Planting a pineutum, an arboretum of pine trees and other conifers, provides shelter and nesting sites for small birds, and continuous, year-round interest and greenery in the landscape.
I started my pineutum about 20 years ago, and every year I try to add a few more specimens like pines, junipers, spruces, cypresses, etc. in a variety of sizes and forms. Yesterday, my outdoor grounds crew planted a handful of pines, including Japanese varieties Pinus parviflora 'Tanima no yuki' and Pinus parviflora 'Bergman.'
Enjoy these photos.
Whenever I am home and have time, I enjoy visiting my favorite nurseries to see what’s in stock and what interesting specimens I can bring home. Among my go-to sources is Hardscrabble Farms, a wholesale dealer that specializes in native species, ornamental conifers, and perennials in Westchester County, New York.
Once I get them home, I take them to where they will be planted right away. When developing a garden, it’s a good idea to plant a little at a time, so one knows what grows well and what doesn’t – it takes careful planning and patience.
Because pines are evergreens, they provide year-round shade and shelter. Their dense, needle-covered branches also act as effective windbreaks in the garden, reducing wind chill in winter and blocking the hot summer sun.
Phurba starts by digging the hole at least twice the size of the plant.
He also makes sure the plant will sit at the proper depth. Any tree or shrub should be planted “bare to the flare,” meaning do not bury above its flare, where the first main roots attach to the trunk. The roots need oxygen to grow. By placing the root flare at or slightly above ground level when planting gives the specimen the best chance for survival and growth.
And always remember to sprinkle generous amounts of food. I use Miracle-Gro Organic All Purpose Plant Food. It’s good for both outdoor container and in-ground plants and feeds for up to three-months.
Using a hori hori Japanese knife, Phurba scarifies the root ball, meaning he makes intentional cuts along the side to stimulate growth. I do this with all new plants before they are placed in the ground.
He also teases the roots on the bottom. Scarifying the root ball also helps with nutrient absorption by loosening the roots and allowing them to expand into the new soil.
Next, Phurba places the pine into the hole and checks that it is straight. Step away and see how it looks before backfilling.
Phurba positions it so its best side is facing the carriage road – this is what will be seen so take time to place it perfectly.
Finally, Phurba backfills.
Phurba uses the other side of the shovel to tamp down on the soil to establish good contact between the root ball and the soil.
And then rakes the area, so it is neat and tidy.
It will thrive in this area under the partial shade of my weeping willows.
Each new planting gets a good watering – about 10-seconds. It had also rained the night before, so the soil was already wet.
Pine trees provide shelter for birds, squirrels, and other small wildlife. The cones are also a nutritious food source for many animals.
Pine needles always grow in clusters. The amount varies by species, but most often there are about three to five needles per bundle. These needles are the evergreen leaves of the tree.
As a serious and passionate gardener, I am always looking for ways to add more beauty and texture to all my garden beds. This area is really filling in so nicely.
Everything grows well because of the excellent soil which I amend often with nutrient rich compost, made here at the farm, and organic fertilizer.
Many of these plants are young and small now, but they already provide such wonderful textures, color contrasts, and interesting growing habits to this space.
Sometimes a garden simply needs a complete redesign - to incorporate fresh new plants and to revitalize the space.
Earlier this year, I decided to transform what was previously my lilac allée. This area also had many roses, so my thought was to make it a more formal rose garden - adding more rose bushes and surrounding them all with boxwood. The project took careful planning and patience. My gardeners and outdoor grounds crew removed the old plants, tilled the soil, amended it with compost and fertilizer, and then started planting. It was quite an undertaking, but it looks great.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Last March, I decided it was time to replace the lilacs in this garden. They had all served me well over the years, producing many beautiful and fragrant blooms, but they were aging and the garden needed a good overhaul.
When removing any plant, large or small, it is important to take out the entire root system, so it doesn’t grow back.
Here is the area with most of the lilacs removed. I also had roses planted here, but I kept those in place.
Next, strips of sod were removed to make the garden larger.
Rototilling is one method of turning up the soil before planting. It also helps to loosen any other root balls that may have been left deep in the bed. The machine is set to till the soil at about six to eight inches deep. It is driven slowly through the bed to mix the organic matter, break up crusted soil, and loosen the earth.
The boxwood is lined up and counted to be sure there are enough to fill the outsides of the garden beds.
Once the outside of the beds is planted, compost is brought in.
Pasang manually drops compost along the bed. I am so proud of my compost that is made right here at my farm. Quality compost provides nutrients, improves soil structure, and supports beneficial microorganisms.
Using garden twine is an important step in creating a formal garden to ensure the beds are perfectly straight.
Following the twine, Phurba uses an edger to make good, crisp lines along the edges of the beds.
And then he uses a hoe to remove the unwanted turf.
This side of the bed is now ready for planting.
Another selection of young boxwood shrubs is positioned for the border. These boxwood shrubs came to me as small cuttings. I nurtured them right here at the farm and in just a couple years, they’ve grown big enough to put in more permanent locations.
Pasang lines them up with the boxwood that is on the outside of this bed.
Next, the roses are also selected and brought to the garden.
I decided to group them by variety – four of each and lined up all along the bed. These roses are from Star Roses and Plants, a company of brands that focuses on breeding and introducing specimens offering longer-lasting, disease resistant blooms.
And then the crew starts digging the holes.
Every hole and the surrounding soil is sprinkled with food. I use Miracle-Gro Shake ‘Feed Flowering Trees & Shrubs fertilizer.
Garden twine is used again to ensure the boxwood is positioned properly.
Phurba adjusts each boxwood before it is planted.
The same is done for each rose – everything must be perfect.
Here is an area of roses in the ground. Always be sure to bury it to the same depth it was in the pot. The bud union should be at or slightly below the soil surface.
Once the area is planted, the surrounding soil is raked evenly and neatly.
And then every plant is watered thoroughly. I told my crew to water each one for 10-seconds.
And here is one side completely planted. It looks great. Next, the beds will be covered with weed cloth and a layer of mulch. In my next blog, I’ll share images of the rose varieties. Transforming a garden gives it renewed life and appeal. I can’t wait to see it flower.
My azaleas are putting on quite a show at my Bedford, New York farm.
Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays. I have hundreds of them planted together in a garden that starts just outside my Summer House and runs along two sides of the carriage road all the way down to my stable. When they bloom this time of year, this area of my property erupts with spectacular color - from pure white to shades of pink, crimson, and orange. And right now, I'm enjoying them all.
Enjoy these photos.
The azaleas here at my farm are looking more beautiful every day.
My azalea collection is in a lightly wooded area, where they get lots of filtered sunlight.
When I expanded the azalea garden, I added a variety of different azaleas and arranged them by color.
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron.
Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.
Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping and rounded. They can also be flat, wavy or ruffled.
Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals.
Many azaleas have two to three inch flowers and range in a variety of colors from pink to white to purple, red, orange, and yellow.
The leaves are often evergreen with wooly undersides. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Leaves of most azaleas are solid green, with a roughly long football-shape.
The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center.
The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so one can see their flower colors and forms.
Buy plants that are sturdy, well-branched, and free of insect damage or diseases. And, avoid plants with weak, spindling growth and poor roots.
When selecting a location for planting, be sure to know the mature size of the plants so they can be grouped accordingly in the landscape – tall plants in the background and short plants in the foreground.
Azaleas have short root systems, so they can easily be transplanted in early spring or early fall. Be careful not to plant too deep and water thoroughly after transplanting.
These beautiful bold orange azaleas are at one end of the grove closer to my stable.
In another area, I have several crisp white azaleas and all of them are flowering now.
It’s so nice to see them thrive in my gardens, but never eat azaleas. Like its cousin the rhododendron, the azalea is a toxic plant, and all parts of the plant are poisonous, including the honey from the flowers.
Prune azaleas after they bloom to remove tall, lanky growth or vigorous suckers that detract from the overall form and shape of the plant.
And, If you like to enjoy flowers indoors, cut some of the blooming branches and place them in a vase. They look so stunning and cheerful.
Over the next couple of weeks, more and more azalea flowers are sure to explode with color.
Azaleas are so gorgeous in any part of the landscape. I am so proud of this garden – its beautiful display gets better and better every year.
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