My three year old garden maze is filling in so wonderfully.
The three-acre pasture just outside my Winter House is the setting for my maze. Since work began I've planted a variety of different hedges, espaliers, trees, and shrubs - hundreds of specimens that I selected to add texture and interest, and all according to a detailed map I created specifically for the space. Each row branches off with various pathway options and dead ends, but with only one correct route to the center. Guests who wander through are stumped at almost every turn.
Here are some of the latest photos, enjoy.
British horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll once said, “A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.” I’ve had to be very patient and careful in planting my living maze, but it’s growing beautifully. This is a selection of Platanus acerifolia ‘Bloodgood’ trees, also known as London planes.
I planted these trees in early November 2022. They are planted in a rectangle with two long rows and two short rows and an open space in the center. These trees are large shade trees with broad open crowns. Looking closely, one can already see some of the fallen leaves – the seasons are beginning to change.
These trees are sought after for the three-lobed, toothed, dark green leaves that turn yellow, orange, and red with the fall season.
Its bark makes it even more interesting because it sheds in a patchwork pattern with growth and age.
This is one of several Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ trees, American sweetgums. As these trees mature, they will maintain their erect, columnar form, growing up to 50 feet tall and only about four-feet wide.
The deciduous dark green leaves are a beautiful star-shape.
And while they are green now, in autumn the leaves show a kaleidoscope of colors, including vibrant yellow, orange, red, and purple.
I have three of them here that are towering over the other plantings. The ‘Slender Silhouette’ sweetgum is highly adaptable, drought-resistant, and easy-to-grow, but it does best in well-drained soil where it can get full sun.
Red Beauty holly has bright red berries combined with glossy, dark green foliage. Many varieties of holly, Ilex, have compact habits and glistening leaves that’s excellent for hedges, borders, and yes, mazes.
The long, upright-growing branches of Hick’s yew have dense, glossy, green foliage that naturally forms a narrow habit. And right now, they are showing off berries, or red drupes, which usually come out in late summer and persist through fall.
An espalier refers to an ancient technique, resulting in trees that grow flat, either against a wall, or along a wire-strung framework. Many kinds of trees respond beautifully to the espalier treatment, but fruit trees, like apple and pear, were some of the earliest examples. Espaliered trees can grow between four and eight feet apart – enough to allow them room as they grow, but still be close enough for a proper espalier. Among the apples in my maze are Liberty apples, Gala apples, Braeburn apples, and Yellow Delicious apples.
Paul’s Gold threadleaf false cypress, Chamaecyparis pisifera, has year-round golden green foliage. The soft sprays of Paul’s Gold threadleaf false cypress emerges yellow in the spring and retains its gold color throughout the winter.
Parrotia persica is in the family Hamamelidaceae, closely related to the witch-hazel genus Hamamelis. It is native to northern Iran and southern Azerbaijan and it is endemic in the Alborz mountains. It grows best in USDA zones 5 to 8.
Some of these leaves are also changing colors. Parrotias have a long-lasting, elaborate autumn color display of ever-changing leaves that show off yellow, orange, burgundy and red hues.
This is a hedge of European hornbeams. Botanically known as Carpinus betulus, the hornbeam is a fast-growing deciduous tree. In fact, it can grow about four to five feet per year. It is native to Western Asia and central, eastern and southern Europe, including southern England.
Hornbeams are often confused with the common beech because of their similar leaves; however, the hornbeam leaves are actually smaller and more deeply furrowed than beech leaves. The leaves are deciduous and alternate, with serrated margins.
The ninebark is a deciduous spring-flowering shrub often planted en masse.
In autumn, the leaves develop a tinge of bronze. Ninebark can grow 12 to 18 inches per year, but it can also tolerate hard pruning when needed.
My overall plan is to plant as many interesting trees, hedges, espaliers, and shrubs as possible in this space and to create a fun and challenging living maze. The plants are spaced closely, so they become closed hedges in time.
And close to the bottom north end is my giant eagle – looking out toward the landscape beyond. I’m looking forward to completing this project and watching all these plants mature and also confuse those who stroll through… after all, it is a maze.
It was a beautiful summer afternoon - just perfect for a special photo shoot at my farm.
Some time ago, my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, asked if his daughter and her fiancé could take some wedding photos in my gardens. Chhiring has worked with me for more than 25-years, so I was delighted with the idea. The couple, Alina and Sam, along with their photographer, Don Hwang, selected several locations - in front of my stable, at my long pergola filled with bright orange tiger lilies, in the Boxwood Allée, by my tree peony bed, in my sunken Summer House Garden, at my small pond, and poolside.
Unfortunately I was away on this day, so I asked that they share some of their photos - here are a few, enjoy.
My farm, my home, and all the gardens, groves, and allées are constantly being used for my television shows, book shoots, and other appearances. I work very hard to make sure it is always in good shape for these events. This is my long clematis pergola in summer, when it is bursting with bright orange tiger lilies.
Here is my allée of pin oaks. These were some of the first trees I planted when I moved to my farm. In fact, Chhiring helped plant these trees with me. At that time, they were just a few feet tall.
Here is my pool, which was completed in 2018. I also have a pool house and a large pavilion nearby where I have hosted many spring and summer gatherings.
My sunken Summer House Garden was just a blank plot of earth when I moved here. The focal point is the giant ginkgo tree in the distance. I designed and planted a formal garden space with boxwood hedges, shrubs, ginkgo trees, thousands of spring blooming bulbs, and other specimen plantings. It has matured beautifully over the years.
On this day, I opened my farm to this young couple, Alina Sherpa and Sam Tharkay, for a series of portraits.
Alina, Sam, and Don, came late afternoon to catch the best light. The best time to take photos later in the day is in the last half of the “golden hour” before sunset when the light is soft, and warm.
Here is Don taking photos along the edge of the carriage road of my back hayfield.
Close by – Alina’s brother, Mingmar, and Chhiring. Mingmar, who is a US marine veteran, has also worked for me over the years.
Next stop is by my pond, which I restored earlier this year.
Here, Don sets the scene for the photo. He poses the couple, positions them in the best location for light and background, and then takes a series of images from several different angles.
When selecting a photographer for a special occasion, be sure to look at his or her portfolio to ensure their style of photography matches the desired vision of the shoot. It’s also important that the photographer’s personality is compatible. The session should be fun for all. Here, Don carries the bride’s long cathedral veil along the footpath of my Summer House Garden.
Other areas include the lawn in front of my tree peony bed under the shade of my giant sugar maples.
There are a few shots of Alina by herself – this one in front of my stable.
And a few photos with my beautiful Friesian. This is handsome Geert.
And here is the couple walking under the long pergola.
I was honored to have the photos taken here at my farm. I have known Chhiring and his family a long time. Here is a group photo of Chhiring, Sam, Alina, and Mingmar.
In the end, the couple and Don work together to choose the best photos from the shoot. The following are some of them. What a beautiful couple. (Photo by Don Hwang)
Here they are in the giant doorway of my stable. Don takes this image through the foliage of my potted sago palm. (Photo by Don Hwang)
Here is formal photo in the Sunken Garden. (Photo by Don Hwang)
And one of them looking at each other. (Photo by Don Hwang)
Here’s one of them walking down the Pin Oak Allée. Congratulations Alina and Sam. I am looking forward to sharing the wedding photos also! (Photo by Don Hwang)
It's always fun to see photos from others taken during their vacations. Here at my farm, whenever a member of my team returns from a trip or special occasion, I encourage them to share their images on my blog.
This year, my operations manager, Matt Krack, and his two sons traveled to Lisbon, Portugal for their summer excursion. Lisbon is the vibrant capital and largest city of Portugal located on the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula along the Atlantic Ocean. It is known for its rich history, interesting architecture, and culture. Among their many activities, Matt, Alex, and Charlie enjoyed walking tours through the city, visiting old churches, palaces, museums and monuments, and learning about the well-preserved ruins of the Carmo Convent, which remained standing after the horrific earthquake of 1755.
Here are some of Matt's photos, enjoy.
Matt and his sons stayed at the Residentas Arco do Bandeira in Lisbon with beautiful rooms and views of the city.
This is the view from the top of the Santa Justa Lift facing the Castelo de São Jorge. It was just a five minute walk from the hotel and the first stop of many during Matt’s 10-day trip. And here, Matt opted to take the stairs up rather than the elevator to beat the long lines.
This is what is left of the Carmo Convent. The medieval building remained standing after the devastating earthquake of 1755 that destroyed most of the city. A lot of its architecture dates back to the 1300s, but other details such as Manueline windows were added later.
The roof collapsed on that disastrous All Saints’ Day and was never rebuilt. The Gothic arches, however, are original and did not get damaged.
Portugal is famous for its azulejos, or blue wall tiles. The tiles can be found throughout the country in all kinds of structures from opulent palaces to humble homes and dates back to the 15th century. This is a modern example of Portuguese tile making located on Aveneida de Liberdade.
Matt has a great love for signs, especially the ones that preserve historic times. Here is an old store sign for pistols, supplies, and accessories for escrima, a martial art using weapons.
Matt visited the National Palace of Mafra, a monumental Baroque and Neoclassical palace and monastery just outside of Lisbon. Construction of the palace began in 1717and was not completed until 1755.
Matt, who arrived a few days before his children, visited many sites early in the morning to beat the crowds. This staircase is usually filled with tourists.
The complex is largely built of Lioz stone. It was designed by the German architect João Frederico Ludovice.
This is Óbidos, a walled and well-preserved medieval village. It is filled with picturesque streets, small shops and cafés.
Streets are charming and narrow. It is believed that Óbidos gets its name from the Latin word oppidum meaning walled city.
Another old and well preserved city is Évora. Here is another hand made sign that caught Matt’s eye – for clothing, decorations, and accessories.
Many of the buildings show the distinctive white wash.
The National Pantheon, also known as the Panteão Nacional, is an iconic monument in Lisbon, Portugal. Originally built as a church, it was converted to a national mausoleum in 1916.
This is Estremoz, a quaint city in Portugal about one hour northeast from Évora. It is known for its white marble, rich history, and peaceful atmosphere.
Matt climbed to the top of the Posada in Estremoz, or Pousada Castelo Estremoz – a historic hotel built in the 13th century for Queen Santa Isabel. It features a castle-like setting and gorgeous views of the Alentejo region.
Another stop was the Monument of the Discoveries, which is on the northern bank of the Tagus River estuary in Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon. It is located along the river where ships once departed to explore and trade with India and the Orient. This special monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery.
Boca de inferno or “Mouth of Hell” is a scenic cliff formation located west of Cascais, Portugal. It gets its name from the rough ocean waves which crash against the cliff face and spraying viciously from an opening above.
The Jerónimos Monastery is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome in Lisbon. It is a prominent example of the Gothic Manueline style of architecture made famous in Portugal. Its construction began in January 1501 and was not finished until 100 years later.
This is the National Palace of Queluz, the 18th century palace of the Portuguese Royal Family, as well as notable institutions such as the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art.
Here is another side of the palace. The grounds include French formal gardens with boxwood hedges, fountains, vases and sculptures centered on the “Portico dos Cavalinhos” a Palladian garden temple.
In Sintra, most public buildings remain closed due fire risk and the current severe drought in the area. Local governments are trying to address the challenging conditions – hopefully the region will get rain soon.
But also in Sintra is this beach – Praia de Magoito, an impressive and popular beach destination with its golden sand, tall, dark cliffs, and fossil dunes.
Charlie, Matt, and Alex did a lot, saw a lot, and learned a lot more. If you want to visit an interesting city steeped in history, consider Lisbon. Thanks for the photos, Matt.
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