It's five days before the official start of spring. The trees are budding, the crocuses are blooming, and perennials are pushing through the soil with energy and color.
This is always a busy and exciting time at my farm. My outdoor grounds crew and gardeners are working hard to get everything ready for the season. This week, my foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, is adding nutrient-rich compost to the beds beneath my long and winding pergola. These beds are already exploding with new growth - alliums, camassia, muscari, and more. Soon, these beds will be filled with a spring palette of blue, lavender, and purple.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
New spring growth is visible in every garden here at the farm despite nighttime temperatures still dropping into the 30s Fahrenheit.
My long pergola is still surrounded by the burlap-covered boxwood, but not for long – like clockwork, we remove all the fabric in time for Easter.
Early March is the best time to start tending the beds – weeding, and pulling last year’s growth and fallen leaves and applying a new coat of compost around the plants.
This is organic compost. I like to top dress my beds with this in the spring to add nutrients, such as nitrogen, into the soil. Compost is an efficient and practical fertilizer. Adding compost also improves the soil’s ability to absorb and store water, aerate, and increase the activity of organisms.
With good, consistent maintenance, look what’s already blooming so gloriously – here is a stretch of crocus.
Emerging from bulb-like structures called corms, crocuses are low-growing perennial flowering plants from the iris family. Crocus are among the first to bloom in spring and come back year after year.
Growing along the back border are small bunches of these purple and white striped croci. This striped flower produces several upright, cup-like, purple and white striped blooms on stems rising to four to six inches above basal, grass-like leaves.
Planted at the base of every post is clematis. The uprights for this pergola are antique granite posts from China – originally used as grape supports in a valley that was going to be dammed and flooded to create a reservoir.
New growth is visible on every clematis plant. Clematis bloom times can vary, but by planting a range of cultivars, one can have flowers from early spring to late fall.
Four years ago, we lined the center footpath of the pergola with these black bricks I originally bought for a terrace project years ago and never used. Each black granite brick measures eight inches long by about two inches wide and two inches thick.
Here’s Chhiring weeding and cleaning the bed before laying down a layer of compost. It doesn’t need a lot – just an inch or two is sufficient.
These are the leaves of Camassia. Camassia forms clusters of linear strappy foliage. By early May, these leaves will surround upright racemes. Camassia is a genus of plants in the asparagus family native to Canada and the United States. It is best grown in moist, fertile soil, and full sun.
Muscari, or grape hyacinth, has long, linear, floppy, green leaves. The foliage emerges from the ground in early spring followed by the flowers. The foliage dies back after flowering in early summer, but then starts growing actively once again in mid-autumn.
Rosettes of allium leaves also dot the garden. Alliums are often overlooked as one of the best bulbs for constant color throughout the seasons. The flowers come in oval, spherical, or globular shapes, blooming in magnificent colors atop tall stems.
Here, one can see the red shading on the tips of the allium leaves when they first emerge. Unfortunately, by the time these alliums bloom in late May or early June, the leaves will have withered away.
These are the woody stems of catnip. On established plants, the shoots begin to come up in early spring.
In the center and at the ends of this winding pergola are wisteria standards. Right now they are bare, but the fragrant plant blooms start to appear in mid-to-late spring, in May or June.
Behind the pergola and across the “soccer field,” where my grandson, Truman, loves to play whenever he visits, are six matched standard weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus ‘Pendula’. Weeping hornbeams can grow to be about 50-feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 40-feet. These are very rare and precious trees and I am so happy they continue to grow well here.
Looking closely, one can see all the buds that have formed.
Here is one side of the pergola now covered in a light layer of compost. The long beds are looking so beautiful already. I can’t wait to see this area transform into a spring garden of colorful flowers.
Here’s a view from the other side. It’s enough to inspire any gardener to get out there and start working – happy gardening.
It's always exciting to see those first blooming bulbs emerge from the soil, but are those delicate white early spring flowers snowdrops or snowflakes?
Right now, those blooms are snowdrops, Galanthus - the nodding, crisp white flowers that open above clumps of strap-shaped leaves from January through March. I love Galanthus and have many different varieties here at my farm. The hardy fall-planted bulbs are easy to grow and multiply easily providing carpets of stunning blossoms every year.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
The first white flowers of spring are the snowdrops. This is a snowdrop, Galanthus. The genus name refers to the white color of the flowers – gala is Greek for “milk,” while anthos is Greek for “flower”.
Look closely, these are snowflakes, Leucojum.
Snowdrops… characterized by three small inner petals and three outer petals, which are spoon shaped and longer than the inners.
… And snowflakes, which are typically more lantern-shaped, with pointed, out-curved, green-blotched tips and segments that are each about the same length.
It can be hard to distinguish from afar, and both flowers do share similarities, but they are different, especially in flower form.
These are snowdrop bulbs. We plant them in the fall. Snowdrops should be planted in light to moderate shade and moist but well-drained soil.
When they start to push through the soil, two or three dark green, strap-like leaves come up first and grow four to 10-inches tall.
Galanthus or snowdrop, is a small genus of approximately 20 species of bulbous perennial herbaceous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, and native to Europe and the Middle East.
One of the most cultivated is Galanthus nivalis, usually known as the garden snowdrop.
Here is a view from above of the base of the flower, where it begins to nod.
These flower heads can be ‘single’ – one layer of petals – or ‘double’ – multiple layers of petals. And notice the inner petals – they can be blotched heavily with green…
… or just tipped lightly with color.
Here is another variety with interesting markings and rounder outer petals. Some of the varieties I grow include ‘Hippolyta,’ elwesii ‘Mount Everest,’ elwesii ‘Polar Bear,’ nivalis ‘Magnet,’ ‘Sam Arnott,’ ‘ woronowii, plicatus Dionysus, nivalis ‘Viridi-apics,’ ‘Turncoat,’ ‘George Proverbs,’ and ‘Little Ben.’
On this snowdrop, both the inner and the outer petals are blotched.
And here, the inner petals are nearly all green.
This snowdrop is double making it even more interesting.
Underneath, one can see the multiple petals tinged in emerald green.
While this one is smaller, more dainty in single form.
Snowdrops don’t often multiply from seed in a garden, but they will multiply by offsets – new bulbs that grow attached to the mother bulb. And, Because the leaves are vital to build up the bulbs’ food reserves and allow new daughter bulblets to form, never trim or tie them into bunches.
Snowdrops are a pest-free plant. Rabbits and deer won’t eat them, and most chipmunks and mice leave them alone.
And what are these? The bold green foliage of snowflakes… getting ready for their wondrous show.
If you’re ever in or near Philadelphia during the beginning of March, try to stop at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
I hope you saw my photos on my personal Instagram page @MarthaStewart48 - be sure to follow me. Last week, while in the area for a business meeting, I had the opportunity to attend this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show hosted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. It is the nation’s largest and longest-running indoor flower show, and proceeds benefit the year-round programs organized and managed by the PHS. Started in 1829, the Philadelphia Flower Show gathers hundreds of talented florists, landscapers, and designers from around the world and showcases interesting plant varieties and garden and design concepts. The event also hosts competitions in horticulture and artistic floral arranging and growing. The 2024 show was called "United by Flowers," and celebrated communities that share in the passion for gardening.
Enjoy these photos.
There is always so much one can learn from attending a flower show. This unusual plant is Bowiea volubilis, or climbing onion. It is a succulent perennial that thrives in the dry desert regions of eastern and southern Africa.
These branches are Corylopsis spicata, or spike winter hazel – part of the exhibit “Two Worlds” by floral designer, Mark Cook.
These yellow cut branches are Oncidium, also known as dancing lady orchids.
This is a closer look at the Arrange Floral and Event Design’s exhibit, “The Orchid,” which won The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Cup for Best in Show, Floral.
These dried leaves were used in the floor covering for Arrange Floral’s exhibit. They are from Cecropia peltata, or the trumpet tree, a fast-growing tree in the genus Cecropia. It is a common tree in Puerto Rico.
And here is a close up view from Apiary Studios exhibit “Right of Way,” which won the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Cup for Best in Show, Landscape.
I took this photo of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s entrance garden. It is the first garden visitors saw upon entering the show. It was titled “Edges and Reflections.” It featured 8500 gallons of water, over 14,000 bulbs and tulips, and more than 75,000 fresh cut stems. Seth Pearsoll, Creative Director and VP of PHS led the design of this garden.
It was the Flower Show’s largest body of water ever created. The colorful aerial blooms above reflect in the glass-like water below.
This is called Cleistocactus colademononis, or monkey’s tail. It is a pendant cactus covered in a thick coat of soft, hair-like spines. It is native to Bolivia, where it grows on the sides of cliffs with plenty of sun exposure and high humidity.
This is Clivia miniata, Clivia. I also have clivias at my farm. Clivia miniata, the Natal lily or bush lily, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clivia of the family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to woodland habitats in South Africa.
This is a potted Cymbidium sp., white orchid with its beautiful blooms. These are exceptionally elegant plants with long lasting blooms. Cymbidiums flower anywhere from four to 12 weeks on the plant and at least two to four-weeks as cut flowers.
This ‘Butterscotch’ Rex Begonia features interesting leaves of silver-green with burgundy markings. I have many begonias in my greenhouse – they’re among my favorite of houseplants.
You may recognize this tree, it is Laurus nobilis, or bay laurel. Laurus nobilis is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glabrous leaves. It is in the flowering plant family Lauraceae and native to the Mediterranean region. The leaves are popularly used for seasoning in cooking.
This is Mammillaria orcuttii, spiny cacti with spherical or columnar stems often in clusters. When in bloom, it bears many prominent tubercles, and funnel-shaped flowers usually in a ring near the apex of the stem.
This is called Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’ – an asparagus fern. It is a spreading perennial that has a fine texture with a stiff, upright habit. This plant grows fairly rapidly and could grow up to two-feet tall.
This orchid is Sophrolaeliocattleya rubescent ateus ‘Waterford.’ I also have many orchids in my personal collection, including cattleyas.
Here is a close up of the hanging arrangements from the Schaffer Designs’ exhibit called “Connected: A Floral Legacy.” Many of the installations at the flower show take weeks to complete. This one was also part of the entrance display.
This is from Kelly D. Norris’ exhibit “A Beautiful Disturbance,” showing spontaneous vegetation to promote the growing need to reimagine city spaces as homes for future nature.
And here is an Acer palmatum ‘Arakawa,’
a rough bark Japanese Maple, with an interesting ruff and corky bark. It develops this jagged bark as the juvenile growth matures. This is one of the most popular cultivars in Japan and is highly sought after in both the landscape and for use as bonsai trees.
Before leaving, I stopped for this photo with Seth Pearsoll and Matt Rader, PHS President. Thank you to the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society for a wonderful and informative show.
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