1 It was planting time again in Maine. The Skylands cracked ice terrace looked bleak even though the perennials in the beds around the house are growing nicely. None of the large planters had been planted and we looked forward to a busy Memorial Day weekend.

2 The Western Terrace was equally bleak. All the Eric Soderholdz bowls were lined with plastic, drains cut, and shards of pottery put over the holes. The bowls were then filled with good potting soil - a mix of sterile soil, very well rotted leaf mold, and compost.

3 I chose many different kinds of pants for this year's planting. These large plants are wintered over in Bedford at the farm, in a large plastic hoop house. They were carefully loaded in a covered trailer and driven to Maine.

4 Birds nest ferns, stag horn ferns, alocasias, big agaves, and many filler succulents and small trailing plants were taken to Maine. We had also wintered over many ferns and colocasias in Maine, where we have a small greenhouse.

5 The scaffolding is up for a gutter repair. As in most of the northeast, Seal Harbor was badly affected by the long, cruel, icy, snowy winter. A large portion of the house gutter fell, pulled down by the weight of the heavy ice dams on the roof.

6 This bleak landscape photo was taken looking out of the dining room window.

7 Our crop of alocasia is kept in soil, in plastic pots, and watered sparingly during the winter. Once planted, watered, and fed, they will grow into full glory.

8 The giant, heavy Soderholz planters (reinforced concrete from the 1920s), are now planted with a large silver-blue agave, lots of echevaria, and dichondra.

9 The stone trough I purchased last year at Trade Secrets is now filled with bi-colored agave, all three-year-old off-shoots from the parent plant.

10 A better view of the trough

11 These are some of the succulents that were rooted over the winter from cuttings and pups.

12 The pink Soderholz bowls are now planted with a giant birds nest fern, purple oxalis, and trailing dichondra - much of it saved from last year.

13 My precious old planters - French, but date unknown, are planted with stag horn ferns. They will fill out nicely in the shade of the western terrace.

14 The lady, La Riviere by Aristide Maillol, had her winter shelter removed and is awaiting her mossy bed to turn green and cozy.

15 I love these faux bois planters.

16 They are now filled with agave and lysimachia.

17 Another massive planter - one of a pair

18 This is the other.

19 Mike filled in beds with alocasia and calocasia roots, which will thrive in the warmth and sun of the southern terrace.

20 It's not easy dealing with giant, prickly agave plants. One must be careful of one's eyes, face, and skin.

21 There are beds descending with the stairways to the lower path. Those beds are now filled with alocasia.

22 The vines on the retaining walls and the house are ancient actinidia, which are small kiwi. This great, fast-growing, sturdy vine is fruit producing.

23 New Jersey blueberry bushes edge the lower grassy garden off of the yoga room.

24 Carlos, my driver, got in on the act. He loves learning about plants and planting.

25 Fernando also helped. He filled in around the roots of all the plants.

26 Ryan supervises all of the planting with me. I generally design and plan what goes where and Ryan makes it happen. I also purchase the new plants, and add to my collections.

27 Sharkey and Francesca are always involved in the action.

28 There's nothing to eat on the terrace, but maybe Gretchen will bring us some croissants and cappuccino?

29 Other bowls were filled with bromeliads and alocasia.

30 Unfortunately, we had a major problem with the outdoor water supply. Air got into the line and we had to get a compressor to blow out the lines. That took seven hours!!!!!!

31 A ponytail palm looks great in the lead planter.

32 Wild ginger and hosta are thriving.

33 This terrace will be so beautiful in a couple of weeks.

34 This is a view from my terrace looking over Seal Harbor and Sutton's Island in the near distance.

35 Golden lysimachia is great for under planting. As it grows, it spreads and trails over the edge of the pot.

36 After a good sweeping and sprinkling, the terrace began to look pretty. It will be much more lush in a few weeks.

37 Kalanchoe, lotus vine, and dichondra all go well together in planters.

38 Even the back porch now looks a bit more summery with ferns and planters ready to burgeon.

39 Several begonias were used to fill the big planter on the main staircase.

40 This is the same view of Seal Harbor as from Skylands terrace but from a property at a lower elevation.