Summer weather here at my farm is expected to be sunny and mild today - only reaching 75-degrees Fahrenheit. Hard to believe the season is almost over.
It always amazes me how quickly plants and trees grow from day-to-day. Many flowers have already finished blooming for the season, but the trees, most of which I've planted through the years, are still so beautiful and lush with foliage.
Enjoy these images.
Every single day I am home, I tour the farm to see how all the trees and plants are doing. Every specimen is special. These trees line the main carriage road to and from my woodland.
I’ve planted thousands and thousands of trees here on my 153-acre farm – in and around the gardens, along the carriage roads, and throughout the woods. I love how they look in the landscape and how they change through the seasons. Most importantly, we need trees for the environment – they help combat climate change, provide habitat and food for birds and other animals, and release oxygen for us to live. This is one side of my allée of pin oaks, Quercus palustris, which I planted soon after moving to my farm. At that time, they were just about six feet tall.
From this side of my long and winding pergola, one can see the towering bald cypress, Taxodium distichum – a deciduous conifer. Though it’s native to swampy areas, the bald cypress is also able to withstand dry, sunny weather and is hardy in USDA climate zones 5 through 10. I also planted these when I took over my farm.
Nearby is this beautiful weeping copper beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea Pendular’, an irregular spreading tree with long, weeping branches that reach the ground. I have several of these trees on the property.
And across the soccer field is this row of weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus Pendula. The branches of these rare trees gracefully weep to create an umbrella of foliage that reaches the ground.
I am very proud of my orchard. There are more than 200-fruit trees planted here – apple trees, plum trees, cherry trees, peach, pear, medlar, apricot, and quince trees.
From a distance, everyone notices the weeping willows. This one is in a grove at the edge of my pinetum.
This is my “Christmas Tree Field” – a large space where I grow more than 600 evergreen trees – rows of Frasier Fir, Canaan Fir, Norway Spruce, Blue Spruce, and others.
This is the newer of two linden allées here at Cantitoe. This one is planted between the paddocks and runs from the pergola to the Boxwood Allée and then all the way down to the chicken coops. It, too, has grown so beautifully over the years, in part because I pay so much attention to the soil and keep it rich and filled with nutrients for all the plantings.
Do you see them? My handsome Friesians, Hylke and Geert, are under the stand of great white pine trees. These trees are visible from almost every location on this end of the farm. Pinus Strobus is a large pine native to eastern North America and commonly known as the eastern white pine, white pine, northern white pine, Weymouth pine, and soft pine. The fencing was bought in Canada. Although the uprights are mostly new cedar posts, the horizontal pieces are antique white spruce that’s still as beautiful now as it was when I purchased it.
Down beyond the chicken coops is a grove of dawn redwoods. Dawn redwoods, Metasequoia, grow faster than most trees and need an area under full sun that is large enough to accommodate the mature trees which can grow to more than 160-feet tall.
I’ve planted many Japanese maples just in this woodland near my chickens. I always look forward to their gorgeous displays of color, especially in autumn.
London plane trees and about 100 royal purple smoke bushes, Cotinus coggygria make up another allé in my middle field. I planted it in 2019 and it has grown exceptionally well since. These trees are so lush and the bold colors of the specimens look amazing together.
I also have London planes in one section of my living maze. These large trees are sought after for the large three-lobed, toothed, dark green leaves that turn yellow, orange, and red with the fall season.
Also in this maze are several Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ trees, American sweetgums. As these trees mature, they will maintain their erect, columnar form, growing up to 50 feet tall and only about four-feet wide.
Acer saccharum, the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the primary source of maple syrup and for its brightly colored fall foliage. Sugar maples covered with climbing hydrangeas shade my tree peony garden.
Here’s a look down one row of espaliered apple trees just behind my long carport and flower room. Father Legendre of Hannonsville, France is credited with pioneering the espalier growing method in 1684. Because sunlight reaches every piece of fruit that these trees bear, espalier pruning continues to be a standard procedure at commercial orchards in France.
Across from the dwarf apple espalier orchard is the Malus ‘Gravenstein’. This antique variety is well known for cooking, sauce, cider, and eating out of hand. The fruit is large, with crisp white flesh and a distinct, juicy flavor.
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.
And off the terrace is this beautiful Nyssa sylvatica, or black tupelo – a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and eastern Texas, as well as Mexico. Its summer leaves are a bold dark green.
But look closely and see the changing color. This Nyssa tree is showing a few of its autumn leaves – shades of yellow, orange, bright red, and scarlet, which can all appear on the same branch. It’s a sign that autumn is on its way. In fact, the autumnal equinox is exactly one month from today, on September 22nd.
Beautiful, colorful dahlias continue to bloom at my Bedford, New York farm.
Dahlias begin to bloom with great profusion just as other plants pass their prime, and they last right up until the first frost. My dahlia garden is planted in a large bed behind my glass vegetable greenhouse. We have flowers ranging from small to giant dinner-plate size in all different colors and forms.
Here are more of the gorgeous flowers in bloom right now, enjoy.
This time of year, one can always find lots of colorful dahlia blooms behind my vegetable greenhouse. Dahlias come in shades of orange, pink, red, yellow, white, shades of purple, and various combinations of these colors – every color but true blue.
Dahlia is a genus of tuberous plants that are members of the Asteraceae family and are related to the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. I’ve been growing dahlias for years.
They grow from small tubers planted in the spring. And for weeks during summer until fall these flowers give a stunning show.
The plant’s leaves grow opposite each other and are simple to pinnately compound with segments that are somewhat oblong in shape. They may be green, reddish-purple, or purple-black depending on the variety.
The majority of dahlia species do not produce scented flowers, but they are brightly colored to attract pollinating insects. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are all attracted to dahlias.
Blooms range from dainty daisy-like flowers to the popular double varieties which can be two-inch-pompons to 12-inch dinner plate size.
Do you know… the root tubers were originally grown as a food crop and eaten by the Aztecs? In fact, The Aztecs used the plant to treat epilepsy and they saved the long hollow stems for water pipes.
Dahlias are native to Central America and were first recorded in Mexico in 1615. They are the national flower of Mexico and are also the official flower of Seattle and San Francisco.
In the early 17th century, they were called by their original name which was Acoctli.
After Dahlias were discovered, they were brought back from Mexico to the Royal Botanic Gardens of Madrid in 1789.
This cactus variety is called ‘Park Princess’ with tightly rolled vibrant pink petals. It is a prolific re-bloomer and an excellent cut flower.
Dahlias are octoploids. This means they have eight sets of chromosomes, whereas humans and most flowers only have two. The range of hybridization possibilities in dahlias is countless.
Dahlias were also loved by royalty. Both Queen Victoria and Marie Antoinette both loved these flowers.
Dahlias need at least six hours of sunlight a day and deep watering once or twice a week in the peak of summer if there isn’t enough rain.
Dahlias prefer moist, fertile, well-drained soil. I also add a two inch layer of mulch to help retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and reduce the amount of weeds.
Because many dahlias have large, heavy blooms and grow on tall stems, it is important to stake them as they develop. My garden is behind a greenhouse, which provides extra protection from strong winds.
And I always say, if you eat, so should your plants. Dahlias do well with a monthly low-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer.
Cut dahlias in the morning while it’s still cool, or in the evening after the heat of the day has passed. Another tip: use an upside down milk crate to transport cut blooms. Insert the flowers through the crate’s holes to support the heads and protect the stems underneath.
And cut flowers that are almost fully open but before they start to wither. They will open a little bit more in the vase of cool water.
Healthy, well-fed, and watered dahlias will provide abundant blooms… if lucky, maybe even until Halloween.
This time of year all gardeners are busy weeding. And let's face it, few enjoy this gardening chore, but we all know those pesky weeds will grow and grow.
To cut down on some of the weeding, I regularly lay down a two to three inch layer of organic mulch over all the beds. Spreading mulch discourages those weeds from growing by depriving them of sunlight and air. Mulch also has other benefits - it insulates the soil to protect plants from extreme temperatures in summer and in winter, gives the beds a finished look making them very neat and tidy, and because I make my own mulch here at my farm, I know it is filled with nutrients, which improves the overall health of the plants.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Fortunately, I am able to make lots of mulch, and compost, right here at my farm. During the course of the year, my outdoor grounds crew amasses large amounts of organic debris – felled trees, branches, leaves, etc., but none of the material goes to waste. It is either repurposed quickly as milled lumber or made into mulch and compost.
Once a year, I call in a tub grinder and crew to grind all that organic matter. It is done in a back field of my farm. This photo was taken in February.
And after all the material is put through the grinder – not once, but twice – it is a beautiful pile of fine mulch.
This is all weed-free organic matter and contains horse and chicken manure – all usable in the garden beds.
This week, my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, is mulching the herbaceous peony bed.
He carries wheelbarrows full of mulch and drops them in between the rows of peonies.
Once all the needed mulch is dropped down in piles, Chhiring rakes it evenly throughout the beds. It is a tedious process, but always well worth the effort.
Nearby, my living maze is already well dressed with a layer of mulch.
And do you know the difference between mulch and compost? Mulch and compost are not the same. They are both used to help the soil, but they have different applications and benefits. Mulch is applied to the top layer of soil to help control weeds, retain moisture, and regulate temperature, whereas compost, which is broken down over time, provides essential nutrients and enriches the soil structure.
Here, mulch is also dropped in small amounts and then spread evenly under each plant.
This maze looks especially healthy because the plants are well fed, well watered, regularly mulched, and the soil is consistently amended.
Recently, all the beds on my Winter House terrace were given a fresh top layer of mulch. And do you know… mulch can even deter some pests and insects.
In addition, the barberry and boxwood were recently pruned and groomed, another important gardening chore.
The hedges around my pool were mulched. On the inside of my pool fence, I have this tall hedge of purple columnar beech trees, Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’ – a splendid tree with deep-purple foliage.
The hedge continues all around the pool, disguising the fence. On the other side of the fence, a hedge of two dark-colored burgundy-black leafed specimens – Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’ and Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ shrubs.
Down by my large run in paddock, the hydrangeas and hostas beneath the Osage Orange trees, Maclura pomifera, were also given a new layer of mulch…
… As were the sycamores, continus, and hydrangeas in this allée in my middle hayfield. With this organic mulch, heavy soils are better equipped to hold water and resist compaction – reducing any erosion and runoff.
This is one side of the Japanese snowbell allée leading to my tennis court. It is made of Styrax japonicus ‘Marley’s Pink Parasol’ and the taller Styrax japonicus ‘Evening Light.’ This allée has also been nicely mulched. Another good benefit of mulching is that it serves as a barrier or visible marker to limit possible damage by other equipment such as mowers and trimmers.
Just beyond my chicken coops is a hosta garden filled with hundreds of bold, green, gorgeous hostas. They are planted beneath the shade of these majestic dawn redwoods, Metasequoia.
This entire area was also mulched. I have many dawn redwoods around the farm. They are among my favorite trees. They grow faster than most trees and need only occasional pruning to keep them looking their best.
And here is a section of freshly mulched tree pits in my orchard. When mulching tree pits, be sure to pull the mulch away from the base of the tree trunk and not up against the trunk. Too much mulch will suffocate and kill the tree. Remember, “bare to the flare”, which means nothing should ever be above the tree’s flare – the point where the tree stops widening at the bottom. Using mulch around the farm is a wonderful way to beautify the gardens and to give back to the earth.
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