I have a rather sizable collection of tropical specimens at my Bedford, New York farm. During the winter, they are all stored in special greenhouses. Once the warm weather arrives, they are all brought out for display. Most of the plants are placed in various locations here at Cantitoe Corners, but a selection will also spend the summer up at Skylands, my dear home in Maine. It is a big undertaking to move all these plants at the beginning and end of each season. Thankfully, I have the help of a strong outdoor grounds crew and some heavy-duty farm equipment to get the job done.
Enjoy these photos.
Here at the farm, I have five different greenhouses. I call this one the citrus greenhouse. It works by heating and circulating air to create an artificial tropical environment. All my citrus plants and tropical specimens spend about seven months of the year in these temperature-controlled shelters.
And every spring, they are taken out of storage, cleaned up and repotted if needed, and then moved to their warm-weather locations.
I am so fortunate to be able to grow citrus here in the Northeast. My potted citrus plants thrive in the hoop house during winter and provide such delicious fruits. This is one of my calamondin trees, Citrus mitis, an acid citrus fruit originating in China.
Phurba, Dawa and the rest of the crew are working very hard to get all the plant out. Here is the hoop house about a third empty. This structure is very large. It is built using heavy gauge American made, triple-galvanized steel tubing. I chose this gothic style because of its high peak to accommodate my taller plants.
The plants are placed in front of the hoop house and stable barn until I can go through the collection.
And everything is grouped by type, so it is easy to assess what we have and how many.
Here are several potted bird’s nest ferns. Bird’s-nest fern is a common name for several related species of epiphytic ferns in the genus Asplenium. Asplenium nidus forms large simple fronds visually similar to banana leaves, with the fronds growing up to 20 to 59 inches long and 3.9 to 7.9 inches broad. They are light green, often crinkled, with a black midrib.
The bird’s nest fern gets its name from the center of the plant which closely resembles a bird’s nest. It is also occasionally called a crow’s nest fern.
Next door to my Equipment Barn is another large hoop house where I store my tropical plant collection along with various other agaves and palms, etc.
This structure is also getting emptied – all the plants are brought out one by one.
My outdoor grounds crew uses this Kubota model M7060HD12 tractor to move many of them. This vehicle gets so much use here at the farm every single day. Moving such a large potted plant requires strength, care, and the right equipment. A moving blanket cushions the pots on the loader as they are moved.
Fortunately, on this day, the temperature was not too hot. The most critical factor in moving plants is temperature. Avoid prolonged exposure to heat or cold, with temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit or higher than 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is a Bismarkia palm, Bismarckia nobilis, which grows from a solitary trunk, gray to tan in color, and slightly bulging at the base.
Beaucarnea recurvata, the elephant’s foot or ponytail palm, is a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true palms. In fact, it is a member of the Agave family and is actually a succulent. It has a bulbous trunk, which is used to store water, and its long, hair-like leaves that grow from the top of the trunk like a ponytail, giving the plant its renowned name. The one on the left is planted in a very heavy antique lead vessel.
Once the plants are out of storage, I go through all the potted specimens and decide where they will be displayed for the season. I always try to vary their locations. The bright orange markers indicate which plants will go to my home in Maine.
I have many agaves, including this blue agave with its beautiful gray-blue spiky fleshy leaves. Do you know… tequila is actually distilled from the sap of the blue agave? These potted agaves are so beautiful, but be sure to keep them in low traffic areas, as their spikes can be very painful. And always wear gloves and eye protection when potting them up or dividing as the sap can burn.
This is also an agave. All agaves do best in full sun and sandy, well-drained soil, and thrive on the scantest amount of water. Some are more cold-tolerant than others, but they can’t handle damp cold.
The sago palm, Cycas revoluta, is a popular houseplant known for its feathery foliage and ease of care. Sago palms prefer to be situated in well-drained soil, and like other cycad plants, do not respond well to overwatering.
Blooming right now is the Stephanotis floribunda, or Madagascar jasmine, though it is not a member of the jasmine family. It is one of five to 10 species identified within the genus of twining vine-like shrubs. Stephanotis flowers have long been treasured for their beauty and sweet scent.
Each flower has a crown of five lobes and stamens. The leaves are leathery, oval shaped, and opposite and the plant’s woody tendrils can grow to 20 feet in the wild.
By the afternoon, the shelves in both hoop house are empty. These shelves are made from wood milled right here at the farm. The long planks are secured to stumps from felled trees. It is a great way we use and repurpose natural elements here on the property.
And here is the large citrus greenhouse – now empty for another season. It is so wonderful to see everything thriving here at the farm – I love this time of year when all my potted plants are outside in the fresh air. What plants are you bringing out of storage this week? Share your comments with me below.
Owning a home is a huge responsibility - there's always something to work on to maintain the safety and upkeep of the structure.
Not long ago, my friend, entertainment banker and entrepreneur Lisbeth Barron, told me about a big job she completed on her Palm Beach, Florida home. She had just replaced the timeworn cement roof on her 2002 Spanish/Italian/Mediterranean-style waterfront house with custom designed terra-cotta clay tiles - a process that took nearly a year to do. The tiles were made by Ludowici, a multi-generation family-owned tile business in New Lexington, Ohio. Lisbeth also enlisted the help of Sloane Construction Company of Palm Beach County, Inc. and Carpenter’s Roofing & Sheet Metal.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
The old, cement tile roof on Lisbeth’s home had faded and was in need of replacing. She also wanted a more interesting roof that featured more gloss, texture, and movement in its design.
Here is a drone view of the old roof. Concrete roofs can last about 50-years, but because of the intense sun and heat in this area, Lisbeth thought it best to replace the roof sooner rather than later.
The first step was to choose the color. Ludowici’s team placed a collection of tiles on the roof and Lisbeth looked at them from across the street. She liked both the terra-cotta red tiles and the green – both would give a dramatic change to the home.
Here is a closer look at the collection of sample tiles. Ludowici clay tiles come in an array of colors. Since 1888, architects, designers, homeowners, commercial, and government clients have used Ludowici. Some of the company’s other projects include The Plaza Hotel in New York City, the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado, Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania, Disney in Shanghai, and even the White House. In the end, Lisbeth chose a color combination of the two left tiles in the bottom row – a gold red cedar color.
The custom color is a “two-spray” application. The tile is entirely sprayed with a gloss burgundy color and then lightly spotted with a gloss gold. (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
At the Ludowici factory, each tile is tested and hand made in an assembly line process. (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
Here is the tile before any color was added. Lisbeth likes the curves and the overall shape of this Scandia tile – a selection synonymous with clay roof tile from northern Europe. In addition, the gentle wave pattern was a nod to the ocean directly behind her home. The design is unique and never before used in the Palm Beach area. (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
Lisbeth also added a “button eave” feature to give some of the end tiles an added dimension. Here, the are all sprayed by hand and placed on a dryer car before they are sent to the kiln. (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
Meanwhile, at the house, scaffolding was placed around the perimeter of the home. This process took a few weeks to complete.
The crew starts removing the old tiles and nails – one by one.
The tiles are then handed down one at a time to crew members working on the roof…
… until they are safely thrown away in this rising dumpster.
After all the old tiles are removed, a 30-pound felt is used to cover the roof. This felt protects the roof from wind driven rain under the shingles.
Then, a self-adhesive peel and stick Polyglass Tu Max is also installed for added protection. This polyglass layer is a rubberized asphalt waterproofing membrane designed specifically for use under roof tile applications.
Next, skilled craftsmen install the hand-hammered and hand-soldered copper metal flashing where needed.
Finally, it’s time to put up the tiles. Rows of tiles are placed on wood brackets on the roof. Here, one can see the size of each tile. Each one measures 13.25 inches by 8.75 inches by three inches thick. Each tile also weighs six-and-a-half pounds.
One by one, each clay tile is affixed to the roof through the various protective membranes. This roof has a 75-year warranty – the longest for any residential roof.
And here is the finished roof. The original roof was made up of 9000 concrete tiles. This roof has more than 13-thousand tiles. Another 500 were left over and stored for later use if necessary. (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
Depending on the sun and the time of day, these tiles shimmer in varying shades of red. All the outdoor stone ornaments are from Lisbeth’s sister, Judy. She is the owner of Brass Scale Antiques in West Palm Beach. (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
And here is a photo taken on the front of the home. The roof definitely adds color and life to the house. The mosaic on the exterior left wall was also designed by Lisbeth depicting many things her parents loved over the years. Looks great, Lisbeth – thanks for sharing the photos! (Photo courtesy of Ludowici)
Another beautiful garden of interesting and colorful plants is growing at my Bedford, New York farm.
Earlier this spring, I decided to design a new garden along one side of the carriage road between my Summer House and my stable. I wanted to add colorful azaleas - a variety of unique specimens in shades of pink, orange, crimson and white. I already have many azaleas growing and flourishing in this area, but I wanted to expand the collection. First, we planted about 170 azaleas on one side to the carriage road, and then another 200 on the other side. I am so excited - it will look so beautiful in the coming years.
Enjoy these photos.
It was such an exciting morning when we unloaded all these gorgeous azaleas. Many of them came from White’s Nursery in Germantown, Maryland. White’s Nursery specializes in azaleas as well as rhododendrons. It has more than 350 varieties of evergreen azaleas such as Glenn Dale, Bowie Mill, Satsuki, Robin Hill, and many others. In addition, there is a wide selection of deciduous and native azaleas, and some fragrant varieties.
We picked them up the day before in my large trailer – big enough to accommodate more than 200 azalea plants.
Before any planting could be done, my gardeners sorted the plants and arranged them by color and variety.
Then, Ryan and Brian placed them strategically along the carriage road – keeping like colors together and always keeping the plant’s mature size in mind. Azaleas prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. Hot all-day sun can stress the plants and make them more susceptible to pests.
These azaleas are planned for the east side of the carriage road down to the stable. A few weeks ago, we planted another huge amount of azaleas along the west side of the same carriage road. Eventually, this section of the farm will display an allee of stunning azaleas all the way down the road from my Summer House.
Some of the plants are already blooming. Here is a colleciton of pink azaleas getting ready to move up the road to the tree peony garden in one of our Polaris vehicles. They will be perfect additions to this bed where I already have many azaleas.
By afternoon, the crew starts to plant. First a hole is made at least twice the size of the root ball about to be planted. Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter.
We like to use an organic starter for newly transplanted specimens. This microbe-enhanced plant food nourishes the soil for abundant growth. I always use an all-natural fertilizer to aid transplant survival and increase water and nutrient absorption.
A good handful is dropped into every hole and mixed with the existing soil.
Brian uses a hori hori to scarify the roots of this specimen. A hori hori is a Japanese-inspired tool with a double-edged, rust-resistant blade that’s serrated on one side and sharpened on the other. It is great for cutting through tough roots. Scarifying stimulates root growth. Essentially, Brian breaks up small portions of the root ball to loosen the roots a bit and create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new environment.
Next, the plant is placed into the hole and then checked to be sure it is at the right depth.
Brian ensures the best side of the plant is facing the road. Brian then backfills the hole. Azaleas have short root systems, so they can easily be transplanted in early spring or early fall.
Meanwhile, Pasang is further up the road planting another azalea – it was all hands on deck to get 200 plants in the ground as quickly as possible.
Here it one all planted – and it has a lot of room to grow and spread. Some azaleas, including native types, can reach towering heights of 20 feet or more. Dwarf azaleas grow two to three feet tall, and many garden azaleas stay four to six feet in height with as wide a spread.
Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe, and North America. These plants can live for many years, and they continue to grow their entire lives.
Lastly, Chhiring walks to every azalea and gives it a good thorough drink. Whenever watering, be sure to focus on the root zone – it’s the roots that need access to water, not the leaves.
Azalea ‘Dr. Henry Schroeder” is an open, upright, low-growing, shrub which typically reaches up to three feet tall with a slightly larger spread. Dark green foliage is evergreen and clusters of purplish-pink flowers appear in late April to early May.
‘Fancy Nancy’ blooms mid-season with these colorful pastel pink flowers.
This is Azalea ‘Tradition.’ It is covered in stunning clusters of pink trumpet-shaped flowers in mid spring. The glossy oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.
‘Delaware Valley White’ is an evergreen azalea. It typically grows three to four feet tall over the first 10 years. It has tubular, funnel-shaped, usually single, white flowers that bloom in clusters.
‘Mattie Baron’ comes in this charming white color with yellow centers.
The azaleas on the other side of the road are already looking so healthy and wonderful.
Next, I will make permanent markers for all the plants on this side, so they are well identified as they grow. This garden will look so spectacular – I can’t wait to see how they develop and thrive. I love azaleas. Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays.
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