My recent photos of the plantings in my urns
Last spring, I posted a blog about planting my urns at Skylands, my home in Maine. I am happy to report that those urns grew successfully and I now have some recent photos to show you. I also have new pictures of some very different plantings taken at my home in East Hampton. Those urns also did extremely well. Sadly, it's the end of the growing season and time to empty the plant material and store both plants and urns for the winter.
1 This monumental Eric Soderholtz planter was created before 1930, in Gouldsboro Maine. I found the pot in an antiques store in Maine - Bob Withington's. It was planted in June with exotics including giant alocasia and succulents.
2 A closer ciew of the same pot - there are two on my terrace.
3 A Gertrude Jekyll-type pot filled with oversize succulents - They were planted in June, and by Sept/Oct had attained a very good size.
4 An early Eric Soderholz planter filled with succulents, aloe, and cordyline - One of a pair, this large bowl sits on a wall of my terrace at Skylands.
5 The same pot - different view
6 The same pot - different view
7 The mate to the former pot - set in front of a kiwi vine climbing on my house.
8 Another shallow cement planter filled with well-grown plants
9 A beautiful faux bois urn with a single planting
10 The garden at Lily Pond reaches it peak - when? In October! The turquoise blue pots, collected over the years, were planted with several varieties of alocasia. The ones in the back are giagantic this year, underplanted with caladiums and dicohndra.
11 This alocasia is smaller in height but the very beautiful fabric-like leaves are highly defined with many shades of green.
12 The pool perimeter pots were planted with scented geraniums and kalanchoe.
13 The pool perimeter pots were planted with scented geraniums and kalanchoe.
14 Two kalanchoes in one pot - the pockets are planted with small succulents.
15 This is one of the pockets.
16 Caladiums from Home Depot grew very well, as did the dicondra, which was tiny in June, when we planted it.
17 These plants are almost nine feet tall!
18 A view of one pot with a hydrangea pee gee in the distance
19 The pool is surrounded with bluestone and brick, on which we can set the big planted pots. The pee gees are a welcome shade of mauve this time of year.
Oh Martha - stunning is the only word I can think of - simply stunning.
So glad you told us about the 9 foot tall one - I am now even more amazed - as I would not have guessed that height from the picture, so now know the others must be the same.
Thank you again for all the wonderful pictures you share with us!
Posted by: Donna Olson | October 14th, 2009 at 12:58 am
Martha,
Your urns at Skylands are absolutely beautiful. The variety and placement of the urns at Skylands are breathtaking. Funny how the plants just bloom so well and then you have to get them ready for our winter!
Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Betty | October 14th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Hi Martha!
I love the fact that you have a house in Maine, I've never been there but what I've seen in pictures it looks really nice! In the fall, and winter!
When my boyfriend went to New York (we're from Sweden) I made him take a photo of your big poster. So now, every time I start my computer you are my background. "good things, big ideas, martha" it really makes me happy!
Posted by: Christopher | October 14th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Amazing collections of urns and plants. The pee gees Hydrangea are beautiful.
Martha, I would love to see your indoor plants.
Good Luck
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | October 14th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Hi Martha,
I am from the Philippines and Ilove reading your articles. I will have this page link to my site.thanks.
jo
http://www.mybestpartofeveryday.blogspot.com
Posted by: jo sta. rosa | October 14th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Did you know you were the inspiration for Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona's Harvest? He says so: http://bit.ly/raRc6
Posted by: Virginia | October 14th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Sadly is an understatement and we all (in northern climates) feel the same.
Posted by: Margie | October 14th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Martha, Lily Pond blows my mind everytine I see pictures of it. I must get to East Hampton one of these days. The blue stone and turquoise pots and just so inspiring.
Thank you again for sharing.
Posted by: Wanda | October 14th, 2009 at 10:41 am
A feast for the eyes! I wish I had a smidgen of all the big urns you have and walled terraces to put them on. I really like the faux bois urn. I remember the show when you introduced us to faux bois furniture. You took us on a field trip to see a guy make benches and tables I think – it’s been awhile and there were a lot of wonderful field trips since! Your pool looks great also with all the urns around it. You must have a real careful pool service guy! I have to keep an eye on ours as well as the lawn man who likes to drag a chemical saturated hose across the pool. I don’t know what they would do with a lot of urns in their path! Thanks again, Martha for sharing your beautiful pictures. Trish
Posted by: Trish | October 14th, 2009 at 10:47 am
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Very happy to visit your 'plant museum!'
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Posted by: andreaandweims on Twitter | October 14th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Gorgeous urns. These would look so cool with giant pumpkin towers in them for Halloween!!!!
Posted by: Jenny | October 14th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
-- A cemetery near my home has lg. hydrangea pee gees & one or two faux bois markers. Cemetery provides respite from traffic 365 days, & I detour through it often while traveling "au pied" to downtown. Surface is kinder than sidewalk. --
Posted by: Mina I. | October 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
As always, Martha,your touch brings simple things to life with artistry and music in the soul.
Posted by: Morning Star | October 14th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
WOW! The Lily Pond plantings are stunning!
Posted by: Lynn from For Love or Funny | October 14th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Beautiful photo's on this web site. I really miss your show. Having a dial up connection to the internet makes it impossible to see the show on line:(
I no longer receive the Martha Stewart Show from our cable company, East Link, here in Killarney Ontario Canada. I tried to call the network as the cable company said it was not their choice to change this show on this season's guide.
Can you help me to find out what happened?
Marlene
Posted by: MARLENE | October 14th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I would venture to say that you had frost last evening, both in Maine AND in New York! We had a threat, here in Maryland, but ol' 'Jack' didn't prevail last evening (YET!)
~
Your various urns are just lovely, Martha, and that pool of yours! (at Skylands) - absolutely beautiful! My caladiums are (have been!) declining, and my hostas are yellowing now. Big sigh! The Virginia creeper that I allow (and actually like) and keep in-bounds is beautiful scarlet red. I DO NOT know where summer has gone, and everyone I speak with agrees! I CANNOT believe that it's this time of the year again! I'm usually never ready to let go of summer, despite all the mowing, birdbath-filling and pot-watering (both a nightly vigil [that I have performed without fail since late April!]) I am tired! There's so much more to accomplish, though!
~
To everything there is a season, I guess...
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=^..^=
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"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not."--RalphWaldoEmerson
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | October 14th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Haste makes waste!
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I tho't these photos were of Skylands. (I could've SWORN that pool - No! it IS Lily Pond's pool!) [thinking out loud...]
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(I was in a hurry tonite. I apologize! Really!)
~
=^..^=
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | October 14th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Hi Martha, These photos are absolutely breathtaking. I've looked at them several times already and I just love them and would love to see them in person. Your beautiful planters are the best I have ever seen. Your choice of plantings are fantastic and bring out the beauty of each planter. How and where will you store them for the winter? Loved your show again today-terrific guests. Congratulations on connecting with Sandals. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | October 14th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Oh Martha, succulents always make me smile! When I was very young, my mother, who was often ahead of her time, planted succulent groupings on our patio using pottery she had made herself.
I still have a thumbprint pot of hers, and plant it with succulents as my homage to her and her creative spirit, that lives on in me and my children.
Your blog has been an inspiration...so much that I started my own. It's so much fun and helps me see everyhing in a new light.
Posted by: Rhonda | October 15th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Martha,
Your plantings are beautiful, of course. You always find amazing planters and urns. I currently am on a search for attractive, decorative orchid pots, and let me tell you... they are not easy to find.
Would you have any suggestions for vendors or manufacturers that can be accessed online?
Posted by: Leslie | October 20th, 2009 at 11:44 am
For Leslie -
You can find great orchid pots at Guy Wolff Pottery. http://www.guywolff.com
Posted by: Martha Stewart | October 20th, 2009 at 12:17 pm