As many of you know, every now and then I enjoy opening my gardens for private walking tours at both my Bedford, New York farm and at my beloved home in Seal Harbor, Maine.
Over the last couple of weeks, I had a handful of early summer walks at Skylands. Unfortunately I was not able to join the tours, but my gardeners, Mike Harding and Wendy Norling, guided the small groups through the wooded paths, sunny terraces, and gardens. Cheryl DuLong keeps me updated by sending photographs from time to time. Here is a selection of images taken during the tours - the gardens are lush and green and the mountain laurel is blooming profusely.
Enjoy.
This is the circular driveway in front of the stately main entrance to Skylands. Recent weeks have been very warm and humid here in the northeast, including up in Maine, but all the plants and trees are flourishing.
Here is my large “cracked ice” terrace at Skylands. Every year during Memorial Day weekend, I go up to Skylands to plant all the ornamental urns that decorate this space – it’s my own unofficial kick-off to summer tradition. Many of the plants wintered at my Bedford, New York farm and were brought up to Skylands for the season.
Here is potted agave on the terrace ledge, Agaves are exotic, deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and make wonderful container plants. It’s not easy dealing with giant, prickly agave plants. One must be very careful of one’s eyes, face, and skin whenever planting them.
Just below the ledge and lying beneath the West Terrace is the lady – La Riviere by Aristide Maillol. The original terms of the commission were intended to honor Henri Barbusse, noted author and pacifist. Maillol initially conceived the figure as a woman who had been stabbed in the back, falling at the viewer’s feet. However, when funds proved to be insufficient to complete the memorial, Maillol re-conceived the figure as a more timeless theme, the personification of a river. Here, she is surrounded by ferns, tree peonies, Japanese maples, blueberry bushes, and Lady’s Mantle.
This is one of the magnificent summer views from my terrace at Skylands – looking out over Seal Harbor with Sutton Island in the distance.
My West Terrace is where I often enjoy summer brunches under the kiwi vine covered pergola. The ferns, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’, are among the most popular varieties with its frilly leaves and long, hanging fronds.
A brief rain shower kept one tour indoors for a short while. This is a view through the leaded windows looking out onto the terrace from the dining room.
And here is a similar view looking out after the rain had stopped.
Hostas are a perennial favorite among gardeners. Their lush green foliage varying in leaf shape, size and texture, and their easy care requirements make them ideal for many areas. This is one of the many hosta plants growing on the terrace. Hosta is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name, giboshi. They are native to northeast Asia and include hundreds of different cultivars.
These succulents are planted in a long stone trough I bought several years ago from Trade Secrets. Notice the pink gravel used to top the soil surrounding these plants – it is the same pink gravel that covers the carriage roads at Skylands.
This sphynx is already out “guarding” the terrace for the season. She is one of two glazed terra-cotta sphinxes designed by Emile Muller. Émile first used plain ceramic products on buildings and industries. Then, in 1884 he developed the glazed terra-cotta, which he continued to use for many architectural decorations and art reproductions. These ladies are stored indoors and taken out as soon as the warmer weather arrives.
The clematis is also blooming on the Skylands terrace. Clematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. The name Clematis comes from the Greek word “klematis,” meaning vine. Clematis are native to China and Japan and known to be vigorous growers. I have a long and winding pergola supported by granite uprights that are filled with clematis at my Bedford, New York farm.
The tours bring guests up the steps from the guest house to my main house. The rocks on the outside of the stone steps toward the top are called “Rockefeller’s Teeth” – large blocks that serve as guardrails. These stone steps are cut roughly and spaced irregularly to create a rustic appearance.
Here, the group is standing in the council circle looking out through the woodland. Look at the gorgeous mountain laurel growing on the right.
And here’s a view that never gets tiring. Taken through the woods, this view looks out to Seal Harbor and the Cranberry Isles beyond.
Mountain laurel is a relatively slow-growing shrub, adding about one foot per year. It is a good flowering shrub for mass plantings in shady borders, woodland gardens, or for foundation plantings.
Mountain laurel is grown for its showy late spring and summer flowers and attractive, evergreen foliage. It’s sometimes called a calico bush because the pink or white flowers usually have dark pink or maroon markings. Plant mountain laurel shrubs from spring after all danger of frost has passed, to summer in soil that is cool, moist but well-drained, and acidic in pH. They prefer part shade but will tolerate full sun. Avoid windy areas, if possible, especially in the northern part of the hardiness range.
Here is pink mountain laurel in front of Skylands. Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia, also known as spoonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae. It is native to the eastern United States from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. This shade-loving shrub produces clusters of rose, pink, or white flowers.
All my garden tours conclude with refreshments. They are served homemade cookies and cold drinks while they listen to a brief overview of the property and information on the work of landscape architect, Jens Jensen.
Here’s another view of the plantings in the circular driveway. This center garden is planted with hay-scented ferns, which turn yellow in fall, purple smoke bushes, and spruce trees, Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’. When I found these trees, I got many to plant here in Maine.
Cheryl captured this view as the storm clouds rolled in. I love Skylands – it is so magical any time of year.
It's berry-picking time here at my Bedford, New York farm. The bushes are filled with those small, fragrant, and refreshingly sweet raspberries - one of the most popular berries in the United States.
I grow red, black and golden raspberries, and the right time for picking is early summer when the fruits are vivid in color, and ready to fall off their stems. Although they are best eaten raw, raspberries are used in a variety of ways - as ingredients in jams and jellies, pies and tarts, or juices and herbal teas. This week, my housekeepers, Elvira and Enma, picked a batch of red and black raspberries - I am looking forward to sharing them with my family and friends.
Here are some photos, enjoy. And have a very safe and joyful Independence Day weekend.
I have several rows of raspberries on one side of my main greenhouse. They all produce so many fruits every summer.
Summer-bearing raspberry bushes produce one crop each season. The fruits typically start ripening in late June into July with a crop that lasts about one month.
The first week of July is when we start picking the black and red raspberries. These bushes are all lush and exploding with delicious berries.
These red raspberries are placed on a baking sheet in one layer, so nothing gets crushed. All the picked fruits are kept in the shade until they are brought indoors.
We also use fiber pulp berry boxes. They have slotted sides for ventilation and are also eco-friendly. It’s okay to fill the container, but make sure not to pack the fruits in or press them down.
Botanically, the raspberry is a shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family, in the genus Rubus.
The raspberry plant has spade-shaped leaves that are toothed along the edges. My bushes are several years old and remain so healthy and lush. It takes about two to three years for a new red raspberry plant to produce a significant crop of fruit.
Red raspberries must be picked and handled very carefully and checked for insects and rot. This berry is perfect. The smaller ones above are still young and will ripen in time.
Raspberries are unique because their roots and crowns are perennial, while their stems or canes are biennial. A raspberry bush can produce fruit for many years.
Here’s Elvira using a harvest bucket from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. She loves it because it allows her to pick with both hands. The bucket is wide, durable, and has an 18-quart capacity.
It also has a kidney-shaped design for added comfort.
Here’s Enma picking more red raspberries nearby. It’s a very warm and humid day – hats and proper sun protection are a must.
Enma and Elvira pick only those fruits that are bright red in color, leaving any light peach berries to ripen some more.
Keep in mind, only the ripe berries will slip off the stems easily.
Raspberries contain vitamins A and E and are also rich in minerals, such as potassium, manganese, copper, iron, and magnesium.
The raspberries are transferred into the boxes and taken up to my flower room where they can be stored in the fridge or the freezer.
On another day, Elvira picks black raspberries. It’s good to know that once raspberries are picked, they stop ripening, so under-ripe berries that are harvested will never mature to the maximum sweetness. The black raspberry plant is a high producing early variety whose upright growth makes it easy for picking.
The raspberry is made up of small “drupe” fruits which are arranged in a circular fashion around a hollow central cavity. Each drupelet features a juicy pulp with a single seed.
Raspberries need full sun for the best berry production. They should be planted in rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil that has been generously supplemented with compost and well-rotted manure. I am very fortunate to have such excellent soil here at the farm.
There are more than 200-species of raspberries. In the United States, about 90-percent of all raspberries sold come from the states of Washington, California, and Oregon.
This all-purpose fruit is firm, sweet, and full of flavor. It tastes great eaten fresh off the stem or made into preserves. Ripe raspberries are rich in color, whether they are red, golden, or black. The entire berry should be consistently colored also, and full in shape before picking.
The berries will ripen gradually throughout the summer, so it’s important to check the crop every few days. Overripe berries will be mushy when harvested.
One plant can produce several hundred berries per season. Raspberries are vigorous growers and will produce runners that fill up a bed.
Here are some of the black raspberries picked and placed in a colander. To save berries for use at another time, freeze them – lay them out onto flat trays in single layers and freeze until solid. Once they are frozen, they can be moved into plastic containers or freezer bags until ready to eat. What a wonderful summer it will be with all these delicious and nutritious fruits.
My vegetable garden is so much fun to visit right now because of all the growing produce - there’s something new popping up every day. Take a look at the drone photos on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48.
So far, we've had some extremely warm and humid days, which is great for most of the growing vegetables. We've also had some good soaking rain - also vital for all the gardens. Yesterday, my gardeners Ryan McCallister and Brian O'Kelly, checked in on our crops and harvested the first lettuces of the season.
Enjoy these photos.
Last week, this vegetable garden was already looking so beautiful with all its growing produce. Here is a view down the center of the garden adjacent to the chicken coops. I try different configurations every year to see which ones work best for what we are growing. I like to use the most amount of space possible for planting. This year, I decided to create a space specifically for herbs in the center of the garden.
Yesterday, the garden was even more lush – everything is growing very quickly.
We planted the tomatoes at the back of the garden this time around. I always like to practice crop rotation. Doing this reduces the spread of soil-borne disease and avoids nutrient depletion in the soil. I grow both hybrid and heirloom tomato varieties. Soon, the shorter metal stakes will be replaced with taller, more supportive teepee style bamboo canes. I like to use bamboo because they’re easy to buy in bulk, look most natural in the garden and can be found in a variety of sizes. One can also purchase tomato cages specially designed for supporting tomato vines at any garden supply shop.
Here is our crop of basil. Basil is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae. It is native to tropical regions from central Africa to Southeast Asia. Basil is a tender, warm-weather, fragrant herb that tastes great in many dishes. Be sure to plant basil seeds or transplants after all danger of frost has passed and the soil is warm.
This year, we planted one artichoke plant at the end of each crop bed – they’re all looking so great. Globe artichokes are half-hardy perennial thistles native to the mild climates of the Southern Mediterranean. In this area, they grow best started indoors from seed and then transplanted outside. Artichokes are actually flower buds, which are eaten when they are tender.
And don’t forget all the lettuce. Lettuce is a fairly hardy, cool-weather vegetable that thrives when the average daily temperature is between 60 and 70-degrees Fahrenheit. Look how beautiful these lettuces are growing in this bed.
I love all the different lettuce varieties and colors and can’t wait to use them for my family’s many delicious salads.
Ryan picked a few lettuce heads. This is a lettuce knife. It has two cutting edges. The short, front cutting edge can be pushed against the lettuce plant base, making one quick cut. The long edge is for trimming and harvesting cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and others.
When cutting, simply cut the entire head of lettuce with the knife toward the bottom of the plant, above the soil line.
Here, Brian is giving the harvested lettuces a little rinse before they go up to my Winter House kitchen.
Kale or leaf cabbage is a group of vegetable cultivars within the plant species Brassica oleracea. They have purple or green leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. They also have either flat or ruffled leaves.
I grow lots of brassicas. Brassica is a genus of plants in the mustard family. Members are informally known as cruciferous vegetables and cole crops – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. Everyone always asks what I do with all the vegetables I grow. I share them with my family, but I also love sharing the bounty with friends, colleagues, and my hardworking crew here at the farm. I provide fruits, vegetables, and eggs for magazine and video shoots. And, of course, all my birds get vegetables too.
My cabbages are growing rapidly. To get the best health benefits from cabbage, it’s good to include all three varieties into the diet – Savoy, red, and green. And don’t forget, cabbage can be eaten cooked and raw.
Vicia faba, also known as the broad bean or fava bean is an ancient member of the pea family. It has a nutty taste and a buttery texture. I always grow lots of fava beans.
This is fennel – an aromatic perennial herb, widely cultivated for its edible, licorice-flavored leaves and seeds. The variety ‘Purpureum,’ also known as Bronze Fennel, has dark, smoky and interesting foliage.
A well-growing herb in the garden is Salvia officinalis, the common sage or just sage, is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae and native to the Mediterranean region.
Variegated sage is a bushy herb with woody stems and multicolored leaves. It produces fragrant purple flowers in the spring. It has an earthy spicy aroma with a more subtle flavor than standard sage. It is also a slower growing variety and slightly more tender than standard sage.
Thyme is an herb whose small leaves grow on clusters of thin stems. It is a Mediterranean herb with dietary, medicinal, and ornamental uses.
Fragrant variegated thyme is green with white leaves. It is delicious with fish or poultry and imparts a lemony flavor. Masses of pink spring blossoms attract bees while the pungent foliage helps to keep pesky bugs away.
I am so excited about this year’s growing season. There will be a lot of delicious produce from my garden this year! How are your gardens doing? I would love to know – share your comments in the section below.
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