I always enjoy eating out, especially when it is with dear friends celebrating special occasions.
Earlier last week, a group of friends and I gathered in New York City for my belated birthday dinner. As many of you know, my birthday is August 3rd, but it took quite awhile to find a day that fit all our busy schedules. We dined at the celebrated Le Bernardin restaurant, which is co-owned by my friend, Chef Eric Ripert. Le Bernardin is ranked among the best restaurants in the world. It received its four-star review from The New York Times only three months after opening in 1986 and is the only New York four-star restaurant that has maintained its status of excellence for more than three decades. It also holds the highest rating of three stars from The Michelin Guide. We had the most delicious meal. I was also gifted with an 18-foot dawn redwood tree which is now planted in a perfect location at my Bedford, New York farm.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
It is so refreshing to be able to dine out again in New York City. Here I am at the entrance to the French seafood restaurant, Le Bernardin, with the distinguished maître d’s. On the right is Tomi Dzellalija, Le Bernardin’s Directeur de Salle.
We started with a bottle of J. Vignier ‘Aux Origines’ Blanc de Blancs champagne – a sparkling complex and traditional champagne produced in the Champagne region of France. It was a wonderful start to our Chef’s Tasting Dinner.
I was joined with some of my dearest friends, Here are Stephen Sills and Terre Blair.
Also joining me for dinner are Dominique Bluhdorn and Kevin Sharkey.
And here is my friend, Charlotte Beers.
We were seated in the main dining room at Le Bernardin and started with a seafood trio, which included, of course, my favorite Royal Osetra caviar.
This is Fresh Heart of Palm Carpaccio. Heart of palm is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees, most notably the coconut, juçara, açaí palm, and peach palm.
Another dish included this thinly pounded tuna served with foie gras.
My longtime publicist and friend, Susan Magrino, and her husband James Dunning, Jr. stopped for this quick snapshot.
Dessert included Praline Mousse served in an egg shell. Everything was incredibly delicious – every morsel devoured.
Here’s a lovely photo of my friends, Steve Gerard and his wife, and my banker, Jane Heller.
And here are Memrie Lewis and Charlotte.
Chef Eric Ripert came out with my birthday cake that he made especially for me. Here I am with Chef Eric, Jane and Susan.
As we were leaving, we took more photos – we were all dressed in our finest formal black attire. Here I am with Susan and Kevin. It was such a wonderful evening with good friends.
I was also gifted a very beautiful tree by Stephen Sills and Dominique Bluhdorn. This is a Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the dawn redwood – a fast-growing deciduous conifer. It is the sole living species of the genus Metasequoia. It’s one of my favorite trees.
The deep green needles transition to a brilliant bronze before falling later in the season.
The root ball of this 18-foot tree is quite large, more than three feet in diameter.
The planting of the tree was also part of the gift. The project was led by Max Apton, owner of Sweet Clover Design. He and his team do a lot of work for Dominique and were happy to deliver the tree and get it planted here at my farm.
I chose to plant the tree near my tennis court and across the carriage road from my chicken coops. Here, a hole is made at least twice the size of the tree’s root ball.
It is very important to feed the plants and trees. I always say, “if you eat, your plants should eat.” Here, a good amount of fertilizer is sprinkled into the hole and the surrounding soil.
The crew then manually turns the tree, so its best side faces the carriage road.
With the help of our trusted Hi-Lo, my crew coreman, Chhiring Sherpa, gently lifts the tree and places it into the hole.
The tree is adjusted by hand so it is perfectly straight.
And then the crew removes the protective wire basket and burlap from the root ball. The purpose of the wire basket and burlap wrapping is to protect it during transportation and to keep it all together while positioning in its planting hole. Once the tree is in place and ready to be backfilled, these materials are no longer needed.
Finally, the hole is completely backfilled and the soil tamped down to remove any air pockets. And remember, never plant a tree too deeply – leave it “bare to the flare.”
I think the tree will be happy here near a grove of other beautiful dawn redwoods. Thank you for such a special gift, Stephen and Dominique. And thanks to my dear friends for a lovely and very memorable evening.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we're still enjoying pretty colorful blooms.
While the calendar says fall, the weather in this area has remained quite warm with temperatures in the mid to high 70s. Most of the flowers around the farm have gone, but there are still a few perennials showing off their late-summer color - Russian sage, Japanese anemones, nasturtiums, Montauk daisies, ageratum, monkshood, and of course, the autumn crocus.
Enjoy these photos.
Even in mid-October, there is still a lot to appreciate in the gardens. Often called Montauk Daisy, the Nippon Daisy is prized for its late-in-the-season explosion of perky, white flowers. This easy-care plant grows 24 to 36 inches tall, and thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Both the leaves and flowers of the Nippon daisy are frost tolerant and will retain their color right up until a hard freeze. The nectar-rich blooms will also lure colorful butterflies and is deer-resistant.
I have many roses at my farm. Here is a creamy yellow rose growing in my flower cutting garden. In the last few years, I’ve added to my collection – David Austin roses and various varieties from Northland Rosarium. A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae. There are more than a hundred species and thousands of cultivars.
And here is a soft pink rose. Roses come in many different colors, such as pink, peach, white, red, magenta, yellow, copper, vermilion, purple, and apricot.
The anemones are also holding strong. Anemone is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Most anemone flowers have a simple, daisy-like shape and lobed foliage that sway in the lightest breezes.
Depending on the species, anemones can bloom from the earliest days of spring into the fall months.
This is Aconitum, also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf’s-bane, leopard’s bane, mousebane, women’s bane, devil’s helmet, queen of poisons, or blue rocket. Aconitum is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. The plant gets its name from the shape of the posterior sepal of the flowers, which resembles the cowls worn by monks.
This is a Nasturtium. Nasturtium plants, Tropaeolum, are loved for their rich, saturated, jewel-toned colors. Planted in the spring after the threat of frost has passed, they are fast and easy to grow. Nasturtium is a genus of about 80 species of annual and perennial herbaceous flowering plants. It was named by Carl Linnaeus in his book Species Plantarum, and is the only genus in the family Tropaeolaceae.
These flowers can vary in shade, but the most popular versions are orange, yellow, pink, red, or mahogany. There are also varieties in subdued shades of butter yellow and cream.
Here’s a closer look at the interesting leaves of Nasturtium. The leaves are circular, shield-shaped and grow on a trailing plant. They are fragrant, with a mustard-like scent.
Ageratum houstonianum, a native of Mexico, is among the most commonly planted ageratum variety. Ageratums have soft, round, fluffy flowers in various shades of blue, pink or white – with blue being most common. The ageratum flower blooms from spring until fall and is so beautiful when grown in clumps in the garden.
‘Waterlily’ autumn crocus feature fully double, rosy lilac flowers resembling the blooms of a waterlily. This variety bears big blooms with more than 20-petals each.
Beneath the bald cypress trees near my Basket House are glistening pure-white crocus flowers sparked with yellow anthers – these catch everyone’s attention.
And look – growing on another bald cypress tree is this interesting clematis. Clematis is a genus of about 300-species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. The name Clematis comes from the Greek word “klematis,” meaning vine. Most species are called clematis, but it has also been called traveller’s joy, virgin’s bower, leather flower, or vase vine.
Across the carriage road in my pergola garden is Perovskia atriplicifolia, commonly called Russian sage. It shows tall, airy, spike-like clusters that create a lavender-blue cloud of color above the finely textured, aromatic foliage. It is vigorous, hardy, heat-loving, drought-tolerant, and deer resistant.
When in bloom, phlox are covered with groups of small, sweet-smelling, star-shaped flowers from clean white to pale pastel, including pink, red, lavender, and purple.
Tricyrtis hirta, the toad lily or hairy toad lily, is a Japanese species of hardy herbaceous perennial plant in the lily family Liliaceae. Toad lilies are hardy perennials native to ravines and woodland edges in India, China, Japan, and other parts of Asia. Toad lily flowers bloom in a range of spotted colors in the axels of the plant.
Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants, also known as stonecrops. Sedums are members of the succulent family. They have fleshy, water-storing leaves and are drought tolerant. I have sedum growing in the steps around my Winter House terrace.
Hydrangeas are popular ornamental plants, grown for their large flower heads, which are excellent in cut arrangements and for drying. I have lots of hydrangeas growing in a border located across from my vegetable garden and chicken coops. I also have hydrangeas blooming on one side of my tennis court – the flowers are so big, they can be seen from the carriage road.
These hydrangeas have a tinge of pink. Many hydrangeas bloom from late spring to early summer, but the blooms stay on the plant until winter’s chill topples them.
And do you know what this is? Look closely and see the vivid crimson-colored stigmas of that dear spice called saffron. We’re growing it right here at my farm – more and more are blooming every day. I’ll tell you all about it in an upcoming blog. Stay tuned.
Pruning chores continue at my Bedford, New York farm.
I love growing berries and have been growing them for many years. I grow raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, and of course, blueberries - those plump, juicy, sweet fruits that are low in fat, yet packed with vitamin-C and antioxidants. My blueberry bushes produce an abundance of fruit every summer, but they do need some maintenance to keep them productive. This week, my gardeners, Ryan McCallister and Brian O'Kelly, pruned all the blueberry bushes. Pruning produces larger berries in greater volumes, ensures good air circulation and light throughout the plants, and helps to control diseases that might otherwise spread through the patch.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Blueberries are among the most popular berries for eating. Here in the United States, they are second only to strawberries.
Blueberries produce from early summer through late fall – we pick cartons and cartons of blueberries each year, eat some fresh, and then freeze the rest for use throughout the seasons.
I planted this blueberry patch more than 10-years ago – here, the bushes are just about two feet tall. They are located near my flower garden and large Equipment Barn, next to my grove of quince trees. The posts are the same 18th-century Chinese granite uprights I use for the clematis pergola, my apple espaliers, and to support my raspberry bushes.
Over the years, they’ve developed very nicely. And just before these blueberry bushes are laden with fruits in summer, we place a net over the pergola to protect the developing berries from all the birds. The netting covers the blueberry bushes on all sides and on the top.
Here is what the bushes looked like just before pruning. I asked Ryan and Brian to prune all three rows so the outer rows were within the pergola posts. I also instructed them to trim the middle row a bit shorter, so ample light could get to all the plants.
Here is a view from inside the patch – it is very crowded and in need of a good trim.
Blueberry bushes have glossy leaves that are green or bluish-green from spring through summer. The leaves are ovate, in an irregular oval or slightly egg shape that is wider at the bottom than the top.
In fall, the leaves turn red or take on some reddish hints before falling.
Pruning blueberries is an essential chore for several reasons. Proper pruning maintains an open growth habit, opens the center of the plant to sunlight, and reduces disease.
Annual pruning also maintains productivity by encouraging the growth of new fruit-producing stems. Brian begins by cutting off any dead, diseased, or damaged branches. He cuts the stems off all the way back to where they join a thicker branch.
Brian also makes sure all his tools are extremely sharp, so they make clean cuts.
Here is a trimmed dead branch – noticeable because it is hollow inside.
It’s also a good idea to keep all pruning tools disinfected to avoid the spread of any disease.
The goal of good blueberry pruning is to remove enough old growth to encourage the production of new. Brian is able to prune most of the branches with his secateurs.
For larger branches, Brian uses our Fiskars 28-inch Bypass Lopper. The lopper can cut branches that are one to one-3/4 inches thick.
It’s easy to discern an old blueberry branch from a new one – the newer branches are pliable and dark in color, while the old branches are rough-barked and lighter in color.
When pruning, cut about one-third of the branches all the way down to the ground to stimulate new stems to emerge from the roots.
And for even thicker branches or those that cannot be accessed with the loppers, Brian uses a hand saw. Here, he cuts one of two crossed branches. It is important to do this particularly if one is rubbing against another. And be sure to cut crossed branches off all the way down to the base of the plant.
Here’s just one load of pruned branches ready to be taken to our chipping pile.
The middle row looks so much better already – no more overcrowding. Blueberry shrubs are actually extremely hardy. Some varieties survive down to minus-35 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, blueberries need a set number of hours below 45-degrees in order for their flower buds to open and produce berries. Without ample cold weather, blueberries do not produce fruit.
And here are the blueberry bushes all pruned. One can see how much better they look. Pruning takes some time, but the benefits are great. With good, regular pruning and maintenance, our bushes are sure to produce a bounty of fruits year after year.
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