A Mid-March Nor'easter
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, today is clean up day after Winter Storm Sage came through the region dropping several inches of heavy, wet snow.
Yesterday's nor'easter began as rain during the early morning hours and then continued through the day and into the night covering everything in white. Fortunately, we were not among the hardest hit areas, but by afternoon, roads were slick and visibility was low - winter is definitely not over yet.
Here are some photos, enjoy. I hope all of you who were affected are doing okay.
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- Here at the farm, temperatures hovered in the low to mid-30s much of the day. The storm started as rain and slush. By late morning, snow started to stick on every surface, including the moss and sedum growing on this stone wall outside my Winter House kitchen.
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- Thankfully, all the ornamental urns and precious boxwood are all still covered with protective burlap.
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- Here, a burst of early spring color – the witch hazel in bloom.
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- Snow accumulated on the tops of the burlap-covered frames in my long Boxwood Allée. Here, one could see how large the snowflakes were. These larger flakes occur when temperatures are near freezing at 32-degrees Fahrenheit, which melts some of the snow crystals and causes them to become sticky. As they fall, they collide with other snow crystals, causing them to grow in size and appear as larger snowflakes once they get closer to the ground.
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- Here is another allée – the south section of linden trees, which lead to the espaliered apple trees behind my long carport.
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- Venturing into the woods is this stand of beautiful and upright trees. During winter, my outdoor grounds crew works hard to “clean the woods” of any fallen branches, invasive barberry, and dead trees – leaving clear views of the woodland.
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- These are some of the evergreen trees at the edge of my “Christmas tree garden.” The snow is beginning to weigh down on the branches, but fortunately no damage was done. I planted hundreds of evergreens here more than 10-years ago and they’ve grown immensely.
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- Here is a tree almost completely disguised by the snow.
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- This is an old stone wall on my farm. Stone walls are very common here in New England. They originally served as a boundary for property lines and as a way to keep animals away from crops. They still mark properties today, but are also used decoratively.
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- In this area of the woods, it is so quiet, one can just hear the snow falling in clumps from the trees.
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- Another sign that spring is on the way – the growing daffodils. There are patches of daffodil greenery bursting through the soil all over the farm. I can’t wait to see them in their full splendor.
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- This is our nicely organized stone yard, where I keep stone, granite, bricks, pavers and posts for future projects. These piles of stone are also covered in soft white snow.
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- Last fall, we planted a group of large Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Filicoides’ or Fernspray Hinoki cypress bushes along the carriage road just past my allée of lindens near the entrance to my Japanese Maple Woodland. I thought the space would look even prettier planted with these upright, bushy conifers – and it does, even with the snow cover.
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- By afternoon, the snow fell more furiously. This is the old corn crib, original to the farm, at the edge of a horse paddock surrounded with antique fencing.
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- The wild geese often visit my farm and gather in one of the pastures. Geese are very hardy and adaptable to cold climates – they don’t mind the snow at all.
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- Do you recognize this? It is the entrance to my herbaceous peony garden. The boxwood hedge surrounding it is protected in burlap, while the beds are completely covered in this blanket of white.
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- And here is the entrance to my living maze. I started planting it last year. I am looking forward to adding more turns and beautiful plants this spring.
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- These are some of the evergreens in my pinetum, an area I developed behind my Equipment Barn and near one of my weeping willow groves. The pinetum collection has grown so well over the years. It includes pines, spruces and firs, as well as other evergreens.
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- Here is one of the ancient apple trees in front of my studio building just below my carport. This apple tree is original to the farm and still provides multitudes of delicious fruits every year.
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- These are six weeping hornbeams. We prune these rare hornbeams regularly to keep the beautiful shape.
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- And here is the symbol of my farm – the great sycamore tree in the back hayfield. This tree is stands tall and majestic in every season. I love how the snow outlines its branches. Today is expected to be windy with possible snow flurries here in Bedford, but rest assured spring officially begins in less than a week.
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