A Spring Peony Lunch at My Farm

June 5, 2026

Spring is a delightful season to celebrate any occasion!

Around this time every year, when my herbaceous peonies are in full bloom, I love to show off their splendor with a casual garden tour and luncheon. Not long ago I invited our friends from Maman and some colleagues up to my farm - perhaps you saw photos on my Instagram page @mMarthaStewart48. We enjoyed garden Grissini, beet soup and a green salad with vegetables from my garden, wild Alaskan salmon with peas and herbs, my farm fresh asparagus served with cured lemon vinaigrette, steamed baby potatoes, assorted pastries, and several delicious desserts. It was a wonderful meal prepared by our own Sarah Carey and Alex Utter.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: For just a short time from the end of May through the first weeks of June, my herbaceous peony bed is full of blooms in shades of pink and white. I planted 11-double rows of 22-peony types, all selected for their colors, their forms, and their long blooming periods.

: Anyone who tours my gardens this time of year always asks to see these wondrous flowers in all their splendor.

: I love to use plants and flowers to decorate my table whenever I entertain. Here are peonies in simple glass vessels lined up down my dining room table.

: I also like to fill vases and place them in various locations around my home. This vase of dark pink peonies is in my servery, where all my guests can see them when they arrive.

: At many of my luncheons, I serve pomegranate iced tea using concentrate from our friends at POM Wonderful – this one with fresh lime and berries.

: This time, I also served a black mint tea with fresh mint and strawberries.

: A tray of fresh citrus and strawberries was also offered for extra garnish.

: Have you ever had Grissini? They are long, thin breadsticks infused with vegetables or herbs in the dough. We used parsley, carrot, and beet. The recipe is in my book, Martha Stewart’s Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations, Clarkson Potter 2011.

: My garden produced so much asparagus this year – all thick, delicious and tender spears. This was prepared with cured lemon vinaigrette, fried capers, toasted breadcrumbs and parsley.

: Also on the menu – steamed new potatoes served with sugar snap peas, English peas, spring onions, and spinach sautéed in a beurre blanc sauce and garnished with chive blossoms and lemon zest. It was a big hit.

: The wild Alaskan salmon was baked with citrus and served with spring peas and herbs.

: I also served a beautifully colored beet soup with beets from my garden. The soup is topped with crème fraîche, golden and red beets, cucumber, and dill blossoms.

: And here’s a serving of the fresh green garden salad with lettuces from my garden, avocado, radish, pickled yellow carrot, toasted pistachio, and a rice vinegar dressing.

: I never forget dessert! Sarah and Alex prepared an array of tarts and cookies.

: These are giant triple citrus sugar cookies.

: And these are my daughter Alexis’s famous chocolate chip cookies.

: We enjoyed apricot tartlets served with whipped cream.

: And my fresh rhubarb was used to make this beautiful tart also served with whipped cream.

: These are strawberry shortcake cream puffs topped with pink craquelin.

: The desserts were so good, every guest had a piece of everything.

: Outside, many of the trees were also showing off lovely flowers. These are two of my horse chestnut trees at the foot of my long Boxwood Allée. The day was a little overcast, but still excellent for a spring gathering.