Even if you’re not a fan of cold weather, it's hard not to love a light snowfall over the landscape.
Here in the Northeast, this winter has been unseasonably warm with day temperatures in the high 30s and 40s. Earlier this week, temperatures dipped just enough for a dusting of white before a night of drenching rain. During bad weather, my outdoor grounds crew works indoors, checking equipment and cleaning up our large Equipment Barn. It was a peaceful time to venture out and take a few photos.
Enjoy.
We got enough snow just to cover the ground. Here is a view looking north through my new garden maze, the pastures, and the burlap covered boxwood beyond.
Not far from the maze is the long row of boxwood that line both sides of the pergola – all covered in protective burlap.
These large stone pavers lead to my pavilion just off the carriage road near my pool. They were quickly outlined in snow, but it didn’t last long – this storm system turned to rain within a few hours.
Here are the trunks of the mighty pin oaks that grow alongside my large Equipment Barn. The pin oak is one of the most popular trees for landscaping because it’s so easy to transplant and is very hardy and handsome.
At this intersection is a weeping larch, Larix decidua ‘Pendula’. It has bright green needles in spring, which turn gold before dropping in fall. Even without its foliage, it is so interesting.
These trees are in a wooded area along the carriage road leading to my hayfields. My outdoor grounds crew is in the process of “cleaning” the woods, removing any trees that are dead, dying, or in the way of more healthy specimens. Those marked with a bright red “x” will eventually be taken down and replaced with younger saplings.
Here is one grove of weeping willows on the edge of my lower hayfield. The golden hue looks so pretty against the lightly snow-covered landscape.
Further in the woodland, one of our younger evergreens – also getting covered in snow. In the distance – my large compost yard, where we make our own nutrient-rich compost and mulch.
Thankfully, the wind was not strong on this day, so none of the trees suffered any damage. In the woodland, all the barberry is also covered in snow.
In another field, an area of evergreens and gorgeous Christmas trees. I am so proud of all the trees I have planted around my farm – thousands and thousands. It’s one way I can give back to the Earth and help to create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet.
These are some of the “ancient” apple trees. They were here when I bought the farm and continue to produce delicious fruit.
Back through the woods – a section of carriage road still left untouched after a covering of white. It is so peaceful in the woodland.
This is my grove of American beech trees, Fagus grandifolia. American beech trees are slow to grow, but can live up to 300-years. It’s interesting how some drop all their leaves, while others hold onto them as long as possible.
This is my newest hoop house down by the chicken coops. It is filled with many of my tropical plants. Bales of hay are placed around the structure to keep it more insulated.
In the center of this part of my farm, it is hard to miss the stand of eastern white pine trees, Pinus strobus. White pines are the tallest trees in eastern North America.
This is one of a several Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Filicoides’ or Fernspray Hinoki cypress bushes along the carriage road near the entrance to my Japanese Maple Woodland. We planted them here this past autumn. They are perfect for this area and look so beautiful as one turns the corner to the allée of lindens.
The Boxwood Allée looks so different in winter. I am so glad the boxwood is draped in burlap shrouds to keep everything protected from the snow, even if it’s light.
This is my herbaceous peony bed at rest – I cannot wait to see it overflowing with white and pink peony blooms this summer. One can still see the outline of the beds and plants through the snow.
Here is a small section of my long azalea border. I planted hundreds of colorful azaleas along both sides of the carriage road between my stable and my Summer House. It will be exciting to see what this garden looks like this spring. Remember the old gardening adage, “the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap.”
By early evening, the snow turned mostly to rain and washed the white away. Here, one can see the rounded tree pits marked by the melting snow. Behind them, tucked behind the Equipment Barn, is my pinetum where I keep a wonderful collection of evergreens. Today’s weather is expected to cloudy with temperatures in the high 40s. Hard to believe this is the middle of winter here in the New York City area.
One doesn't have to wait until spring to see beautiful lush, green plants. There are so many lovely houseplants that are easy to care for and enjoy indoors right now.
I hope you saw my latest segment on NBC's TODAY Show. If not, just click on this highlighted link. During yesterday's appearance, I shared tips on caring for a variety of houseplants - ferns, echeverias, cacti, begonias, philodendrons, money plants, and sansevieria. Sansevieria is a genus of about 70-species of flowering plants native to Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. You may know it as one of its common names, such as mother-in-law's tongue, devil's tongue, jinn's tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant and snake tongue. I have many of them in my greenhouse.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I was up bright an early for my regular appearance on the TODAY Show. Here I am on set just before it started.
If you’ve never seen what happens during a television segment, here I am in front of the cameras – numerous lights are above and several camera operators, a stage manager, and other crew members are in front of me. It takes a lot of people and a lot of work to put these shows together.
During the segment, I talked about the stiff leafed Sansevieria plant. While working in my tropical greenhouse back at my farm last weekend, I noticed that these beautiful sansevieria plants were overcrowded in their pots and needed to be divided and repotted.
I removed a lot of the shoots from the parent plants and placed them all in a bag for repotting. I am so happy these specimens are doing extremely well.
Look closely at the plant’s leaves – they are accented with darker green bars going vertically on each leaf.
And here are the parent plants now – so much better. Sansevierias are very “succulent“ and “heavy plants” and hold lots of water in their leaves. The pebbles give quick anchorage to the roots.
For repotting, Brian uses an appropriate soil medium. The right soil mix will help to promote faster root growth.
Brian first covers the bottom of the pot with the soil mixture.
This is the shallow root system of the Sansevieria. The roots often don’t grow more than a few inches.
Here is a closer look at the bottom. The root system is a mix of thick underground “stems” called rhizomes and smaller twig-like roots. When healthy, they should feel firm to the touch and are light orange in color. They are rapid growers once established.
Brian selects about three shoots for each pot.
And then places the sansevieria firmly in place. Several can fit into one pot – they actually don’t mind being a little crowded. Do you know… these plants absorb toxins, such as nitrogen oxides – they work great for improving indoor air quality? In fact, it is one of the best air purifying plants to keep.
The sansevieria plant features upright leaves that range from one to eight feet tall depending on variety. These plants are among the most hardy of all houseplants because they can withstand virtually any conditions.
Brian tamps the soil down around each plant to prevent any air holes. Although they are very forgiving, Sansevieria plants prefers indirect but steady light with some direct sun. They can adapt to full sun conditions, and will also survive quite dim situations.
Once the plants are repotted in the gallon pots, Brian places them in one area. We always save our plastic pots for this purpose – they’re very handy to keep.
Next, Brian fertilizes all the newly potted plants. Remember what I always say, “if you eat, so should your plants.”
We use Osmocote – small, round coated prills filled with nutrients.
The beige shell on each prill coats a core of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Brian sprinkles them around the entire base of the plant.
And then he gives all of them a good drink. For regular care, the soil should be almost completely dry before thoroughly watering. Plants can be watered about once every two to six weeks, depending on the temperature, light levels, and humidity.
Here are the newly potted Sansevieria plants – they’ll be very happy. What indoor plant care tasks are you doing this weekend? Let me know your own tips and tricks in the comments below.
I always enjoy seeing photos from others taken during their vacations.
Not long ago, my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, and his son Mingmar, returned from a brief trip to Thailand. Located in the heart of Southeast Asia, Thailand is bordered to the north by Myanmar and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea. Thailand is home to more than 71-million people and is well-known for its tropical beaches and islands, its culture, and its ornate Buddhist temples. Chhiring and Mingmar spent most of their time in Bangkok, the capital and largest city of the nation.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This is a floating market in Bangkok. Floating markets are mainly found in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. These are markets where goods are sold primarily from boats.
These markets were first opened when waterways served as primary modes of transport and trade. Now, these floating markets are more popular for visiting tourists. Chhiring and Mingmar stopped for this photo aboard one of the floating market boats.
One of their first purchases – fresh coconut juice. Here, Mingmar made a hole in his mask to drink safely.
Thailand is a Buddhist country, so it is well-known for its many Buddhist temples. Chhiring and Mingmar visited as many as they could while in Bangkok.
Here is Chhiring in front of another temple. There are thousands of Buddhist temples in Thailand, most of which are still active. The temples vary in size, but are largely used for praying to Buddha and asking for good health, good fortune, and advice from its monks.
While walking through the city of Bangkok, Chhiring stopped to pose with one if its police officers.
Chhiring and Mingmar also visited Ancient City, a museum park constructed by Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphant. The park, located in Thailand’s Samut Phrakan province, occupies about 250 acres of land made in the shape of Thailand.
The Ancient City features 116 structures of Thailand’s most famous monuments and architectural attractions including these long temple bridges.
This is a temple re-production in the Ancient City, known locally as Muang Boran, which means “Ancient City” in Thai.
Here is Chhiring with a small potted “Bodhi Tree” or sacred fig tree, Ficus religiosa, recognizable by its heart-shaped leaves. Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher who became known as the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment or Bodhi circa 500 BCE under this type of tree.
Here is another reproduced temple within the Ancient City.
Some of the local foods Chhiring and Mingmar enjoyed included bowls of boiled rice, fried fish, sautéed bamboo shoots, pork, and peppers.
This is a tuk tuk – Thailand’s iconic rickshaw taxi. Tuk tuks are motorized three-wheeled rickshaws that transport passengers around Bangkok and other places in Thailand. The name comes from the sound the engines make as they move along city streets.
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in the heart of Bangkok. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782. The king, his court, and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925.
This is just outside the monastery of The Grand Palace.
Here’s Chhiring inside The Grand Palace paying his respects to the giant Thai kings and statues.
Elephants are the national animal of Thailand. They represent strength, loyalty, and longevity. Many Thais believe walking under one will bring good luck.
On one of the last days of their trip, Chhiring and Mingmar visited Khao Phing Kan or Ko Khao Phing Kan – an island in Phang Nga Bay northeast of Phuket. The smaller islets nearby are limestone karst towers and are part of Ao Phang Nga National Park.
The two were able to take a boat ride to James Bond Island – a famous landmark in Phang Nga Bay.
Before 1974, the island was a rarely visited; however, it was chosen as one of the locations for the 1974 James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun.” After the movie release it turned into a popular tourist destination and was named James Bond Island.
And look at its beautiful beaches – the weather was perfect with blue skies and clear waters. Chhiring and his son love to travel, and continue to check off places they want to visit. Thanks for sharing your photos from Thailand, Chhiring.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
