A late winter gardening project that involved potting up hundreds of bare-root plants and building a protective cold frame in which to store them is now complete.
Last week, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew took on the task of caring for all sorts of bare-root hostas. Bare-root plants are so named because the plants are dug from the ground while dormant, and then stored without any soil surrounding their roots. I ordered hundreds of hostas to plant around the farm - all from Pioneer Gardens, a wholesale company located on the outskirts of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Many of them were stored in a cold frame located behind my main greenhouse. To accommodate the remainder, the crew built a second cold frame using windows I already had - in fact, the window frames were already constructed with angled side panels, which were perfect for this project.
Enjoy these photos.
During this time of year, I often order several thousand bare-root cuttings for my gardens. They are potted up and stored until they can be transplanted in the outdoor beds. Pioneer Gardens, our source for this supply, specializes in high-quality perennial starter plants, both field-grown bare root and greenhouse plugs, and sells directly to growers and finishers throughout North America.
We received our delivery of several big boxes filled with healthy bare-root hostas and other cuttings. Each box includes 100 bare-root plants. Healthy bare-root plants get off to a more vigorous start because their abundant, fibrous roots have already had a chance to develop unrestricted. Some of the hosta varieties I ordered include ‘Guacamole’, ‘Francee’, ‘Blue Angel’, ‘Regal Splendor’, and ‘Elegans’.
My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, uses large markers to label each variety of hosta.
For this project, we needed hundreds of one-gallon plastic containers. These pots are available at garden centers, but if you have the room to save pots like these, they come in very handy.
A good fertilizer made especially for new plantings is sprinkled generously into the potting medium and mixed. We use M-Roots with mycorrhizal fungi, which helps transplant survival and increases water and nutrient absorption.
This medium is made right here at my farm with composted manure from my Friesians. Composting manure above 131-degrees Fahrenheit for at least a couple weeks kills harmful pathogens, dilutes ammonia, stabilizes nitrogen, kills weed seeds and reduces any objectionable odors. As each bare root hosta is removed from the box, Carlos checks each one and untangles any roots. After filling the pot about a third full of soil, Carlos places the hosta inside, making sure it sits low enough to cover all the roots. The soil is then gently filled in around the roots, but not packed too tightly.
All the potted hostas are then grouped together and moved to a designated location by variety where they will be maintained until they’re transplanted into the garden beds. The cold frame in the back was filled quickly. In the front are two of the nine cold frame windows I found in the basement of one of the houses I use specifically for storage. I decided they would be perfect for a new cold frame. Historically, cold frames were built as greenhouse extensions tucked against the outer walls with southern exposure outside Victorian glasshouses.
The ideal location for a cold frame is a southern or southeastern exposure with a slight slope to ensure maximum solar absorption and good drainage. My flower garden fence will also provide some protection against winter winds.
Pete built the shallow boxes for the cold frame windows. He uses large screws and bolts to secure the boards. The width of the cold frame is 47-inches, and he made several sections to accommodate eight windows.
The sections were also fastened together with screws. We used lumber that we already had at the farm – everything was repurposed from other projects. I always try to reuse supplies whenever possible.
The windows were attached to the boxes using raised barrel hinges.
This is the back of the frame after the hinge was installed – the barrel is exposed.
The cold frame is now complete and just needs a fresh coat of paint.
Here is Fernando checking that all the glass is intact.
If planting bare-root cuttings, always do this before new growth starts. This cold frame has enough room for our hostas, a collection of potted anemones, and others.
Fernando uses my signature “Bedford Gray” paint to cover all the sides of the cold frame. Ideally, the painting is done before the frame is built, but we were in a rush to protect the plants – temperatures were expected to drop considerably by week’s end.
Fernando uses a roller to carefully paint the window frames and casings.
Pete paints from the opposite end, covering the shallow box part of the cold frame.
If they are in good condition, the plants should sprout leaves in the same year it is planted. Markers are placed to indicate where each variety section begins and ends.
These plants will remain here until they are transplanted in their permanent locations.
Once the paint is dry, Pete and Fernando carefully close the cold frame windows. The important thing is that the box doesn’t let air inside.
More cuttings are potted up in the Equipment Barn and then delivered to the location in my trusted Polaris XP 1000.
A ninth window was used to make a smaller frame to house more bare-root cuttings. The windows absorb sunlight, but can and can also be lifted for air circulation, or kept closed to keep out the elements.
It is perfect for this space next to the already existing cold frame. Here, one can see the slope of the window facing south.
I am so pleased with how it turned out – hundreds of young cuttings are now protected until warmer weather arrives.
Using a cold frame is easy, economical, and space-efficient. How do you protect your young dormant plantings in winter? Share your gardening comments with me in the section below.
Spring doesn’t officially begin for another few weeks, but it’s never too early to start thinking about gardening.
As many of you know, I am a very serious and passionate gardener and am often invited to speak about my gardens at various horticultural organizations. Yesterday, I was delighted to speak to fellow members of the Bedford Garden Club right here in Bedford, New York. I was one of several who participated in a series called “Around the World in Eight Months: Gardens of the World.” My topic was “Three North American Gardens Above the 44th Parallel.” I spoke about the gardens of Les Quatre Vents, one of North America’s most acclaimed private gardens in La Malbaie, Quebec. I also talked about The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden - a garden I visit every summer when I am in Maine. And, I shared photos and stories about my own gardens at Skylands, my beloved summer home in Seal Harbor.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I was asked to speak about North American gardens as part of this winter series, but some of the other interesting lectures cover Persian gardens, Irish gardens, and Japanese gardens.
To start, Bedford Garden Club President, Nancy Kronenberg, welcomed all the guests and thanked everyone for attending – it was the best club turn out of any membership gathering.
The title of my lecture was “Three American Gardens Above the 44th Parallel.” The 44th parallel is a circle of latitude that is 44 degrees north of the Earth’s equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. Because this area includes Maine, it was very natural for me to talk about growing plants at Skylands.
The Bedford Garden Club focuses on preserving nature and promoting it through the planting and conservation of gardens in the area. As a member, I always enjoy speaking with others who share my passion for gardening and preserving the environment. The event was held at the St. Matthews Church in Bedford.
I explained to the group one of my favorite traditions – going to Skylands in spring and filling the large planters on my terrace with beautiful specimens. My greenhouse at Skylands cannot accommodate the large plants, so many of them are wintered over at my Bedford farm and then loaded onto a trailer to Maine for the summer months. They thrive on this terrace all season long.
I purchased this trough at Trade Secrets several years ago and it fits perfectly on the stone ledge of my expansive terrace. Every year, I plant different succulents in this container and they always do wonderfully.
This photo was taken by Kevin Sharkey showing one of the many stone planters potted up. I love the view from above.
This is an Alocasia planted in a faux bois pot and paired with Lysimachia. I love the large leaves of Alocasia, also known as elephant ear.
I showed them “the lady” that rests on one of the landings off the West Terrace, reclining in the foliage – La Riviere by Aristide Maillol.
I talked about the paths through the property. Each season, the outdoor grounds crew covers the meandering footpaths with pine needles – they add such charm to the woodland.
I also love to bring the outdoors inside. During summer, we fill several garden planters with moss and other natural elements. Once the season is over, we always make sure the moss we harvested is returned to the forest where it can regenerate and flourish.
The Living Hall at Skylands is always used during summer months. This grand faux-bois cement table is where I like to display large flower arrangements. About 100-stems of lilies were used for this arrangement made by Kevin. The lilies are from my garden at Bedford. We planted more than 1500 white lilies of various types and transported some by truck to Skylands.
After my talk, the floor was opened to questions from fellow club members.
The club also conducted a small flower show for those who wanted to submit various potted plants, cuttings, and arrangements. In this class, exhibitors designed and created arrangements using only plant material from one’s personal yard.
This arrangement includes Clethra anifolia, Hydrangea petiolaris, Forsythia intermedia, Rhododendron maximum, and Pieris japonica.
In this container – Leucothie catesbaei, Hamamelis molis or witch hazel, Juniperus virginiana, and Thuja plicata.
In another grouping, participants designed submissions under the theme “Warm Cup of Tea.”
This charming entry includes thistle, winterberry, and rose.
Some of the plants were potted container plants, such as this Aconium.
And some of you may recognize this one – Pilea peperemisides, or the Chinese money plant. I have many of these growing in my greenhouse.
This grouping included specimens from any plant shrub or tree blooming or evergreen in the month of February. Those entries bearing flowers, berries or pine cones received extra points.
In another room, there were photo entries showing elements of European or Canadian style gardens – some in black and white.
And others displayed color and pattern. All the entries were so beautiful.
Here I am with Bedford Garden Club’s Head of Programs, Denise Santomero, who coordinated this lovely event, and her daughter, Charlotte, who helped with all the technical aspects of my presentation. It was a fun and informative morning – I can’t wait until the gardening season begins!
We now have a woman’s leadership award established in the name of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Last weekend, I traveled to our nation’s capital to attend the special inaugural ceremony and gala in the Library of Congress - you may have seen my post on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48. The Dwight D. Opperman Foundation created the new leadership award in honor of Justice Ginsberg’s exemplary career and life. I was honored to be a part of the nominating committee and to see the award presented to Agnes Gund, for her positive and notable influence on society. It was a very special evening. The next day, I visited Glenstone - a private contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland, just 15-miles from downtown Washington, D.C. The museum's exhibitions are drawn from a collection of about 1300 works from post-World War II artists around the world.
Enjoy my photos.
It was a nice evening in Washington, DC when I arrived. Here I am passing the United States Capitol, also known as the Capitol Building, home of the United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the US federal government. The Capitol is just across the street from the Library of Congress.
The event was held in the Coolidge Auditorium in the Library of Congress. This Library is housed across three buildings on Capitol Hill: the Thomas Jefferson Building, the James Madison Memorial Building, and the John Adams Building. It houses more than 164 million items, from books to photos to recordings, etc.
I attended the event with my nephew, Josh Bernstein.
It was a very special event. Seated here are Julie Opperman, Chairman of the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Award recipient, Agnes Gund, president emerita of the Museum of Modern Art and chair of its International Council. In her remarks, Justice Ginsberg said, “I am especially pleased that the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation established the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg Woman of Leadership Award to honor women who have strived to make the world a better place for generations that follow their own, women who exemplify human qualities of empathy and humility, and who care about the dignity and well being of all who dwell on planet earth.”
I was part of the nominating committee. Here I am in a group photo after the event with Leonard Lauder, Philanthropist Ghada Irani, Gloria Allred, Sue Kroll, and Harvard Law School Professor, Martha Minow. Justice Ginsberg and Agnes Gund are seated in front.
The ceiling of the library’s Great Hall at the front of the building is inlaid with six decorative stained-glass skylights and aluminum plating. Along the perimeter of the ceiling are the names of 10 authors, considered to have made great contributions to literature. They are Dante, Homer, Milton, Bacon, Aristotle, Goethe, Shakespeare, Moliere, Moses, and Herodotus.
The evening concluded with a delicious dinner.
And here is one more photo of the Capitol Building at night.
The next day, we visited Glenstone in nearby Potomac. Glenstone is an art museum that assembles post-World War II artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries and displays them in a series of indoor and outdoor spaces. The name “Glenstone” comes from two local sources: Glen Road, where the property line begins, and a type of carderock stone indigenous to the area, which is still extracted from several nearby quarries.
This is Heizer overlook located along the main path near the Entry Pavilion of Glenstone.
This piece is “Spectrum IX” (2014) in Room 1 of the Pavilions. This work by Ellsworth Kelly is part of the artist’s Spectrum series, composed of twelve joined monochromatic panels. The painting is among the last works completed by the artist before his death in 2015.
This piece is “Untitled” (1962) by Lee Bontecou.
This is called “Herd (Stove)” (1969) by Dieter Roth.
I admired this one because it is made from eggs. It is called “Ovale d’oeufs 1234567,” which translates to “Oval of eggs 1234567” (1965) by Marcel Broodthaers.
This is simply called “Flag on an Orange Field II” (1958) by Jasper Johns.
This is “Mappa,” (1971–1972) by Alighiero e Boetti. Alighiero was an Italian conceptual artist, considered to be a member of the art movement Arte Povera.
This “Untitled” (10/22/1988) is by Keith Haring, a well-known artist whose pop art and graffiti-like work grew out of the New York City street culture of the 1980s.
This painting is part of a triptych titled “Moon Landing” (1969) by On Kawara. The installation features three Date Paintings from the Today series (1966–2013) that together commemorate the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission in July 1969. Each large-scale canvas bears a date documenting the mission’s launch (July 16, 1969), the landing of the lunar module (July 20), and man’s first steps on the moon (July 21).
This is called “Collapse” (1967/2016) by Michael Heizer, a land artist specializing in large-scale and site-specific sculptures. This artwork consists of 15 heavy beams of rusted steel that appear to have been tossed into a deep pit lined with vertical walls.
This is a view of the Water Court, the open 18-thousand square foot central area of the Pavilions that lines the Passage.
This is the view from Room 7. This space does not have art in it. Instead, it is meant to offer a moment of rest for visitors. The Room offers an expansive view of the meadow, as well as a peek of Split-Rocker” (2000) by Jeff Koons.
In this group, clockwise from the top: “Hand holding egg” (2007), “Handheld bird” (2006) and “Chicken” (2007) – all by Charles Ray.
This is “Sleeping woman” (2012), a piece also by Charles Ray, a Los Angeles-based sculptor known for his strange and enigmatic works that draw on the viewer’s perceptual judgments.
This is called “Moss Sutra with the Seasons” (2010–2015) by Brice Marden. It measures nine feet by 39-feet.
This is “Untitled” Lexington (1951) by Cy Twombly.
Another piece by Cy Twombly called “Cycnus,” Rome (1978).
And the third piece in this room is “Anabasis” Bassano in Teverina (1980) by Cy Twombly.
Here I am on the staircase between the Entry Pavilion and Room 1. The only space in the Pavilions that is at ground level is the Entry Pavilion, so this staircase brings visitors up to the main level of the building.
This is “Horse and rider” (2014) by Charles Ray. This sculpture is located along the main path between the Pavilions and the Cafe.
And here is “Split-Rocker” (2000) by Jeff Koons. From May to November, this sculpture is planted with 25-thousand living flowers.
Next, we went to the Cafe at Glenstone Museum. The Cafe sources its ingredients from local farmers, producers, and bakeries. A member of the grounds crew designs the floral centerpieces each week with plants from the meadow.
And here I am with the Cafe staff – Lily, Dave, Chef Brian Patterson, Karyn, Eddie, Emily, and Tomas. It was a fun visit to Glenstone – please stop by the next time you are in the area.
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