Logee's comes to visit
Last Monday, Byron and Laurelynn Martin of Logee's , came to visit my farm in Bedford. Logee's is located in Danielson, Connecticut way up in the Northeastern corner of that state. I have been purchasing plants from their catalog for many years and you may recall seeing Byron as a guest on my television show, sharing his extensive knowledge of tropical plants for the home and garden. Logee's has been in business since 1892, with a focus on the exotic and unusual. And a visit to their greenhouses is a wondrous and enchanting experience.
1 Byron Martin, Shaun, and Laurelynn Martin
2 Byron was very helpful in the greenhouse explaining to Shaun how to get rid of various plant pests.
3 For example, this palmate begonia has mealy bug and spraying it with insect growth regulator will stop the pest's reproduction.
4 Byron looked for other problems throughout the greenhouse.
5 This blue streptocarpus flower attracts a type of harmful flying insect. Thankfully, these flowers are clean.
6 In fact, Byron was quite impressed with how well all the plants are doing.
7 Shaun was so happy listening to Byron's wealth of information.
8 Laurelynn admiring jasmine flowers
9 She likes to float the flowers in a pitcher of water in the refrigerator overnight to infuse the water with their wonderful flavor.
10 Shaun has been rooting these succulents.
11 Byron and Laurlynn drove from Northeastern Connecticut bearing gifts.
12 This is a T.R. Hovey dwarf papaya.
13 Byron counted seventeen papayas on this tree!
14 The leaves are amazingly patterned.
15 Shaun was thrilled with this box of tropical specimens.
16 Laurelynn brought a copy of their book, Container Plants. They've been busy working on a new book about tropical fruits in containers.
17 Byron loved how I planted these Kenneth Lynch urns.
18 He explained that the flowers of this purple pepper attract beneficial insects into the garden.
19 He also admired the yard-long beans growing on this support.
20 Hello, grasshopper on a rhubarb leaf!
21 Laurelynn was impressed with these elderberries and recalled her mother-in-law, Joy Logee Martin's wonderful tea.
22 A cup of Joy - elder flower (she called it elder blo), lemon verbena, minty green tea (a blend of green tea, black tea and mint) - steep loose tea mixture - serve at 4:00 pm with clover honey
23 Shaun and Byron sharing a laugh in the equipment barn.
24 They stopped to admire the paddock fencing and the stable beyond.
25 Then Byron and Laurelynn met up with me - I had been busy with a photo shoot elsewhere on the farm.
26 I asked the photographer to join us in the greenhouse and take some photos of this extraordinary begonia.
27 This is begonia paulenisi - spiderweb begonia - which had never blossomed before.
28 A closeup of the unusual flower.
Byron and Laurelynn were so kind to present me with a gorgeous papaya tree and brought Shaun, my gardener, a collection of amazing plants, including:
Dionaea muscipula, Nepenthes ventricosa, Drosera adelae, Pinguicula pimuliflora, Drosera spathulata, Stapelia scitula, Stapelia variegata, Osmanthus fragrans fundingzhu, Philodendron gloriosum, Osmanthus fragrans, Piper magnificum, Piper nigrum, Grevillea thelemanniana, Stapelia flavopororea, Senecio rowleyanus, Philodendron 'congo rojo', Kalanchoe pumila, Stapelia gigantean, Philodendron 'pink princess', Vanilla planifolia variegatum, and Strongolodon macrobotrys.
Hi Martha!
WOW! Beautiful collection of plants. The Begonia paulensis looks amazing, also love the way you planted the Kenneth Lynch urns. The papaya tree is so gorgeous.
Everything looks amazing and So inspiring!
Bonne chance!
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | October 1st, 2009 at 6:27 am
How did my grasshopper end up on your rhubarb leaf?!
Sounds like you had a terrific visit with the nice people from Logee's.
Posted by: Lynn from For Love or Funny | October 1st, 2009 at 8:04 am
Definately wish I had people of this caliber near our home in the south... would save a great deal of lost tropicals!
Posted by: The Blushing Hostess | October 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am
Dear Martha, thanks to twitter I read your tweet to watch you live on Todayshow. I watched you on Orbit news1 Live from Kuwait it was around 3:30 p.m our time. You look great as usual.
Thank you for the Halloween recipes and ideas, you are such an inspiration.
Good luck
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | October 1st, 2009 at 9:31 am
love love love begonias, spiderweb begonia is phenomenal, tk u
Posted by: Charmayne | October 1st, 2009 at 10:30 am
How funny a grasshopper. Did he (she) live to see another leaf?
Posted by: Margie | October 1st, 2009 at 11:25 am
It was sheer delight getting more acquainted with Byron and Laurelynn Logee today! I've been familiar with Logee's for manymany years, and I'm sure they were especially pleased to visit your greenhouse and grounds and to find them in such good order. (Maybe this was one visit of several...) I know that Shaun was in his glory, too, with the Logees' 'speaking his language' (garden-talk!). [giggle]
~
This summer, I have reallyREALLY been tuned in to my surroundings nature-wise. I have just loved all the bee activity goings-on (yes, even yellow jacket colonies hosted in salt-glazed pottery birdhouses ['cept when I got stung] )... This past Sunday afternoon at my clothesline, something awkward and gangly slowly flew by me, and I saw it was a praying mantis...I smiled. These little free gifts in nature bring me such joy! (And) there's so much MORE, if we just take the time to watch, listen, learn, become familiar...
~
You know...Shaun and the Logees' would've been speaking my language, too!
~
Autumn blessings!
=^..^=
~
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."--Matthew 5:5
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | October 1st, 2009 at 11:29 am
Logee's is an amazing place! Any plant lover should make an effort to stop here if passing through/near the "Quiet Corner" of Connecticut. A truly unique experience coupled with a friendly, very knowledgeable staff. I know this probably sounds like a corny ad, but this place is very cool. An oasis of tranquility and beauty. Sometimes, I stop in just for a breather from hectic life. Check it out.
Posted by: Don Taylor | October 1st, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Hi Martha,
I too am amazed at the plants Byron and Laurelynn brought for you and Shaun - amazed that anyone was able to spell the names! If you tested me tomorrow, I might remember Philodendron 'pink princess', maybe. Well, as long as you and Shaun are happy with them because that was a very generous gift.
~
Your greenhouse plants are so beautiful; I wish I had a few of them but they are safer with you! Thanks for a nice blog. Trish
Posted by: Trish | October 1st, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Hi Martha, Thanks for another fabulous blog about gardening. I think Byron Logee is one of the best gardners there is and it is always fun to see him on your TV show anytime. How great that he and his lovely wife were able to visit your fantastic farm. I could tell Shaun was enjoying himself tremendously. Your photos were stunning. I thought the girls were going to be on your show today, but maybe you meant Friday. Your presents on the Today show was really great today. I got an ad for ORTHO ecosense brand indoor insect killer in the mail today. It had an "As seen on Martha" as well as a visit their website info to "watch Martha's advise for killing annoying insects with Ortho EcoSense Brand. I have some and it worked very well. Are you going to have Francesca and Sharkey's harnesses, etc. on sale at PetSmart soon?! I sure hope so. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | October 1st, 2009 at 11:18 pm
.
Unusual? Let's see -- I've got a couple of Ironwood trees. Do you have anything to say about this muscular trunked beauty?
.
Posted by: http://andyjspencer.blogspot.com/ | October 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 am
Those begonias were amazing and I especially loved the lush planting in those beautiful urns.
Posted by: Pam from Indiana | October 2nd, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I wanted to comment on the story about the Herb Fair, if it isn't too late?
On behalf of the members of the New York Unit, thank you so very much for joining us, and for sharing those wonderful pictures. You captured the spirit of our Fair so beautifully -- all but the wonderful herbal fragrance that fills the tent and gives the day such character. Please come again next year! Gratefully, Susan Littlefield, New York Unit, Herb Society of America
p.s Cathie Gottschalk is the missing name (she made the little baskets of herbs); and Ruth Robertson is our Unit's oldest member and our Historian as well as our mustard maven. I am not sure if she is the oldest member of the entire Herb Society!
Posted by: Susan Littlefield | October 2nd, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Hi Martha
I'm not a twitter person or whatever you call them but I did see what you posted on your website. YES I would purchase items for my dogs if you started a pet line. I've been blogging that since day one on the Daily Wag - it would be a gold mine. I'm always buying things for my 4 dogs and would love it if you started a F & S line someplace. Zoe is my Frenchie who blogs with the girls everyday. In fact she is sitting on my lap right now while I type this comment.
Go for it - you'll make money!!!!
Posted by: Ann | October 2nd, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I'm not a huge fan of begonias but that spiderweb variety you have was absolutely phenomenal.
I'm checking Amazon.com for that book about container plants.
Posted by: Norbie | October 3rd, 2009 at 10:39 am
Great show, you are licky to be surrounded with such loyal staff. My tools don't look like his. Can you do a show for us disabled gardeners? How to set up to be able to get to all sides to weed etc. I'm in a wheelchair.
Posted by: Roswitha Knight | October 3rd, 2009 at 11:12 am
There is nothing like a trip to logees itself, the plants are awesome, and they never seem to mind that I walk through and take pictures of their almost unbelievble plants and flowers, and sometimes am even too broke to buy anything as I am laid off. It is a flower, and plant fairyland and worth the trip to New England to go there for nothing more than a walk through their garden itself.
Posted by: jude skowyra | October 7th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I visited Logee's last summer, after seeing Byron on your show. What a fascinating place! I am just about to become a certified Master Gardener, and some of my co-trainees and I are are planning a trip out to see Logee's in the spring - I can't wait.
Posted by: Cathy Keyser | October 7th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Love Logee's. love Martha Stewart. Good to see them both together.
Posted by: Jeanette Bush | October 7th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Hi i am living in Alaska and did purchase some plants from you. But cause of the weather and cold season my plants are not living. I am keen to buy some of your hearb plants again but i need advice when i keep them indoors witht he plant light is there anything else which i need to take care of to avoid them dying. Its sad. Please help.
Posted by: Christine | October 7th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I have many plants from Logee's that have been given to me as gifts. It is fun to see them go wild in our area. I live in the Tampa Florida area. This area is also known as the Kumquat capital. Judith Groomes Land O' Lakes Florida
Posted by: Judith Groomes | October 7th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Hi Martha
I have many plants that I bought from logee's
I'm having problem with them,with millebugs,I live in Mass,I also have a lot of fruit trees in container but cant get tham to do anything I have avocado,mango and papaya and lots of citruis but noe of tham are barring fruits any
help will be so apreciate,oh I love cactus I have lots of epies
Posted by: Josette Porcena | October 8th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Hi Martha,
Many of the plants in my collection are from Logee's as well. Your collection of plants is awesome and all appear to be thriving. I don't know if you're growing any taro's but I have one named after me.This plant is in tissue culture with Agristarts in Apopka, Fl. It's an awesome plant with many different leaf forms and is truly the most beautiful of the tarros. It's botanical name is Colocasia esculenta nancyana 'Nancy's Revenge'. It is, however, cold tender and requires protection. Would love to know who the manuf. of your greenhouse is and what type of benches you're using. I'm planning to buy a house in Orlando, Fl and erect a greenhouse. You'rs looks perfect for my rare plant collection. Feel free to contact me re nancyana for info on cultivation. I may construct a website in the future.
Posted by: Nancy C. McDaniels | October 8th, 2009 at 11:34 am