Join me in the garden
I found some precious time the other day to plant a couple of urns at my farm in Bedford. Several years ago, I purchased two magnificent Kenneth Lynch and Sons pots at an auction when Kenneth Lynch was still in operation in Wilton, Connecticut and I was still living at Turkey Hill in Westport. The urns are cast concrete, a formula which no one has figured out. I placed the stately urns in my herb garden behind the barn there and planted them with evergreens. This proved to be a mistake, as the evergreen roots caused one of the urns to split. Fortunately, the broken pot was repaired and now I plant nothing but tender perennials in them. They are emptied in the autumn and are covered over for the winter.
i came across your blog, and i have to say i found your blog very interesting and i found myself going through all your pictures. i am working on a blog too. trying to have a blog about foods, i will let you know when i think my blog is worth reading. so for now i will just let you get back to your work. thank you and keep up the great work!
Posted by: robert capazzi | May 29th, 2009 at 1:40 am
Urns - what a fantastic vehicle to planting your favorite herbs or flowers! Makes a statement and add that extra "bling" to any backyard. Great job Martha!
Posted by: Lisa | May 29th, 2009 at 1:42 am
Martha-
Here in Texas- Bedford Texas no less- there are many mom's and pop's companies which make pre-cast concrete items. It would be cost prohibitive to ship to your area but many of us drive to East Texas and are very pleased with the pots and other landscape items these small companies produce. Enjoy your blog.
Posted by: Meg | May 29th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Hi Martha!
Last week I went to the nurseries and saw beautiful collection of Fern Urns very classical and elegant pots made of resin and marble dust, very heavy.
At my parents summer house in the mountains they have beautiful pieces of very old large urns that are placed in the gardens part of the landscape design. So beautiful!
Love the combination of plants you planted in the urns. Very inspiring.
God bless
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | May 29th, 2009 at 5:36 am
Hi Martha
I have to agree with you 100% about being happy when working in the garden. I refer to it as my therapy, it makes me very happy. My husband thinks I'm crazy because after a totally stressed out day yesterday I came home and cut the grass before I prepared dinner. I felt much better
Ann
Posted by: Ann | May 29th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Magnificent urns. I love the plant varieties you planted, perfect combination. My peony have just started to bud. Thank you for the tip!
Posted by: Julie | May 29th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Hi Martha
I have to agree with you 100% about being happy when working in the garden. I refer to it as my therapy, it makes me very happy. My husband thinks I'm crazy because after a totally stressed out day yesterday I came home and cut the grass before I prepared dinner. I felt much better
Ann
P.S. - Sorry, forgot to tell you great post!
Posted by: Ann | May 29th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Hi Martha,
Those urns are huge! And beautiful!
I didn't know that 'Rhode Island Red' was a name given to anything other than chickens. 'Learn something new everyday', you always say!
I'm curious as to why no one has figured out how to make the urns, is that right? You mean no one knows what they're made of, or know one knows how to replicate the design, or the process?
They look like they have a little Georgia red clay in them but I know little to nothing about concrete. Maybe it's some kind of dye.
Anyway, I'm so glad you got to do some planting and I'm sure you had one of the crew level that one urn in pic #1...Ha! It's the Virgo in me..."It's not straight!"
Have a wonderful weekend!
Posted by: tinay | May 29th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Really gorgeous urns. Who is the maker?
Posted by: Maggie | May 29th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I want a Shaun.
I too, love the attitude adjustment time in the garden gives me. It fixes me.
Posted by: Amy Lomasney | May 29th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Hi Martha please keep the pics coming. I love your plants and flowers. All your gardens are lovely. I get many ideas from you. You are such a busy woman. I don't know how you get to all the different functions you attend and still do all the other choirs. I follow you on Twitter and always look forward to your post. I feel like I know you now, thanks to Twitter.
Posted by: Linda | May 29th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Good Morning Martha
Just a note to say I'm looking forward to seeing your Peony photos. I grew up in Michigan and our back yard was loaded with them. I sure wish I could grow them here in AZ.
Have a great Friday!
Mary
Posted by: Mary in AZ | May 29th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Martha,
I've just begun reading your blog and I love it! It's so enjoyable looking at the pictures you include with your posts.
I love the huge urns that you have!
My grandmother instilled me with a love of gardening. I live in the city now, but I've managed to build a small plot in my backyard for gardening. Gardening makes me happy too!
Kathryn
Posted by: Overwhelmed With Joy! | May 29th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Hi Martha,
I yearn for urns like yours! I especially like the one you have in the middle of the yard at East Hampton which I suppose is still there. I need a focal point like that in my yard or maybe just more trees. I've been planting too; it's my favorite thing to do. Maybe that's why I'm usually quite relaxed! Have a great day and weekend too! Trish
Posted by: Trish | May 29th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Join me in the garden?...why, I'd be delighted!
For starters, what a beautiful day you had! Your urns are gigantic, Martha! They look like they hold a lot of dirt! (Do you fill in the bottoms with other 'faux' materials to take up some space?) I'm glad they were repairable, as it would've been a real shame if the one would've had to've been scrapped.
Like you, I too am happy when I'm in the garden. ('Garden' [to me] simply translates into 'anywhere outside, in the yard') I enjoy mowing and trimming, but when all that is done on its weekly schedule, I especially love then to do the detail work - grooming my plants and feeding them, tending to my birdbaths and feeders, all the while tuning in to my feathered friends' voices and the squirrels overhead at play. Oh, it nurtures my soul so!
Thanks for that little tip regarding thinning peony buds. I wish their blossoms weren't so short-lived (those, and irises!)
=^..^=
"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful."--Abram Linwood Urban
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | May 29th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Lovely urns Martha...and, yes, being in the garden and planting things is such a happy thing to do!
Thanks for the good peony tip...i sometimes forget to snip the smallish ones. So while it's fresh in my mind i will be doing this today.
Hope your weekend is filled with good garden things to do.
Posted by: sherey | May 29th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
My heavens, Martha: that's not an urn-it's a house! It's quite lovely and I can't wait to see the plants all grown up.
Posted by: jackie | May 29th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I am loving the dark foliage theme here. I am also starting to appreciate "black" foliage. Here in L.A., drought-friendly options like Aeonium schwartkopf would work well. Your love of urns is also inspiring--those shots of the agaves in those stately urns changed my whole view of agaves. thanks as always!
Posted by: kate | May 29th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Hi Martha, What a glorious blog on a sunny day about you planting beautiful perennials in those fantastic urns!! You sure look like you are having a great time. How relaxing!! I have been doing a lot of outdoor planting and repotting in various containers since the weather has improved to almost summer like lately. My favorite pots are the ones I got at K Mart. Unfortunately they are running out of your garden products. Will you ever have any available elsewhere?! I hope!! I hope!! I love your urns. How tall are they? I would estimate 3 feet or more. Thanks again for sharing. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | May 29th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
join me in MY garden! it needs a little help--and i have anything but a green thumb.
Posted by: Absolutely Not Martha | May 29th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
What is so addicting about garden is how it brings freshness and change to daily living. Flowers bloom, fade and are replaced by something new giving us constant variation on a theme.
I posted photos of the flowers in my gardens on my blog too.
http://potsnpies.blogspot.com
Posted by: Clayvessel | May 29th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Martha,
I just pray that I look as good as you, a "few" years from now!!! You look MAAAAVALOUS!!!!
Also, love the aqua gardening gloves. Are they from your line at K-Mart?
Have a great weekend,
Kimberly in N.J.
Posted by: Kim in Jersey | May 29th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
There's nothing like planting a container garden!
Posted by: Tamara | May 29th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Beautiful planted urns,stand sentinel to the veggie plot.
These two giants,silently say,look what we've got.
Planted by Martha's green thumb,we will look so grand
Our soil caressed by her own dear hand.
The purple plant Eucomis,with slightly ruffled edges,
aka "Rhode Island Red" with three foot leaves like ledges.
Jagged leaf plant, in and out this mini maze
Why it's Melianthus major, the "purple haze".
Felted foliage,green on top with purple undersides
Brought from Maine,the favorite Kalanchoe,hides
Around the ornamental pepper,Capsicum black pearl
Bright orange/red coleus, with yellow highlights twirl.
That captivating smile and peony tip from our enchantress
Nip the smallest bud,she says,to relieve the blooming stress.
And you may be sure,that late of night
Wee whisperers,hidden from mortal sight
Will do their dance,by light of moon
And stand in defiance,of some laughing loon.
They kindly add the peace and cheerful sound
We share,when in a garden we are found.
Posted by: celia stock | May 29th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I think I remember when you bought those urns. It was on your show, wasn't it? You went to the place where they were made.
Posted by: Elise | May 30th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Gorgeous urns! How you have tucked them amongst the peonies is very clever. They will be striking when the the peonies are displaying their fragrant, voluptuous blooms!
Happy gardening!
Debbykay at Rose Cottage Gardens and Farm
Posted by: Debbykay at Rose Cottage Gardens and Farm | May 31st, 2009 at 10:54 am
Thank you for sharing your garden an being such an inspiration in my life!!! I would be HONORED if you took a peak at my blog and some of the burlap crafts I've been working on in my etsy store: http://www.coastline.etsy.com
I know it's such a long shot to get noticed by you, but I thought I'd give it a try. Have a wonderful weekend!!!!
Bless,
Grace
Posted by: Grace Sorensen | May 31st, 2009 at 1:32 pm