady slippers’ or ‘slipper orchids’ because of their unique pouch-like flowers.
Here’s another view. This is Paphiopedilum gratrixinum. The pouch of a slipper orchid traps insects so they are forced to climb up, collect or deposit pollen, and fertilize the flower. Slipper orchids have two fertile anthers — meaning they are diandrous.
This orchid is called Paphiopedilum ‘Ernie Barnham.’
This stand is filled with miniature orchids. These plants have the same requirements as full-sized orchids. They need the proper amount of water, indirect sunlight, regulated temperature and a fairly high humidity level between 55 and 75 percent.
This is Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian ‘V3 White Dream’. Phalaenopsis, the moth orchid, is perhaps the best orchid for growing in the home and is also a favorite with greenhouse growers. Well-grown plants can flower often, sometimes with a few flowers throughout the year, though the main season is late winter into spring.
This is a Cattleya quadricolor orchid with its purple, white, lavender and yellow bell-shaped half-open flowers.
And this is a hybrid, Laeliocattleya Purple Cascade ‘Fragrant Beauty.’
There were also some other plants at the nursery. These are potted Philodendron Thai Sunrise – known for their long lime green leaves. They are all packaged and ready for transport.
Anthurium is an epiphytic species of flowering plant native to Colombia. It is grown in more temperate climates as a greenhouse or houseplant for its large, pendulous leaves that can be several feet long. This will be a nice addition to my greenhouse.
If you love orchids as much as I do, try to visit a nursery that specializes in these beautiful plants, or of you’re in the New York City area from the end of February through April, visit the New York Botanical Garden. Look out for more on orchids from the NYBG in an upcoming episode of “Martha Gardens” on Roku.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
