In 2022 I decided to create a maze of hedges, espaliers, and shrubs in the pasture across the carriage road from my Winter House terrace. A living maze is a puzzle of tall plantings - tall enough to prevent those walking through from seeing the paths ahead. The maze includes rows, openings, and various dead ends, but only one true route leading to the center. The course was planted according to a very detailed map I designed. It's been a very long four year process, but my living maze is finally complete, and yes --- it is definitely "a-maze-ing."
Here are some photos.
The living maze was previously a large pasture that extended from my Winter House down to my Boxwood Allée and my stable complex on the left. It was a blank slate and I was ready to take on the challenge of building a botanical puzzle course. Mazes, as well as labyrinths, have been popular in European gardens and estates for centuries. And now there is one at Cantitoe Corners.
From the very start, each row was carefully measured, cleared of sod and then planted.
Monrovia, a wholesale plant nursery specializing in shrubs, perennials, annuals, ferns, grasses, and conifers with several nursery locations across the country, helped me to finish the maze. Their plant collection is exceptional – please look out for Monrovia whenever shopping for plants.
Monrovia Chief Marketing Officer, Katie Tamony, came to the farm on the last day of planting. Here she is with my head gardener, Ryan McCallister.
The planting process is the same for every specimen. Plants are selected based on their type, growth at maturity, soil and lighting needs. As each plant is removed from its pot, its root ball is scarified to stimulate root growth.
Each hole is dug precisely. The rule of thumb is to dig a hole that is two to three times wider than the root ball, but only as deep as the height of the root ball.
Generous handfuls of fertilizer are dropped into the hole and on the surrounding soil. Always use food that promotes faster establishment, deeper roots, and good soil structure such as Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed Flowering Trees & Shrubs plant food.
Especially when the weather is warm, I instruct my team to fill the holes first with water to give the plants a strong start, improve root establishment, reduce transplant shock, and increase survival chances.
Before planting in the ground, each specimen is positioned so its best side faces the footpath.
On this last day of maze planting, the crew planted several different evergreens. This is Spartan Juniper,
Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’ – a handsome, fast growing evergreen that forms a densely branched column that is naturally symmetrical, pyramidal, and rarely needs pruning.
It features dark green, scale-like foliage that remains vibrant year-round.
Emerald Fountain® Canadian Hemlock,
Tsuga canadensis ‘Monler,’ is an excellent low-maintenance hedge tree. It is also densely branched and bushy, and retains dark green foliage color throughout winter.
Its needles are flat with two white bands on the underside giving it a lacy look.
This row shows Upright Japanese Plum Yews,
Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata.’ These have a carefree, vertical growth habit. The foliage is finely textured, shiny, dark green, and deer resistant.
Eddie Yew,
Taxus x media ‘H.M. Eddie,’ is an excellent choice evergreen shrub for tall hedges and privacy screens. It has long, upright-growing branches with dense, dark green foliage.
I also included several different viburnum varieties in the maze. This one is Burkwood Viburnum,
Viburnum x burkwoodii, which has clusters of pinkish white spring flowers with a spicy-sweet fragrance and beautiful, lustrous, dark green foliage.
These are the leaves of Eastern Snowball,
Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile.’ On this plant, masses of large, pure white, snowball-like flower clusters give a showy display in spring.
And this is Jade Waves® Fernspray False Cypress,
Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘MonYur.’ It features sprays of fern-like green foliage that takes on a bronze hue in winter.
It was a race to the finish, just one day before a large party I am hosting for 225 guests to celebrate the country’s semiquincentennial, or the Quarter Millennium, the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. I’ll share more of that event in an upcoming blog.
By day’s end, everything was perfectly planted. Don’t forget to save the pots – they always come in handy.
After the last plant was put in the ground, sprinklers were turned on – water, water, water! These plants will mature so beautifully.
I am so proud of how it came out. I designed the maze with different plantings to add texture and interest.
The plants are spaced closely, so they become closed hedges in time.
Some plants are small now, but they will grow lush and tall, creating the fun, interesting, and puzzling walk for which they were intended.
In this space I added a selection of handsome London planetrees, Platanus acerifolia ‘Bloodgood,’ a relative of the mighty sycamore. These trees are large shade trees with broad open crowns. They were the perfect choice for the center of my maze, where they surround an open green space.
And close to the north end of my maze is my giant eagle looking out toward the landscape beyond.
At the end of certain rows, I placed anchoring specimen trees.
These trees add even more interest – and great color variation.
It’s taken four years of careful planning and planting and now I’m looking forward to watching all these plants mature and also confuse those who dare stroll through… after all, it is a maze.
I'm getting close to finishing my living maze, and it's looking better and better with the planting of each row.
This maze, which I started in the spring of 2022, is filled with lush perennials and evergreens - arborvitae, cedar, holly, juniper, yew, birch, spruce, linden, London plane, and many more. I've planted a variety of different trees, shrubs, espaliers, and hedges to add texture and interest. The area is all done according to a map of pathways - some ending abruptly at the end of a row, others leading to junctions where multiple passages meet, and only one right way to the selected finish. And as each puzzling path bed is cleared of sod, the spaces are measured and marked, the plants are carefully counted and placed, and then planted and thoroughly watered. It's been a very long four year process, but we're getting close, and I can't wait to share the completed maze with you soon. The most recent group of plants going in comes from Monrovia.
Enjoy these photos.
I’ve had to be very patient and careful in planting my living maze – there is a lot to do to create this three acre course. After careful measuring, each path is cleared of sod.
Here is one of the last sections of the maze all cleared.
Chhiring goes over the bed with our Troy-Bilt Pony Rear-Tine Tiller. Rototilling is one method of turning up the soil before planting. All the plants and trees do very well here at the farm, in part because of the excellent soil. I have worked very hard to ensure my soil is constantly amended and rich with nutrients. If you are unsure of your soil’s quality, have it tested. Kits are available at garden shops, online, and through your area’s cooperative extensions.
This conifer is Sparkler® Colorado Blue Spruce
Picea pungens var. glauca ‘MonWal.’ It features bright yellow-gold new growth in spring and then stunning blue-green mature foliage. Its pyramidal form is dense, slower growing and ideal for use as a windbreak or tall privacy screen.
This is JeanGenie™ Colorado Blue Spruce
Picea pungens ‘Moneva’ – a classic blue spruce with pyramidal form and a dense growth habit.
It shows off dramatic bright blue-green foliage and stands out among other greener specimens.
Among the latest specimens to be planted is a group from Monrovia. Hicks Yew Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’ is an excellent evergreen shrub for hedges. I have several rows of Hicks Yew.
The long, upright-growing branches with dense, glossy, dark green foliage naturally form a narrow, columnar habit that works well in my maze.
Holmstrup Eastern Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis ‘Holmstrup’ thrives in full and partial sun. It is slow growing and reaches five to seven feet tall and three feet wide in 10 years.
It is densely branched, compact, naturally narrow, and has a neat, formal appearance.
And this is Feelin’ Sunny® Deodar Cedar
Cedrus deodara ‘Monkinn’ – a stunning plant with bright, golden yellow foliage.
My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, places each plant one by one carefully, strategically, and with thought on how it matures and how much space it needs.
After plats are placed, it’s time for the hole to be dug. Remember the rule of thumb for planting trees – dig a hole that is two to three times wider than the root ball, but only as deep as the height of the root ball.
Here, the hole is filled with water first. I instruct the team to fill the holes first with water to give the plants a strong start, improve root establishment, reduce transplant shock, and increase survival chances.
Don’t forget to always scarify – and stimulate new roots to grow.
Generous handfuls of fertilizer are dropped on the surrounding soil. Use food that promotes faster establishment, deeper roots, and good soil structure.
I use Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed Flowering Trees & Shrubs plant food which has done so well for my plants. It contains natural ingredients such as kelp, earthworm castings, bone meal, and feather meal, which will feed the plant and maintain its deep, lush green foliage throughout the season.
Each tree is placed into its designated hole and then turned so its best side faces the path.
Another rule of thumb is “bare to the flare” meaning only plant up to the flare, where the tree meets the root system. This is the row of Skyrocket Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’ all planted.
Just a little more to go. Here is the last section ready for planting. It’s almost done. Keep following to see my finished maze!
Right now, it's so busy in my living maze - my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are planting the last section and it's looking fantastic.
My maze is in a pasture that extends from outside my Winter House all the way down to my long Boxwood Allée. I started the three-acre course in the spring of 2022. Over the last couple of weeks, we've been working hard to mark the last rows, remove the sod, rototill the soil, select the plants, and get them into the ground. Everything is done according to a very precise map I created. Recently, the team planted some Green Wall Spire Crabapple trees, Malus x adstringens 'Jefwall,' from First Editions Shrubs and Trees.
Here are some photos.
Every day, trees and shrubs are selected and transported to the maze. This project is close to completion and my team is working very hard to finish.
I am very proud of how my maze is growing. And yes, like a true maze there is only one right way from the entrance to the goal location. Chhiring follows a very detailed diagram of where the rows will start and end. He measures everything multiple times, using twine to make sure everything is perfectly straight.
Here Chhiring cuts the sod according to plan. The sod is reused in other areas of the farm where needed. Nothing goes to waste.
Phurba rolls up the sod in small, manageable sections that can be lifted and moved. Sod can be very heavy. One standard roll can weigh up to 45 pounds.
Arnold uses a spade to scrape any leftover sod from the newly stripped area. If needed, the soil is also tilled.
Next to be planted are these Green Wall Spire Crabapple trees. These will grow to about 20 feet tall and five feet wide.
Green Wall Spire Crabapples are narrow, columnar trees that are great options for smaller spaces. They prefer full sun and are drought tolerant.
The foliage is glossy and green in summer, bronze in fall, and in spring, the tree is covered in white flowers. I wanted the maze to be filled with a large variety of interesting specimens, so there is something different at every turn.
Norman measures the distance between each crabapple trunk. He also measures the space on each side of the tree to make sure it is centered properly in the row.
Then, pressure is placed onto the pot to mark where the hole should be made.
… And the digging begins. Remember, when planting, always consider the climate zone, growth rate of the specimen, size at full maturity, and lighting needs.
Each hole is dug precisely, with enough room for the plant’s root ball. The rule of thumb when planting is to dig the hole two times as wide as the rootball and no deeper than the bottom of the rootball, similar to how it is in its pot.
And then the crabapple is placed into the hole to make sure it sits at the right height. The top of the root ball should be level with the top of the hole.
The tree is removed from the pot and the root ball is scarified. I teach all my outdoor grounds crew members how to scarify and make intentional cuts to stimulate new growth.
I always say, “if you eat, so should the plants.” Norman sprinkles plant food onto the root ball and the surrounding soil.
I use Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed Flowering Trees & Shrubs plant food which has done so well for my plants. It contains natural ingredients such as kelp, earthworm castings, bone meal, and feather meal, which will feed the plant and maintain its deep, lush green foliage throughout the season.
The trees are placed into the hole and checked once again for proper placement – any adjustments can still be made.
Meanwhile, all the holes are watered. I instruct the team to fill the holes first with water before backfilling. This technique helps to improve root establishment, reduce transplant shock, and increase survival chances.
And then backfilling begins – remember, only plant up to the flare, where the tree meets the root system. Arnold also checks to make sure the tree is in line with the others.
It’s been warm and humid, so Arnold gives the plants another drink. It’s almost done, and all the trees and shrubs and other plants are thriving.
But there’s still a lot of work to do. Next… some evergreens!
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
