Step into my sunken garden
Outside my kitchen door, on the front side of my house, is a courtyard that I call the sunken garden, thusly named because of an area that you step down into. The sunken garden receives sunlight most of the day and it’s a really great spot to grow heat-loving plants. When it’s warm enough in the spring, the gardeners move these specimens out of the greenhouse, where they survive the winter, as they are native to tropical and subtropical climates.
Welcome to my sunken garden.
This is a cycad. Often confused with palms or ferns, cycads are related to neither.
The cycads are under-planted with colorful oxalis. 
A colorful aloe – There are hundreds of species of this succulent, known for its medicinal effects.
Agave Celsii – Agaves are thought to be cacti, but they are not related. They have thick and fleshy leaves, usually ending in a sharp needle-like point.
Another agave – this one sends off hair-like fibers.
This is an aloe Zebra
A lovely sedum in the succulent family. 
Francesa is posing at the base of a giant agave. Did you know that tequila is distilled from the sap of the blue agave?
The underside of this agave has a beautiful ‘embossed’ pattern. 
another agave
and another agave
A cement snail adorns a trough of succulent hens and chicks.
a close-up of hens and chicks
These are Bismarckia palms, native to Madagascar. Their fronds can get up to 10 feet in diameter.
More blogs from my garden:
The cole crops in my vegetable garden, some photos from yesterday
Posted Jun 17, 2008
Tomato Planting at the farm
Posted Jun 12, 2008
Come look at the photo gallery I created of the beautiful peonies at my farm!
Posted Jun 10, 2008
The rhubarb is thriving in my garden -- come take a look!
Posted Jun 8, 2008
Come join the garden tour at my house! I love reading your comments -- please leave one!
Posted Jun 5, 2008
A cocktail party with Emeril -- come see my photos! What do you think about our partnership?
Posted Jun 3, 2008
Bedford Garden Map
Posted Jun 1, 2008
I'm shopping for trees and plants -- come along!
Posted May 27, 2008
Come see the lilacs blooming at my farm - are yours blooming? Please leave a comment and let me know
Posted May 19, 2008
White Asparagus Update!
Posted May 12, 2008
Heirloom Seeds and Seed Exchanges
Posted May 12, 2008
More signs of spring! Please feel free to leave me a comment
Posted May 6, 2008
Lovely Muscari In My Garden
Posted May 5, 2008
The new groundcover beneath the allee of linden trees
Posted May 2, 2008
A trip to the 16th annual Garden Furniture Show -- come see my pictures!
Posted Apr 29, 2008
Growing Asparagus In My Vegetable Garden
Posted Apr 28, 2008
Nature's Trees University comes to Cantitoe Corners
Posted Apr 25, 2008
Planting weeping willows in honor of Earth Day
Posted Apr 24, 2008
More from the Bahamas -- Holey Farm
Posted Apr 23, 2008
Planting shallots in my garden
Posted Apr 21, 2008
Daffodils on my farm
Posted Apr 11, 2008
Springtime activity at the farm
Posted Apr 4, 2008
Begonias in my greenhouse, have a look at my photos!
Posted Mar 28, 2008
Voodoo Lily
Posted Mar 25, 2008
The kumquats in my greenhouse
Posted Mar 10, 2008
Witch Hazel and photos from the farm
Posted Mar 3, 2008
Compost Tea, how refreshing!
Posted Feb 29, 2008
Come see the pussy willows in and around my home!
Posted Feb 14, 2008
My Water Garden
Posted Feb 12, 2008
My Cacti Collection
Posted Jan 28, 2008
Trees in Winter
Posted Jan 24, 2008
My New Coldhouse!
Posted Jan 22, 2008
Winter Pruning of Blackcurrants
Posted Jan 18, 2008
My Staghorn Fern
Posted Jan 14, 2008
New Tabletops from a Fallen Sycamore Tree
Posted Jan 11, 2008
Winter Tree Pruning
Posted Jan 8, 2008
Seed-Starting Blocks
Posted Dec 28, 2007
Succulent Propagating
Posted Dec 27, 2007
Winter Cheer, Amaryllis
Posted Dec 15, 2007
Burlapping My Boxwoods
Posted Dec 12, 2007
Repotting my Boston Fern
Posted Dec 8, 2007
The Martha Stewart Orchid
Posted Dec 6, 2007
Jodi - my head gardener (and her gloves!)
Posted Dec 5, 2007
Forcing Narcissi
Posted Dec 1, 2007
My Boxwood Room
Posted Nov 30, 2007
Where in the world is Dan Hinkley?
Posted Nov 29, 2007
How to Move a Tree
Posted Nov 27, 2007
George Bridge and My New Boxwoods
Posted Nov 14, 2007
My Gingko Tree
Posted Nov 12, 2007
What is Celeriac? Also, a Great Recipe From my Chef Pierre
Posted Nov 8, 2007
What do You Know About Garlic?
Posted Nov 2, 2007
Carole King and Fall Blooming Perennials in Bedford
Posted Oct 26, 2007
Martha -- The Sunken Garden is absolutely beautiful. I have some of the plants you display in my porch area. I love them. Thanks so very much for sharing such beautiful pictures at your home.
Posted by: Faith | June 18th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Martha,
Love the Bismarckia palms, Fabulous. And the agave, I assume this garden has to be moved during the winter? Or is it hardy for the winter? I am amazed at the color also.
Posted by: michael anthamatten | June 18th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Your Bedford has many of our favorite So. California varieties!
Interesting that they can thrive in your climate. . .
Posted by: MMC from San Diego | June 18th, 2008 at 1:51 am
The snail is very cute
best,
Silvia
Posted by: Silvia | June 18th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Francesa is the perfect statue for that sculpture of agave. A bit surreal.
Posted by: Anne Maa | June 18th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Hi, Martha,
Your sunken garden is beautiful with so many colors and textures. What a photo of Francesca in the pot of giant agave! She looks so comfortable. I have several kinds of oxalis (It is native here where I live.) as well as sedum, and hens with chicks.
Thanks for the tour.
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy | June 18th, 2008 at 5:48 am
Hi Martha
Thanks for sharing the photos of your garden. I have to ask, do you do any of the work yourself or do you have staff that handles all that for you?
Posted by: ann | June 18th, 2008 at 6:59 am
The pattern on the agave leaf is beautiful!
Are those oxalis hardy, or do you plant them every year? They make a lovely ground cover.
Posted by: Charlotte K | June 18th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Did a double take to see if that was Francesa, bet you she goes there for a good back rub!
Pauline Mucciaccio
Brooklyn, NY
Posted by: PAULINE | June 18th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Martha, I must say I'm learning so much by visiting this blog each day. Thank you!
Posted by: Angie D | June 18th, 2008 at 9:24 am
A lot of your tropical plants look like the ones we used to have. Our giant agave plants that we had in the swale were run over by a car and our cycad just dried up one day. They never got as big as yours though. I sure would like to know what kind of soil you are using; our ground is basically sand but I never thought to keep them in pots like yours. Your plants are gorgeous! Trish
Posted by: Trish | June 18th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I love your sunken garden, and that snail...reminds me of my childhood fetching snails after the rain with grandpa. I have to tell you that your advice with gardening have turned my black thumb into a greener one but I am not there yet!
Posted by: Tartelette | June 18th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Martha,
I have always loved 'sunken' spaces: living rooms, dining rooms, sitting areas in bedrooms...and gardens. Something about the separation of the space with the elegance of a few steps really makes those areas feel special.
The cycads and agaves give your garden such an elegant flavour. It's the perfect place for iced tea.
-Andrew
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | June 18th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I Love the Sunken Garden. Succulents are a passion of mine. Where do you find the wonderful pots. They look so old.
Posted by: dann | June 18th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Hi Martha, Of all of your beautiful gardens, the "sunken garden' is the most unusual because of the tropical plants. I had no idea that there were that many different agave plants. I especially love the "Francesca" variety! All of your photos are gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | June 18th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
m in luv with ur Giant agave, no I think it is Francesa, great photo
Posted by: charmayne | June 18th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Oh, I love your sunken garden. I live in Florida and have a passion for tropical plants. I love them all. You have a very nice collection. I imagine that Francesa got an extra bonus sitting by the agave. . .a nice little backrub!!
Posted by: Lori Stewart | June 18th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Martha,
I think Francesa is part model!! Everywhere you plunk her, she'll pose!! LOL LOVE the photo! I like your zebra aloe!
Great sunken gardens. I love succlents and have planted a few new ones this year in containers.
Can I work in your garden? I think I would get lost in the moment! LOL
Thanks for sharing!
Paula
Posted by: Paula M. :) | June 18th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Not a bug in sight, wow. If I was that close with my camera I would be staring down a grasshopper or caterpillar with great chewing skills. Beautiful plants and display. Nice place to wander.
Posted by: Margie | June 18th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Exotic! These pictures remind me of the Botanical Gardens I just toured for the first time with my daughter and three hhigh school students...I was honored to be their chaperone for their trip to National History Day in Baltimore, MD!
Posted by: Tammy | June 18th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Good tip about the tiquilla. What a wonderful idea. I love the inspiration you give us and I'll scale it down to the size of my backyard. Thanks Martha
Posted by: Barbara | June 18th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Hi Martha:
Thanks for growing and introducing oxalis to your bloggers. I love it and have plants that were started in my great-grandmother's garden, but many consider it a pest plant because it can be invasive.
Who doesn't love a four -leafed plant? It's good luck!
Posted by: Denise | June 18th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I started using agave as sweetener when I was cooking for little girl who had brain cancer. It was the only sweetener that was allowed in her diet, as she was on a alternative treatment therapy.
Agave worked so well in place of regular sugars - I still continue to use it in my own cooking.
Posted by: steamy kitchen | June 18th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Martha,
I love succlents, so it was a treat to see this area of your garden. It's always fascinating to read your blog!
Posted by: Desiree' | June 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
What an inspiring garden! I love the term "sunken garden"
Posted by: Mary Smith | June 18th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Have you thought of adding some bromiliads? (Sorry if I spelled it wrong) They are my favourite plants, and are so popular here is Queensland, Australia where we are in an awful drought. They store their own water, and suit our tropical climate. They also come in the most amazing colours- pinks, magentas, reds, organes, chocolates. I love them!
Posted by: KJ | June 19th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Hi Martha,
I just love your tropical plants. I actually have a bunch of succulents on my porch. They do very well there because they get so much sun!! I am actually an antique dealer and recently had a game on my blog asking people what there favorite antique collection was. I was wondering what yours was and why. I have heard that you are an avid collector of antiques and thought you might want to participate!! Thanks for the continuing inspiration.
Keri Seery from http://www.antiquetherapy.com
Posted by: Keri | June 19th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
What a beautiful use for oxalis, I grow this same plant and have used it in my urns this year. I will have to propagate this over the winter to mass under plant next year, thanks for the idea.
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Posted by: Dan | June 20th, 2008 at 1:16 am
Hi, Martha. If I may, I'd like to expound upon your "Did you know that tequila is distilled from the sap of the blue agave?" comment... I am a second generation Mexican-American who was born and raised on the Texas border. My mother used to be a private international banker who catered to wealthy/famous clients in and around Mexico City... One of her famous clients was Don Francisco Javier Sauza of the Tequila Sauza Bottling Plant. A couple of times a year, my mother would make official banking visits to his hacienda and distillery factory in Guadalaja, Jalisco off Lake Chapala. In the Fall of 1969, she took my father on one of those semiannual trips and accidently conceived ME... Anyway, because of this curious bit of trivia, I've made it a point to learn a little about this delicious nectar's actual origins. From my readings, I can tell you with certainty that this simple peasant spirit (known universally as tequila) is not a simple spirit after all... To begin with, it cannot be called a 'liquor' because it is uniquely distilled AND fermented. Second, and most important, it must be grown and processed in the small Mexican city of Tequila, if it is to be labeled and sold as 'tequila'. In Tequila, its farmers cultivate over 90,000 acres of a plant called Agave Azul Tequilana Weber - also known as the blue agave. Once rip, the Agave leaves are cut and discarded in order to reach its hard, meaty core called the 'pina'. The pina is then cooked until pulped, fermented for a pre-designated period of time, pressed into liquid and distilled into tequila... Unfortunately, this is all I know about my favorite alcohol, but I sure hope it helps!
Posted by: Bipolar Christy | June 20th, 2008 at 7:22 pm