It's mid-March, the snow is gone, and every chance we get we're cleaning up and getting our pre-spring chores done around my farm.
The crew is busy with many projects, including raking the garden beds, pruning the weeping willows, grooming the beech tree hedge around my pool, blowing any old leaves and branches, washing my Polaris off-road vehicles, bathing the dogs, etc. I keep a running list of all the chores that need to be done at any given time. So far, it's a strong start to the season ahead.
Here are some photos.
The snow has melted here at the farm and with refreshing, mild temperatures earlier this week, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew have been able to get a lot of jobs done.
While work is being done above to trim the dead, diseased, damaged, defective, or deranged branches from my weeping willows along the edge of my pinetum…
… Lots of raking is done below to clear away all the fallen debris.
This day was in the high 70s. Here’s my driver, Andres, giving my trusted Polaris vehicle a good washing.
And here’s Matthew cleaning the beds outside my greenhouse. All the beds look so much better after a fresh raking. More than two feet of snow covered the beds for so many weeks.
Phurba rakes the beds outside my Tenant House – being very careful not to step on any emerging bulbs.
Here’s Adan blowing underneath the dwarf apple espalier – debris and old twigs left over from last year.
And Chhiring blows all the old leaves from the tree pits in my allée of pin oaks. Soon, spring croci will fill these areas.
Before the coldest days of winter, I like to cover various gardens with evergreen branches. Doing this provides a protective barrier against freezing temperatures, drying winds, and heavy snow. They also help to insulate plants and reduce temperature swings that can damage certain plant roots. But it’s much warmer now, and Matthew can pick them all up.
On the inside of my pool fence I have a hedge of beech trees, purple columnar Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple.’ I instructed Pasang to trim one foot from the top all the way around. It’s good to do this now when the hedge is still bare.
I like as much pruning and grooming as possible done by hand. These Japanese Okatsune shears are specially made for trimming hedges. These shears are user friendly, and come in a range of sizes.
To ensure the pruning is perfectly straight, we always use bright landscaping twine pulled between poles and placed along sections of the hedge. Here one can see what trees were trimmed and what still needs work.
Here’s my gardener Ryan bringing beautiful plants in bloom to display in my home. These are forced white amaryllis.
Down at the stable, my Chow Chow, Emperor Han, with his dense double coat also needs attention. Carlos gives Han a thorough bath.
Carlos washes carefully around Han’s face and chin and around the outside of the ear canal – never inside.
Chow Chows have a lot of coat around the head, giving it a lion-like appearance, so this area needs a lot of grooming. After a good and thorough drying and brushing, Han looks great. Now, don’t walk through any mud, Han!
Inside, Ryan tends to the growing artichokes, which will be planted outdoors in the vegetable garden come spring.
Matthew mists the tender seedlings that were started last week. Everything is growing according to schedule. I can’t wait until my giant half-acre vegetable garden is full with produce once again.
And look – some of the first blooms of spring are coming up! Here is a bunch of crocus growing outside my Equipment Barn.
And some of the first snow drops, Galanthus, growing outside my guest production house. Today’s temperatures will be colder – low 40s in this area, but don’t worry – spring is officially here in just one week!
Here at my farm a mix of rain and snow are expected today, but inside my greenhouse there's a flurry of spring activity. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, is starting flower seeds in preparation for the coming growing season.
We sow thousands of seeds every year - all those wonderful seeds I enjoy purchasing during my travels and seeds we order from our favorite sources. Our first trays include a selection of poppies, foxgloves, and violas.
Enjoy these photos.
This time of year my head house tables are often filled with seeds ready to be planted in trays. Seeds are available online, at garden centers, and through friends and family. One of my favorite seed sources is Johnny’s Selected Seeds in central Maine – a company I’ve been using for quite some time.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds offers hundreds of varieties of organic vegetable, herb, flower, fruit and farm seeds that are known to be strong, dependable growers.
Ryan keeps them well-organized by type, so they are easy to go through when selecting what to plant.
Ryan also chooses the necessary seed starting trays. These trays from Johnny’s can be saved from year to year, so don’t throw them away after the season. Seed starting trays are available in all sizes and formations depending on seed needs.
He fills several trays with a pre-made seed starting mix. I use Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix, which is specially formulated for fast root development.
These seeds trays have deeper cells for those plants that have tap roots or those that are sensitive to root disturbance.
Here it is from the bottom. Johnny’s has a large variety of seed starting trays from which to choose. Ryan fills a series of trays, so they are all ready when he plants.
Ryan uses the top tray to make cell indentations in the bottom tray for the seeds. The holes just needs to be big enough for the seed to be dropped in and then covered.
Small wooden markers identify the specific flowers and varieties, so we can keep track of the kinds that grow best in my gardens. Ryan prepares the markers for the Icelandic poppies, writing down the flower name and variety.
Poppy seeds are very tiny, kidney-shaped seeds that are less than a millimeter in length and typically bluish-black in color.
Ryan drops the seeds into the cells by hand – about two for each cell. Germination is never guaranteed, so multiple seeds are always planted. This provides a better chance at least one will take root.
The seed packet itself is very useful. It provides the common plant name, growing duration, and plant size.
The back of Johnny’s seed packets also provides blooming information, light and soil requirements and plant spacing. It’s important to read these seed packets for valuable information and tips.
For these seeds, Ryan covers the trays with a layer of vermiculite. Vermiculite is a mica-like mineral often used as a soil amendment. It is mined out of the ground, exfoliated, treated with high heat and pressure to force it to expand. Vermiculite absorbs and retains water, allows for proper air circulation and takes in essential nutrients for healthy seeding development.
And don’t forget the water. Ryan gives the trays a drink before placing them on the shelf. Seeds will start to grow within days in optimal temperature and lighting environments, which is 50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit under bright light.
These foxglove seeds are pelleted. Pelleting is a process where seeds are coated so they are easier to see and handle when sowing.
They make it much easier for Ryan to drop into the designated cells.
The wooden markers are inserted into the tray where the seeds are planted.
And finally he prepares to plant some viola seeds in another tray.
These seeds are also extremely small. They should start to sprout within seven to 21 days depending on growing conditions. Once a few inches tall, the plants will get selectively thinned so the stronger ones are left to continue growing.
We’re off to a great start for my flowers. We have many more trays to go. Seeds are usually started about two months before the last frost – we’ll be starting seeds indoors through this month.
Mark your calendar - if you’re in the Philadelphia area March 12 to 21 of next year, be sure to stop in at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 2026 exhibit. The Philadelphia Flower Show is an annual event 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. This year's theme was called "Rooted: Origins of American Gardening" - a celebration of the history and traditions that shape American gardening.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This is the impressive Entrance Garden. It is the first garden visitors see upon entering the show. Titled “The Forest Floor” it features a sweeping 200 foot Floral Arch designed by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
This year’s Entrance Garden focuses on the history of gardening in America, with the entrance designed to create an immediate and dramatic impact.
This Entrance Garden is also features local landscape elements, and an immersive aroma therapy experience.
Here is a close up of the display from the Schaffer Designs’ exhibit, showing two contrasting sides, each rising from its own roots. Above, a network inspired by mycelium, symbolizing partnership, collaboration, and shared growth.
The pink trees in the back are Prunus x incam ‘Okame.’
This display was done by Alex Segura Arana, one of four international florists that exhibit in “First Bloom – Rooted in Memory,” where they share the origin moments that sparked their passion for flowers. Other artists include Gábor Nagy, Chantal Post, and Conny van der Westerlaken.
This photo was taken at the PHS Hamilton Horticourt, where every year garden enthusiasts showcase their prized plants and skills to compete for awards. This is a cacti display.
Shown here is Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata in ‘variegated form.’
This is Clivia Miniata. I also have many 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 section shows Chanaecyparis, which is often more recognized by its common names, cypress or false cypress.
Deuterocohnia brevifolia, a species of plant in the family Bromeliaceae. This species is native to Argentina and Bolivia, and is popular and interesting as a potted houseplant with its mounding form.
In this area – Sansavieria plants, or snake plants, which are low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and air-purifying indoor plants that thrive in bright indirect light.
These are clivias. Clivia flowers primarily bloom in vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and red, with many cultivars in interesting variations like creamy yellow, peachy-pink, apricot, and even white with green tints.
There is always so much one can learn from attending a flower show. These unusual plants are Bowiea volubilis, or climbing onions. They are succulent perennials that thrive in the dry desert regions of eastern and southern Africa.
There was also a large display of begonias. There are thousands of species and varieties of begonias. Some are classified as tuberous, and others as fibrous, but it’s the rhizomatous begonias that make beautiful houseplants all year long because of the amazing colors, shapes, sizes, and textures of their foliage.
Cleistocactus winteri a succulent of the family Cactaceae. Its common name is the golden rat tail.
These are various Euphorbia specimens. Euphorbia is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge
Cactus plants were shown at the Philadelphia Flower Show as early as 1831, and one of the highlights of the 1891 Flower Show was an exhibit of 500 cacti by Mr. A. Blanc, a Philadelphian who had the largest cactus nursery in the United States. The show features cacti every year.
Here is a display of various ferns.
Here – various rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom. I can’t wait to see all my azaleas blooming this year.
Cymbidiums flower anywhere from four to 12 weeks on the plant and last at least two to four-weeks as cut flowers.
This is David A. Rubin’s Antique Garden Tool Collection. This display of garden implements represents the human past of “writing” the earth, and a long tradition of invention and ingenuity.
This part of the collection shows various shovels and spades.
And every time I attend the Philadelphia Flower Show it is always nice to catch up with PHS President Matt Rader and Seth Pearsoll, Creative Director and Vice President of the Philadelphia Flower Show. Thank you to the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society for a wonderful and informative show. (Photo by Morgan Horell for PHS)
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
