This year's autumnal hue-fest continues at my Bedford, New York farm.
We've had an unusually warm fall, causing much of the delay in the changing leaves. It's the shorter days and cooler air temperatures that cue trees to change their leaf color from green to red, yellow, brown, and gold. The vibrant fall colors are also an important indicator of a forest's health - that the trees are getting the rainfall and temperature they need to thrive. We captured some of the late season colors after a recent rain, and they did not disappoint.
Enjoy these photos.
This time of year, my outdoor grounds crew is busy blowing all the autumn leaves that have fallen from the trees. It’s a tedious chore, but the process of dropping leaves is actually very important – it gives the plant a fresh start in spring. Autumn leaves are not simply blown off their stems, but separated from the plants as day length shortens and temperatures cool. The hormones within the plant are activated to begin the abscission process. Chlorophyll production stops and the pigment starts to degrade, often revealing reds and yellows that were once bold green. These are the leaves of a maple, which turn a golden yellow in fall.
Here are the mighty bald cypress trees across from my winding pergola. This photo was taken the morning before a heavy rain. The fallen foliage is covering the carriage road below, but we raked all the soft needle-like leaves and used them as mulch in my cold frame and beneath the berry bushes.
This is my grove of American beech trees, Fagus grandifolia. These American beech trees offer a beautiful autumn show every year. American beech is native to the eastern United States and Canada. It is a deciduous tree with smooth gray bark.
My original linden tree allee is always eye-catching. It is located near my peafowl and pigeon pens, close to my stable. Lindens, Tilia, are medium to large shade trees that are easy to maintain and beautiful in any landscape. They turn pale green to pale yellow in autumn.
This ginkgo lost all its leaves ahead of the giant female ginkgo in my sunken Summer House Garden. Ginkgos lose all their leaves at the same time because of the way their petioles, known as stems, work. As the weather gets colder, the petioles get what’s called scars to protect the tree from disease after the leaves fall. For most trees, that happens on a leaf-by-leaf basis. But in the case of the ginkgo, all the scars form at the same time.
Here’s an autumn leaf from the sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua. The sweetgum’s glossy green, star-shaped leaves turn bold shades of gold, red, and orange in fall.
Some of the familiar scenes around my farm look beautiful any time of year. Here are the majestic eastern white pines in front of a beautiful autumn landscape. Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, white pine, northern white pine, Weymouth pine, and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America.
And remember my Japanese maple trees? They’ve been putting on a lovely show of color, but these trees are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in the fall. These trees will soon be bare.
This newly planted Japanese maple from my friend, Steven Gambrel, has already dropped its leaves – such a beautiful palette of reds.
Along the carriage road in my upper hayfield is this stand of red maples, Acer rubrum. Red Maple is one of the most colorful in autumn.
Here’s a closer look at the red maple. It is one of the earliest trees to show color changes – shades of yellow, orange, and red, sometimes on the same tree, that last for several weeks.
Across from the red maples are these larch trees. Larches are one of the few coniferous trees to change colors and lose their needles in the fall.
When the leaves of larch turn color, the greenish-yellow transform to golden yellow – a beautiful contrast with all the surrounding evergreens in the woodland.
Along another side of the carriage road are the changing leaves of the dogwood. Kousa dogwood shows blood-red fall leaves.
Here are more of the changing colors of the dogwood leaves – it’s nature’s ombre.
Look closely beneath the towering maples at the new allee of pin oaks we planted two years ago – 104 pin oaks are lined up along both sides of the carriage road leading to my “Contemporary House.” In time, these trees will grow to 60 or 70 feet.
Burning bush is a striking shrub, with bright pink to scarlet foliage in fall. They show off a beautiful sweep of bright color throughout the shaded woods.
At the back of the upper hayfield, I have a grove of dawn redwoods, Metasequoia. These trees have feathery, fine-textured needles that are opposite each other and approximately a half-inch long. Don’t confuse them with the bald cypress needles, which grow alternately. In autumn, these dawn redwood needles are different shades of golden-brown. And look at the bark – the dawn redwood becomes deeply fissured as the tree matures.
One of the babbling brooks in the woodland is full of water after the rainstorm.
And of course, don’t forget to look up for more autumn color. Some maples can grow up to 150-feet.
And here is my old sycamore tree, the symbol of my farm. It has already lost its leaves for the season. I hope you have been able to enjoy some of the autumn colors where you live. Most areas are now past their peak with winter officially only 29 days away.
What autumn chores are you doing this weekend? Now that the days are getting colder and all the trees are dropping their leaves, my outdoor grounds crew is busy with fall cleanup.
To stay organized during seasonal transitions, I create very detailed lists of all that needs to be done around my Bedford, New York farm. Over the last few weeks, my team has been working hard blowing leaves, cleaning equipment, covering air-conditioner pits, bleeding and storing hoses, winterizing the greenhouses, and installing heaters in all the coops. Our annual fall burlap project has also begun - that's when all the outdoor urns and precious boxwood shrubs and hedges are covered with protective burlap. So far, the weather has cooperated and allowed us lots of time to ready the property for the cold season ahead.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
It is so beautiful this time of year when all the deciduous trees show their stunning autumn colors before dropping their leaves. Here at my farm, leaf blowing is now in full swing.
As colder weather approaches and sunlight decreases, these trees seal the spots where the leaves are attached – this process is what causes them to change color and fall to the ground.
Some trees, such as the American beech, tend to hold onto their leaves for quite some time. It will be a couple more weeks before all the leaves are done falling.
It is very important to remove the leaves after they fall in order to maintain a healthy and attractive lawn and garden. A thick or matted layer of fallen leaves casts excessive shade over the ground below and can prevent adequate sun, nutrients, and water from reaching grass and other plantings.
Here, Domi and Chhiring are blowing leaves outside my main greenhouse and flower cutting garden. They’re using our trusted STIHL backpack blowers. We’ve been using STIHL’s blowers for years here at my farm. These blowers are powerful and fuel-efficient. The gasoline-powered engines provide enough rugged power to tackle heavy debris while delivering much lower emissions.
While Domi blows leaves with the backpack blower, Pasang works alongside using a walk-behind gas leaf blower. This helps to move the leaves into one central location.
Leaf blowers are the most effective for gathering the bulk of leaves into large piles.
Pasang then directs the leaves to the opening of this vacuum tube connected to our dump truck. The leaves are taken to the compost area, where they will decompose and get used again as mulch next year.
The feathery brown foliage from the bald cypress trees is bagged and used as mulch in the cold frame and between my berry bushes. These are my Multi-Purpose Reusable Heavy Duty Tote Bags – so useful for carrying, organizing, and storing so many things indoors and out.
These bald cypress trees are changing so beautifully. Although many conifers are evergreen, bald cypress trees are deciduous conifers that shed their needle-like leaves in the fall. Their autumn colors include tan, cinnamon, and fiery orange.
Here, Chhiring works on the a/c pits. These air conditioner pits are covered with industrial strength plastic, and plywood to protect them from the winter elements. I keep all my air conditioners in large pits, where they are well hidden behind each house.
The vegetable garden is also put to bed for the winter. This year, after removing all the old plants and rototilling the soil, the crew covers the area with industrial weed cloth. This cloth will remain here until spring, when it is time to prepare the garden for planting once again. A small patch of herbs is left in the center.
In my large Equipment Barn, Domi works on rolling up our Gilmour hoses. With so many trees, shrubs, and plants to maintain, it’s important we use only the best quality outdoor tools. I have been using Gilmour products for years. The Gilmour 50-foot and 100-foot Flexogen hoses are heavy-duty eight-ply garden hoses with a polished surface that resists abrasions, stains, and mildew. I have these hoses all over the farm.
In fall, the hoses are gathered, drained, recoiled, tied, and then stored away for the season.
The crew also cleaned and organized the Equipment Barn. All the equipment is checked and cleaned and put away on one side of the room.
On the other side, the many gardening tools are organized by type and then hung, so they are easy to find.
All the doormats are collected, cleaned and stored away until next year. For years, I’ve gotten my mats from Cape Cod Doormats in Hyannis, Massachusetts. They’ve been featured in my “Living” magazine and on my web site. These mats are extremely durable, attractive, and come in both standard and custom-fit sizes – plus, they’re American made.
I like to offer supplemental heat for my peafowl, pigeons, and chickens during the winter months. Here, Pete installs our Sweeter Heaters in all the coops. 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. There are two heaters for every coop.
This is the largest size Sweet Heater, which measures 11-inches by 40-inches. The unit is designed to be suspended, so the electrical cord is at the top and away from any birds. As the season progresses, we can lower the heater depending on the cold, and the chickens’ warming needs.
Fernando is changing the doors. Here he is bringing out a storm door for my Summer House. All the screens and storm doors are stored in my basement and are specifically labeled to indicate which door insert belongs in what house and what door it fits.
Carlos “dos” puts the glass storm door insert into the door frame. Most storm doors are made of wood (like mine), fiberglass or aluminum, and have interchangeable glass and screen panels. Some doors use screws and brackets to hold inserts in place, while others use spring loaded clips. Storm windows and doors have a lot of benefits – they provide added insulation and more protection to the existing windows and doors. They also offer more security for the home. When changing inserts, it is also a good idea to clean the frames by wiping them down with a moist towel or rag.
Here’s Pete wrapping the exterior shutters around my small greenhouse just outside my head house.
The vents of the vegetable greenhouse are also covered. This greenhouse is equipped with several heavy-duty aluminum vent systems that automatically open and close when needed to allow hot air to escape while simultaneously allowing fresh air into the space. Before winter, both the inside and the outside of these units are covered to help insulate the structure.
And the “burlapping” has begun. This is when the crew wraps all the valuable outdoor urns with plastic and fabric to protect the vessels from the elements. For a few weeks, the back of the Polaris vehicles will carry rolls of burlap and twine as the crew completes the annual project.
The first stop – my Winter House terrace. The urns are fitted for their burlap shrouds. Here the material is cut to size and ready to drape over the plastic covered stone vessel. Then, it will be sewn snug all the way around. There’s always lots to do on a working farm – I’m glad the weather has been mild enough to complete many of the tasks on our lists.
Whenever I entertain, I love to decorate my home with a wide assortment of potted plants that provide interesting and expressive foliage.
Yesterday, in preparation for a special dinner I am hosting this weekend at my Bedford, New York farm, I asked my gardener, Brian O'Kelly, to fill my Winter House with a collection of beautiful houseplants - orchids, begonias, ferns, and other cheerful succulents to welcome my guests.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I love all kinds of container plants, and over the years I have amassed quite a collection of specimens. Most of my potted plants are kept in the greenhouse, where they can be maintained properly. This day was perfect for moving a selection of plants to my Winter House ahead of this weekend’s gathering.
Some of the plants we selected include succulents. Succulents grow in so many different and interesting formations and colors. They are best planted in clay or terra cotta pots with proper drainage holes because the vessels dry quickly, and prevent water from building up. Echeverias are some of the most attractive of all succulents and they are highly valued by plant enthusiasts for their gorgeous colors and beautiful shapes. The leaves are also fleshy and have a waxy cuticle on the exterior. The echeveria plant is slow growing and usually doesn’t exceed 12 inches in height or spread.
Guests love seeing the different succulents in my home and learning about the interesting varieties. If you like growing plants, but don’t really have the time to care for them properly, I encourage you to consider growing succulents. Succulents are so easy to maintain and are able to survive prolonged drought because they store moisture in their fleshy stems, roots, and leaves.
In my foyer, Brian placed two potted rhipsalis – a cacti genus with approximately 35 distinct species. I have many types of rhipsalis growing in my greenhouse. Rhipsalis specimens have long, trailing stems making them perfect choices as indoor plants on pedestals or tall tables. Also known as chain cactus or mistletoe cactus, the thread-like succulent stems are narrow, green and can grow several feet long.
The Pilea Glauca has petite, oval, blue-gray leaves that shimmer with silvery powder. It is sometimes also known as Pilea libanensis or Silver Sparkle Pilea.
Bird’s nest ferns make excellent low light houseplants. It is also an epiphytic fern, which means in the wild it typically grows on other plants or objects.
The fronds grow in a tight, nest-like clump from the center of the plant. Under ideal circumstances, all ferns like to have consistently moist, but not wet, soil. However, they will tolerate soil that dries out from time to time.
Here is an interesting looking fern with large fronds and a pleasant green-blue color.
This is a potted dracaena. Dracaenas are popular houseplants with origins in Madagascar and other Indian ocean islands. Easy to care for, the dracaena can also help improve air quality. They naturally remove formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene and carbon dioxide.
This dracaena has narrow foliage. Dracaenas may be completely green or may include stripes or edges of green, cream, red, or yellow. This plant can grow as much as six feet in height when grown as a potted plant. In outdoor settings, it has been known to grow up to 20 feet.
I am a big fan of orchids, and wanted all the blooming orchids brought into my home, especially the Lady’s Slippers. Paphiopedilum orchids are often called lady slippers or slipper orchids because of their unique pouch-like flowers. These specimens are easily grown as houseplants and look wonderful with their striking green leaves. The pouch of a slipper orchid traps insects so they are forced to climb up, collect or deposit pollen, and fertilize the flower. I’ve had this one for many years. I brought it home after a trip to the Himalayas.
The different types of Lady’s Slipper orchid also present a wide variety of colors. Most commonly, these colors include various shades of pink, red, brown, white, yellow, and purple.
This orchid is an Oncidium hybrid called Beallara Marfitch ‘Select’. These plants get very tall flower spikes and produce about seven to 12 flowers per spike. It grows best in cool, intermediate, or warm temperatures, allowing the potting mix to get pretty dry in between waterings.
The size of orchids depends on the species. They can be quite small or very large. However, every orchid flower is bilaterally symmetric, which means it can be divided into two equal parts.
Brian brought in several begonias. Begonia is a genus in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains at least 1500 different plant species and numerous hybrids. They are native to Mexico, Central and South America, Asia and South Africa – regions with tropical and subtropical climates. There are different types of begonias, including tuberous begonias, semperflorens begonias, rex begonias, and rhizomatous begonias. Rhizomatous begonias are grown for their interesting and spectacular leaves. They come in an array of sizes, colors and textures, and can be small or large, smooth or veiny, decorated in bold accents of red, copper and silver or subtle shades of green.
Here is another begonia with green leaves and reddish-brown veins. Begonias grow best in light, well-drained soil.
Begonias are also remarkably resistant to pests primarily because their leaves are rich in oxalic acid – a natural insect repellent.
Alocasia is a genus of broad-leaved, rhizomatous, or tuberous perennial flowering plants from the family Araceae. There are more than 95 accepted species native to tropical and subtropical Asia and Eastern Australia. Alocasias have large, arrowhead-shaped leaves with flat or wavy edges on slender stems.
Guests always admire my Chinese money plants, Pilea peperomioides. Here is one in the center. The Pilea peperomioides has attractive coin-shaped foliage. This perennial is native to southern China, growing naturally along the base of the Himalayan mountains. It is also known as coin plant, pancake plant, and UFO plant. The one on the left is a green Peperomia. It has heart-shaped, puckered, deeply veined leaves. On the right – Peperomia caperata ‘Ripple Red’ with iridescent purple-red leaves and very distinct ripples. The small heart-shaped leaves grow into an attractive mounding habit. Peperomia are great succulent lower light houseplants.
Here is a cactus. Cacti generally have thick herbaceous or woody chlorophyll-containing stems. Cacti can be distinguished from other succulent plants by the presence of areoles, small cushion-like structures with trichomes or plant hairs, and in almost all species, spines or barbed bristles.
This is Euphorbia lactea, also known as a “Coral Cactus.” It is a species native to tropical Asia, mainly in India. The showy part of the plant, the section that resembles coral, is called the crest. The ridges are spiny, with short spines.
And, if you are looking for festive holiday houseplants, try a Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus. Thanksgiving cacti are the earliest and longest bloomers, typically producing flowers from late fall through mid-winter. Christmas cacti tend to bloom from early winter to mid-winter. There is also Easter cacti that blooms from late winter to mid-spring. I feel so fortunate to have such an amazing collection of extraordinary potted plants. Not only do houseplants enhance the overall appearance of a space, but they’ve also been known to increase creativity, reduce stress, and eliminate air pollutants. I hope this inspires you to visit a nursery and buy a houseplant, or two, or even three…
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