Potted Plants Around My Pool
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we're always working off a long list of gardening tasks. This time of year, these projects include putting out lots of my potted plants.
During the warmer months, I always display lots of potted plants around my home - on the terrace parterre, in the courtyard behind my Winter House, on the stone ledges around my carport, along the carriage roads, outside my stable, and various other locations. Last week, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew moved a collection of potted agaves and fan palms out to my pool. Using beautiful container plants is an easy way to decorate any outdoor space.
Enjoy these photos.
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- My pool was built to run north to south in this space, so I could enjoy all the gorgeous views of the landscape. The pool project was completed in 2018 and has quickly become one of most popular spots to gather.
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- At one end of the pool, I have these five antique staddle stones.
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- I bought the staddle stones in 2017 from the annual NYBG Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair. Staddle stones were originally used in the 17th and 18th centuries as support bases for granaries, hayricks, and game larders.
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- They typically looked like giant stone mushrooms, but mine are square – a more rare and unique version.
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- Around the pool, I have chaises longues and side tables from Restoration Hardware. The big square shade umbrellas are from TUUCI.
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- Some of you may remember last spring I planted six of these Ginkgo biloba Goldspire™ Obelisk trees from Select Horticulture Inc. in nearby Pound Ridge, New York.
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- The term “obelisk” refers to the tall, four-sided, narrow tapering which ends in a pyramid shape at the top. They’re doing so well here and are showing lots of lush green growth.
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- The trees sit feet away from the pool – just enough to fill in the lawn space nicely. Ginkgo Goldspire™ is a highly ornamental, non-fruiting male tree originating in Italy. It has a very upright, tight fastigiate habit, and the foliage tends to be smaller than other species.
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- New foliage on the Ginkgo Goldspire™ emerges a rich shade of green, fan-shaped, and slightly curled. It keeps its color through summer, then turns buttery shades of yellow and gold in autumn before dropping.
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- Mixed in are some potted agaves. I always take out many of my tropical plants and display them in beautiful ornamental urns around the farm during summer.
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- This is one of several potted Agave bracteosa, or Squid Agaves. Agave plants have rosettes of fleshy leaves, some soft and smooth, while others have sharp spines.
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- Agave leaves are filled with gel allowing the plant to survive in extreme dry conditions for a period of time.
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- Agave prefers a sunny location with at least six hours of direct sunlight. Full sun plants always do so nicely here by the pool. The tough skin of the leaves is able to withstand even harsh solar rays without burning.
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- These Mexican fan palms prefer full sun to partial shade – they will do well pool side also until they are brought back into their designated hoop house in the fall.
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- Mexican fan palms have large, three to five foot wide fronds that are palmate, meaning shaped like fans.
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- The Mexican Fan Palm is native to Mexico, but has naturalized in several states including Florida, California, Hawaii, and Texas. It’s a beautiful palm tree with shiny, deep green fronds.
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- Here one can also see its trunk, which can reach up to 100 feet tall.
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- Under the pergola, another potted agave, which will also thrive in full sun.
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- This evergreen succulent perennial produces a beautiful rosette of silvery-green leaves without teeth or spines.
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- This is one of the best spots at my farm during summer – I look forward to any time I can spend by the pool. I hope this inspires you to display some potted specimens outside in your yard.
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