Early April at my Farm
The last time I posted an around the farm blog was on March 23rd. Looking back at that posting, one can see just how much has changed in less than two weeks. If you compare this year’s blogs to what was happening at the farm one year ago, it’s pretty apparent that we are a good three weeks ahead this spring. I find that rather disturbing, but I am relieved that things are growing so well. Now, unfortunately, we are in a dry spell and to keep things looking good, we must begin watering much earlier than usual.
1 My daffodil border, which extends a great distance along Maple Avenue bloomed very early this year - about three weeks early! These lovely blooms may be 'Fortissimo'.
2 Several different varieties were planted in large groupings along the border. This white one with its coral banded trumpet may be 'Pink Charm'.
3 And this bright yellow daffodil with this vibrant orange center is most likely 'Serola'.
4 The paddocks are turning greener by the day!
5 Empress Tang enjoys napping in bowls, but couldn't figure out how to get comfortable in this empty cement urn.
6 The Gravenstein espalier survived the winter splendidly.
7 The leaves and buds are numerous.
8 This bed of chionodoxa is such a striking shade of blue.
9 Chionodoxa, also called Glory-of-the-snow, come in blue, white, or pink.
10 These tall spiky objects are the emerging leaves of hosta.
11 And these fiddleheads are the unfurling fronds of the ostrich fern, which many people consider a spring delicacy.
12 You can practically see the peony beds growing taller.
13 The tree peonies, which do not die down to the ground in autumn are also growing extremely well.
14 The new growth of leaves also includes numerous flower buds, promising for a prolific yield.
15 The bright pink magnolias are in the process of flowering.
16 The blooms are such a pleasing shade of pink.
17 The weeping cherry is magnificent.
18 The allee of linden with its blue border in its early stages of flower
19 Anemone or Grecian Windflowers
20 A honeybee enjoying a chionodoxa forbesii ‘Blue Giant’
21 And beautiful muscari
22 The Japanese maple grove looks strong and healthy.
23 This colorful bark and bright green foliage belong to Acer palmatum 'Winter Flame'.
24 With foliage growing by the day, the willow groves are creating cool shade.
25 So much has grown in just one week! With its dramatic appearance and rounded, weeping shape, the willow is one of the fastest growing shade trees, growing up to 6-8 feet a year, or more!
26 The catkins, or flowers, of the willow
27 The larch is another fast-growing tree which, although a conifer, is a deciduous tree that drops its needle-like leaves in the autumn.
28 A closer look at those larch leaves beginning to grow
29 While driving around the farm, I spotted this Cooper Hawk. These are some of the world’s most skillful fliers that can tear through tightly knit tree canopies at high speed in pursuit of other birds.
30 I don't think that this little pond shed, which sits between the pond and Girdle Ridge, has ever been seen on this blog. I had the original shed rebuilt. It's where ice skaters can rest and warm up before going back onto the ice.
31 I have plans to landscape the pond with beautiful azalea bushes.
32 Another shed at the farm is situated deep in the woodland. The gardens around it are planted with all sorts of woodland specimens.
33 This is a corydalis, which this bumblebee is very fond of.
34 A nice shot of a verdant hayfield with the horse run in in the distance
35 The front entrance of the main greenhouse at the farm is surrounded by berry bushes and perennial beds.
36 Early blooming trout lilies are a cheerful sight in the perennial beds.
37 A very graceful flow with upturned petals
38 Another view of the greenhouse and head house
39 There is a lot of growth on these raspberry bushes.
40 The wetlands look great now that they've been cleaned out so well of all the overgrown brambles.
41 The vegetable garden has been laid out with neat, long raised beds.
42 We have plans for planting squash and pumpkins in this area. Chhiring is using a sod cutting machine to remove the grass from the new bed. It cuts the grass, with roots attached, into long strips.
43 Those strips of sod are then rolled up to be used elsewhere.
44 Phurba uses the flat edge of a garden spade to cut the strips into manageable sizes.
45 A sod cutter is a very handy tool!
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Wow! Amazing. Daf's are just barely up here! Can't wait to get to the country this weekend.
Posted by: Holiday Baker Man | April 5th, 2012 at 12:41 am
The farm is looking so spring-ish...Its always lovely to see the farm photos. Thanks for sharing Martha.
Posted by: mona c | April 5th, 2012 at 2:00 am
Hi Martha,
I love when you have pictures of the farm and Skylands on your blog. There is a lot of activity going on at the farm. I can't believe all those flowers are blooming and look so beautiful.
Karen
Posted by: Karen Tracy | April 5th, 2012 at 6:26 am
Your buttercup border is so warm and summery!
Posted by: Julie | April 5th, 2012 at 7:17 am
Looks like Spring has finally arrived..have you noticed the chem. trails in your pictures..those aren't clouds. See pics #35, #40, #41
Posted by: PAULINA | April 5th, 2012 at 7:34 am
I too think we have had an usual winter and spring and while we have had some rain we are still in a drought here in South Texas. Thanks for showing us updates of your farm Martha. Everything looks so nice and green! The weepng cherry is so lovely and thanks for including an update on the Allee of Linden, my favorite! I don't recall you showing us the little pond shed before, what a treat. I can't wait to see the progress of the squash and pumpkin garden!
Posted by: Cindy F | April 5th, 2012 at 8:30 am
What are all the little "sheds" and houses on your farm. What was the original intent for them.
Posted by: Phyllis | April 5th, 2012 at 9:17 am
So jealous of your blooms. The crows dug out all my bulbs.. all my new tulips and crocus. I have been here four years and they have left my first beds alone but the new beds I put in last year they went after. They eat the tulip bulbs and dig out the crocus and daffodils hoping they are tulip bulbs. When I tried to put them back into the soil they just come back and dig them out again.
Screening, or dipping the bulbs in something that won't taste good.. for next year I guess.
Posted by: Rachel | April 5th, 2012 at 9:45 am
Hi Martha,
Your daffodil border is always so beautiful. The ‘Pink Charm’ is really charming and the yellow ones are simply magnificent. My friends from Michigan have been talking about their daffodils too but I don’t think they plant quite as many as you have here. They need to email me some pictures! Everything looks so nice including your little fur ball Empress Tang. Cats do the cutest things. I’m so intrigued with all those little buildings you have on your farm which I’m sure are great for storage. I’m picturing a dinner party and you need a certain set of dishes – there goes Chhiring on the Kawasaki down to one of the sheds to get the right set! Don’t mind me; all I know is that you have a lot of dinnerware! Well, thanks for another great tour; I like the little trout lily too – it’s cute. Trish
Posted by: Trish | April 5th, 2012 at 9:55 am
Hi Martha, WOW! Your Bedford farm is looking more beautiful then ever! These photos are absolutely stunning and what a wonderful tour we get today! Sure wish it was drier here near Puget Sound and it's so soggy, I can't do any outdoor planting yet! Your daffodils are so beautiful and love seeing your bees on some of the flowers! The green paddocks make it look like summer already! Empress Tang looks so cute! All of the budding plants and trees look fabulous! Those emerging hostas look like asparagus! The ferns, peonies, magnolias, weeping cherry, etc., look so gorgeous and full of spring life! Photo #24 sure looks like summer! How fun to see that little pond shed, too! Can't wait to see the new landscaping around the pond! The vegetable garden looks so ready to plant-gorgeous! Love photos 42to45 about the lawn sodding by your crew guys-terrific! This was a beautiful tour-THANKS! Loved seeing you on the Today Show and how cute to see sweet Jude in her darling dress on yesterdays TV Show! Also. thanks for the video of your Mom and you making Hot Cross Buns-FANTASTIC! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | April 5th, 2012 at 10:20 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | April 5th, 2012 at 10:25 am
Wow, so different. I live over in England and awoke yesterday to thick snow!! Only last week I had been enjoying the warm sunshine whilst gardening and had to use sunscreen. Although the 'Daffs' had past their best the tulips were just emerging, fingers crossed some of them have survived. The weather dept had warned us but I didn't believe them as they informed us on Sunday - April Fool's Day!!!
Posted by: Sian | April 5th, 2012 at 11:22 am
You are so much further ahead than us in Vancouver, B.C. We are eagerly awaiting this weekend. The forcast is sunshine and above 15C. I can't wait to get out in the yard and start cleaning and digging etc. You place, as usual looks so amazing! The blossoms, the trees, how exciting that spring has sprung at your place. I do wonder what kind of a summer we all are going to have. Thanks Martha so much for all your pics about your farm! (my most favorite place and my favorite posts..the farm)
Posted by: Frances | April 5th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
The daffodils are beautiful. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Posted by: homer | April 5th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
It's amazing to see the photos of your farm. I love to see the ones of riding, horses are my favorite animals.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Posted by: Maria Lúcia Guerra | April 5th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Lovely and i so adore Spring gardens. We are a good 2 weeks or so behind here in Vancouver, BC...the hyacinths and daffodils are just now starting to put on a show. The Cherry Blossoms are late, too, but are now showing off their gorgeous pink frothiness! Let the blooming begin!
Posted by: Sherey | April 5th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
De ensueño esta granja le felicito, pertenezco al hemisferio sur, por lo tanto entraremos a invierno pero viva la primavera, a través de estas imágenes se puede evocar el calor de la época festivalera. que este bien.
Posted by: Ana Maria Silva | April 5th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
We are experiencing the same early Spring in Colorado. The trees here normally bud in a specific sequence, some in late March and others in early to mid April. All budded last week, and the pollen counts were off the charts.The weather is dry and wildfires have started. It has been a strange year all over the country.
Posted by: Renee | April 5th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
This makes my heart skip a beat! Peony Heaven! Can't wait to see them in full bloom! Thanks for sharing!! Happy Easter everyone!
Posted by: Jennifer | April 6th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Love the attention to detail-such beautifully well planned and this blue is fabulous
Posted by: Valarie | April 6th, 2012 at 11:43 am
Ohh, I love spring, it's the most beautiful season of the year
Big hugs from Poland!
Posted by: Ana | April 8th, 2012 at 10:29 am
Martha, you must receive such joy in your farm which is kept in tip top condition year round. You are so blessed with the capacity to keep it so. My acre is overwhelming to me because it is only me to do the work!
Posted by: Brenda Knowlton | April 9th, 2012 at 12:51 am
Hi Martha, your farm really inspires me. I really enjoy looking at your property in hopes of being able to implement some of your ideas. I am just wondering; you have so many trees and other plantings; do you not have a problem with deer there ? I have deer and am afaid to plant with fear they will just eat everything.
Any adive appreciated.
k.m
Posted by: Katherine Morrow | April 17th, 2012 at 12:57 pm