My newly re-roofed Basket House is now also clean and organized.
Basketry is made from pliable materials that bend and form shape. Some examples include pine, straw, willow, various grasses, threads, and fine wooden splints. I have hundreds of baskets in my collection - some are rare and antique, some are vintage, and some are more contemporary. Last week, I had the timeworn cedar roof of the Basket House replaced with a longer-lasting standing seam snap lock roof system. Afterward, the structure was cleaned and all the baskets were re-organized and returned. If you follow my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48, you may have seen my posts showing some of the process.
Here are a few more, enjoy.
This is the little house where I store my basket collection. It is located across from my long clematis pergola. It now has a brand new metal standing seam snap-lock roof in “Bedford Gray” that should last many, many years.
After the roof was replaced, the inside was swept clean. Now it is ready for all the baskets to be stored and re-organized. I like to do this task once every couple of years to ensure all the baskets are in good condition.
Many of these baskets I hadn’t seen in awhile. They always bring back fond memories.
A good number of these baskets were used during my catering days. Fortunately, the days during the roof work were dry and warm, but on this afternoon, we rushed to get all the baskets back inside before the forecasted showers.
Basket weaving is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into two or three dimensional objects – anything that will bend and form a shape can be made into basket. Baskets are made using different techniques, such as “plaiting”, which uses materials that are wide and braid like,”twining”, which uses materials from roots and tree bark. Twining refers to a weaving technique where two or more flexible elements cross each other as they weave through the stiffer spokes.”Wicker” basketry uses reed, cane, willow, oak. “Coiled” basketry uses grasses and rushes.
This basket also has straps for wearing on one’s back and handles for carrying – it was likely used to gather twigs and wood. Baskets were needed as containers for everything imaginable – food, clothing, storage and transport. Fruit, nuts, seeds and dried meats were often collected and stored in these hand-made containers.
Early basketmakers selected materials from nature, such as stems, animal hair, hide, grasses, thread, wood, and pinstraw. Baskets vary not only across geographies and cultures, but also within the regions in which they are made.
Some of these are traditional English garden baskets called trugs. They were handmade using bent wood. They are sturdy, functional, and beautiful.
I also have a nice collection of flower arrangement baskets with long handles.
This basket in the front is called a buttocks basket, so named for its shape. Similar baskets are also called melon baskets, egg baskets, and gathering baskets.
Human civilizations all around the world embraced the craft of basket weaving. But, because the natural materials used in weaving baskets naturally decompose, it’s hard to know exactly how old the craft really is.
Slowly, the baskets are returned to the house. Many of these baskets can actually be hung from the rafters – to save shelf space for baskets without handles. I had “S” hooks made out of a heavy gauge copper wire to suspend them inside.
Each basket was lightly dusted before returning to the shelves.
These are berry baskets. Some baskets are also organized by type and neatly placed together without stacking.
This structure also has a window on three sides for good cross ventilation.
Here I am organizing and re-assessing each basket as it is returned to the house.
I love baskets of all kinds, and am always looking for rare pieces to add to my collection.
Here is the Basket House completely re-organized. It’s amazing how many can fit in this structure.
All my baskets are now tucked away neatly in the shelter – protected from all the elements.
And here’s a good “throwback” photo. Perhaps you recall this photo from the pages of my very first book, Entertaining, published in 1982? The beamed kitchen ceiling of my 1810 Turkey Hill farmhouse in Connecticut was lined with many of the same baskets.
Another job on our long to-do list is now "done and dusted."
I love baskets - baskets of all different kinds. Over the years, I've collected a number of them from auctions, antiques fairs, and tag sales, or from the talented basket-making artisans themselves. When I moved to my Bedford, New York farm, I built a small structure to house my growing collection. The Basket House matched my home and all the other outbuildings on the property. Recently, I decided it was time to replace its timeworn Alaskan yellow cedar roof with a longer-lasting standing seam snap-lock roof system - the same type of roof that also covers my Stable Barn. A crew from Harbor Roofing in nearby Yonkers came by and finished the task quickly, efficiently, and neatly.
Here are some photos.
In one corner of of this garden behind my Tenant House, nestled within a grove of tall bald cypress trees is my Basket House. It stores all these beautiful and very useful baskets.
A good number of these baskets were used during my catering days. Some of my baskets are antique, some more contemporary.
The cedar shingle roof was almost 20-years old. Although it wasn’t showing any signs of leaking, it was definitely ready to replace.
Until now, the roof was made from Alaskan yellow cedar shingles. Alaskan yellow cedar is actually more closely related to the cypress family than the cedar family. It is known for its natural beauty and durability.
Earlier this week, we called the team from Harbor Roofing owned by Richard Moynagh – a company that specializes in roofing repair and installation. Harbor Roofing also installed the roof on my Stable Barn last year.
The first step was to remove the old roofing shingles from both sides of the roof.
The team works carefully to remove the wooden shingles one by one.
Tarps are hung on both sides to catch the loose shingles. This also protects all the nearby garden beds from any falling debris.
The tarps are draped over the side walls and ladder scaffolding, so nothing is damaged when debris falls.
Here are some of the old shingles. The roof could have probably lasted a bit longer, but it is always a good idea to stay on top of home maintenance projects before any problems arise.
Here is a closer look at the shingles being removed. The four man crew works quickly. This day was unusually warm – about 85-degrees Fahrenheit.
Here is a view from the inside. There are shelves all the way around for storage and an open center for larger baskets. And all painted my signature “Bedford Gray.”
Here are the snap-lock panels for the new roofing system. Snap-lock is a type of standing seam metal roof panel that has a male and female leg that snap together. Clips are used to attach the panel to the roof deck.
Here, one can see the ridge cap pieces that will cover the roof at its peak. Richard pre-cuts the pieces at his shop, but if needed, these panels can also be adjusted on site.
Once the roof shingles are removed, the roof deck is fully exposed.
Next, the team cleans the area and covers the roof with a synthetic roofing underlayment – a layer of protection installed between the roof deck and the new roofing panels. It provides ventilation as well as a backup waterproof membrane in case of leakage.
Here is Richard explaining how the snap-lock roof panels work. It uses one-inch seam clips which work best on roofs that have a minimum roof pitch of 3:12 or greater. The clips also eliminate the need for any screws.
Here, the panels are laid and the ends are folded under the roof decking and hammered into place…
… And then secured with the clips and a snap-lock punch.
Here is a section done – its thin distinctive ribs and wide panels give the roof a more modern look.
And here it is all done – with its new “Bedford Gray” standing seam snap-lock roof. The new roof is coated with Kynar. Kynar coating is a metal finish that is chemical resistant, abrasion resistant, flame resistant, and stable under strong UV rays. I am glad to know this structure will be well protected by a good, sturdy and attractive roof for 80 to 90-years, or even more. Next step… organizing and putting back all those gorgeous baskets – stay tuned.
Developing any garden takes time, planning, and lots of patience.
A couple of years ago, I decided to create an azalea border along one side of the carriage road between my Summer House and my stable. I wanted to plant lots of colorful azaleas - a variety of unique specimens in shades of pink, orange, crimson, and white. I already have many azaleas growing and flourishing in this area, but I wanted to expand the collection. First, we planted about 170 azaleas on one side of the carriage road, and then another 200 on the other side. Every year since, my gardeners and I watch how the plants grow and add more where needed. Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays - I am looking forward to seeing this garden bloom later this season.
Enjoy these photos.
If you follow my blog regularly, you may recall I designed this expanded azalea garden in 2021. For this garden, I purchased hundreds of gorgeous azaleas in a variety of bright, cheerful colors. The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so you can see their flower colors and forms.
I decided how they would be placed on both sides of the carriage road – planted by color from white to pink to red and then orange and yellow. When selecting a location for planting, be sure you know the mature size of the plants so they can be grouped accordingly in the landscape – tall plants in the background and short plants in the foreground. Plant height ranges from about three to six feet for most varieties, but rare plants can range from under one foot to well over 15-feet tall. It’s also important to keep azaleas where they can be protected from midday and winter sun to prevent leaves from drying out and burning.
I also decided to mulch most of the garden, so there would be less grass to mow and maintain. Fortunately, we are able to make lots of mulch, and compost, right here at my farm. Last year, the azaleas bloomed so beautifully.
Many of the plants were filled with healthy, gorgeous flowers.
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron.
Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in late April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.
Leaves of most azaleas are solid green, with a roughly long football-shape. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Here, one can also see the bud in the center.
Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe and North America. These plants can live for many years, and they continue to grow their entire lives.
The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center.
Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals.
Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping rounded petals. They can also be flat, wavy or ruffled. Many azaleas have two to three inch flowers.
Right now, most of the azaleas are still bare of any flowers, but here is one of the first true azalea blooms of this season – such a lovely shade of pink.
Yesterday, my gardeners planted a collection of azaleas that we have been nurturing in pots. Here, they are positioned thoughtfully where there are empty spaces.
When planting, dig the hole at least twice the size of the plant. Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter. The hole sides should be slanted and the hole should be no deeper than the root ball is tall, so it can be placed directly on undisturbed soil. Digging a wide planting hole helps to provide the best opportunity for roots to expand into its new growing environment.
Next, a generous handful of good fertilizer is sprinkled in the hole and in the surrounding soil. We used Holly-tone.
This fertilizer is great for for feeding hollies, azaleas, camellias, evergreens, dogwoods, rhododendrons and others. It is a slow-release fertilizer that is easy to sprinkle into the freshly dug holes. Remember, if you eat, so should your plants.
The potted plant is placed into the hole to ensure it is the right depth. Planting too deep could eventually cause bark deterioration at the soil line and kill the plant.
Once a proper hole is established, the plant is removed from its pot, and small portions of the root ball are loosened to create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new spot.
And always save the pots. We save all our plastic pots to use again for younger plants and trees.
The azalea is positioned so its best side faces out. Always buy plants that are sturdy, well-branched, and free of insect damage or diseases. And, avoid plants with weak, spindling growth and poor root systems. The azalea is backfilled and the soil is lightly tamped for good contact with the root ball.
This plant has a lot of room to grow and spread. Some azaleas, including native types, can reach towering heights of 20 feet or more. Dwarf azaleas grow two to three feet tall, and many garden azaleas stay four to six feet in height with as wide a spread. I am excited to see both sides of this carriage road burst with colorful azaleas in another four or five weeks. I’ll be sure to share photos.
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