Manicuring the Gardens
Lots of late summer gardening chores are getting done around my Bedford, New York farm.
Last week, the crew trimmed the long hornbeam hedge that runs in front of my Summer House, and along the road behind my Winter House. They also tackled the two large hornbeams in front of my Summer House entrance. Botanically known as Carpinus, the hornbeam is deciduous and fast growing - in fact, it can grow about four to five feet per year. I keep a close eye on all the hornbeams, so they never look too overgrown and unruly. Also on the list - trimming the boxwood in the garden outside my Green Parlor. I love boxwood, Buxus, and have hundreds of these bold green shrubs. They've grown quite a bit this summer. I take very special care of these specimens and make sure they are also pruned and groomed regularly - in gardening, so much of it is in the details.
Enjoy these photos.
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- This charming walkway leading to the side terrace of my Winter House is shaded by hornbeams. And, like all my hornbeams, they are groomed twice a year. Hornbeams tend to have two flushes of growth annually – one main flush in spring and a second spurt in late summer.
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- Here is a view looking up at all the growth that needs trimming. Some of the bottom half has already been trimmed.
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- Phurba prunes the uppermost branches using a 12 foot tripod orchard ladder to get up as high as he can. Domi keeps the ladder secure from the ground.
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- Afterward, Domi continues to work on the lower branches. I instructed Domi to also cut overgrown branches from inside.
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- Doing this prevents seeing cut branches from the outside – it’s all in the details.
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- The hornbeam is related to the beech tree, with a similar leaf shape. On the hornbeam, the leaves are actually smaller and more deeply furrowed than beech leaves. They become golden yellow to orange before falling in autumn. Hornbeam leaves are also oval, toothed and with pointed tips.
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- I prefer all my hornbeams be pruned by hand. The crew uses secateurs and Japanese shears. It is a slower process, but provides a more detailed and prettier finish. One of my important rules is to always “use the right tool for the right job.”
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- Japanese shears give a nice and clean appearance. These are Okatsune 30-inch long Hedge Shears. Okatsune shears are light and precise, and come in a range of sizes.
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- It’s also important to check underneath the hornbeam and cut any dead branches.
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- Once it is trimmed, it looks so much better. Healthy hornbeams grow a few feet per year, so it is important to trim and sculpt it regularly.
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- Here’s a view from the other side.
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- The hedge section close to my Winter House is also looking well-manicured. Once trimmed, the outermost parts of the hedge is exposed to more light and air, which help promote good growth.
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- Behind my Summer House and Winter House is this long European hornbeam hedge. Because it is planted on a gradual slope, it needs to be pruned using a step method.
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- The top, front, and back are all pruned. Here, it is easy to see how much better the front face of the hedge looks after a good, thorough pruning. In front of the hedge is my Ponderosa lemon tree. Hard to see here, but the lemons are huge. See them on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48.
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- Phurba lightly blows any cut leaves off of the large hornbeam shrubs in front of my Summer House using STIHL’s backpack battery and handheld blower. The backpack battery eliminates the cost of fuel and engine oil and can be used for several hours before needing another charge.
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- From a distance, the two large hornbeams located in front of my Summer House look so nice. Because of its dense foliage and tolerance to being cut back, hornbeams are widely used in gardens. Hornbeams are pyramidal when young and become rounded with age.
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- All the cuttings are placed into my Martha Stewart Multi-Purpose Heavy-Duty Garden Tote Bags from my shop on Amazon. We use these bags all over the farm. Many bags of debris are discarded every day.
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- Nearby, Ryan is trimming the boxwood in the terrace garden outside my Winter House Green Parlor.
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- He’s using our STIHL HSA 25 Battery-Powered Garden Shear. It’s lightweight with a rubberized handle for user comfort and a secure grip. It comes with its own roll-up case to store all its accessories. The hedge shear attachment with double-sided cutting blades cut both directions. It’s one of our favorite tools – it’s very light and handy. Check out my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48 for a video of me using this great tool.
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- Here is one of the boxwood shrubs before it is trimmed – look at all the growth.
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- And here are some after trimming – they look so much better.
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- The crew also removes any dead branches from the inside of the shrub. This will allow for better air circulation within the plant.
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- The boxwood is also treated monthly with TopBuxus Health Mix, which prevents the fungal disease called box blight and provides the plants with rich nutrients that restore new green leaves and strong branch growth.
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- And here’s Fernando taking all the plant cuttings away at the end of the day. This job of manicuring this area of the farm took several days to complete, but in the end the gardens are looking beautiful. Next, the crew moves on to the Sunken Garden behind the Summer House – you’ll love how that looks when it is done. Stay tuned.
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