Every year, I always plant a collection of interesting and beautiful trees. It is such a joy to watch the gardens, groves, and allées evolve and expand around my Bedford, New York farm.
If you follow my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48, you may know I recently purchased several Cercis canadensis 'Merlot' trees, or eastern redbuds - the state tree of Oklahoma. I bought them while on a business trip in Tulsa from Stringer Nursery, the city's oldest garden center. These trees are native to eastern North America and will do just fine planted at the edge of my Japanese Maple Woodland where a few others have thrived for years.
Enjoy these photos.
Cercis canadensis ‘Merlot’ displays lovely pea-like bright pink flowers held in clusters that cover the tree’s bare branches in spring before the foliage emerges.
Then, the tree shows off small, heart-shaped shiny wine-red leaves through summer. The leaves of this young specimen are still small, but when the tree is mature, the leaves will be about two to five inches long.
Phurba digs the appropriate sized hole for the redbud tree. A crucial step in growing healthy trees is to plant them at the proper depth. Planting a tree too deep can kill it. Plant it only at its flare – the bulge just above the root system where the roots begin to branch away from the trunk. Digging a wide planting hole helps to provide the best opportunity for roots to expand into its new growing environment.
Phurba sprinkles a generous amount of fertilizer into the hole and the surrounding soil. This fertilizer contains endo- and ecto mycorrhizae to help promote faster establishment, deeper roots, and superior soil structure. It is very important to feed the plants and trees, especially when they are transplanted.
Next, Phurba scarifies the roots of the tree. Scarifying stimulates root growth. Essentially, Phurba breaks up small portions of the root ball to loosen the roots a bit and create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new spot.
The tree is placed into the hole and then checked to be sure it is at the right depth.
Phurba also makes sure the tree is straight and its best side is facing the carriage road. The eastern redbud is a compact deciduous tree with an upright, dense, vase-shaped growing habit when mature. It grows best in full sun to partial shade where it can get at least six hours of good light per day. It also prefers well-drained soil with consistent moisture.
Finally, the hole is backfilled and tamped down lightly to establish good contact between the soil and the plant root ball. The area is then groomed with a soft rake, so the soil is neat and tidy around the tree.
Each of my four new redbud trees is also staked with tall bamboo. Phurba makes sure the stake is secured into the soil at least a couple feet deep.
Brian follows up with twine to secure the bamboo to the tree. Notice how the twine is tied – I always teach every member of the crew to twist the twine before knotting, so the tree or vine or cane is not crushed or strangled.
I like to tie the twine in a figure-eight formation. Each piece is tied just tight enough to keep the tree secure, but not break it.
The bark of the eastern redbud starts smooth and brown. Later, it will be ridged and furrowed to scaly and dark gray.
But notice how the stem grows – in a zig-zag alternating growth pattern.
I can’t wait to see all of these trees flourish. I hope this inspires you to go out this weekend and enjoy some of the trees near your home, or plant a tree in your backyard.
Below the trees is a carpet of native marsh marigold foliage. The leaves are slightly toothed and kidney-shaped. From a distance, they appear round, but each one has a deep cut where the stem attaches at the bottom of the leaf.
The flowers of marsh marigold are yellow. Marsh marigold is a perennial herb in the buttercup family, also known as cowslip, cowflock, or kingcup.
And look what else is growing here – galanthus, or snowdrop. These plants have two wing-like linear leaves and a single small white drooping bell-shaped flower with six petal-like tepals in two circles. The smaller inner petals have green markings.
Nearby is a swath of blue – a grouping of naturalized Siberian squill. Native to Russia, these plants grow to about four to eight inches tall, but they make up for their diminutive size by spreading out and blooming profusely. We planted a lot of squill here last fall.
There are also patches of bold green daffodil foliage. The daffodils are growing so beautifully this season.
They are beginning to open everywhere. I will be sure to share lots of photos of the daffodils all around the farm when they’re all in bloom. Spring is definitely here.
This time of year, anyone who walks around my Bedford, New York farm always admires the beautiful hellebore flowers.
Hellebores come in such an artful array of colors, markings and formations, it’s hard not to love these fascinating perennials. Sometimes known as Lenten rose or Christmas rose, these plants are long-lived, easy-to-grow and thrive in shady locations. I’ve had hellebores in my gardens for many years, and I find it so rewarding to have blooms that start in March, and continue through spring until the end of May - to me, hellebores are must-haves for any gardener's collection.
Here are some photos of the hellebores blooming at my farm now, enjoy.
Hellebores are members of the Eurasian genus Helleborus – about 20 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. They blossom during late winter and early spring for up to three months. I have many hellebores planted around my farm.
Hellebores are widely grown for decorative purposes because they are easy-to-grow and are able to resist frost. It is common to plant them on slopes or in raised beds in order to see their flowers, which tend to nod.
These plants are best grown in organically rich, humusy, well-drained soils in part to full shade.
The bright green foliage looks so dramatic against the colors of their blooms.
After the first year, when the plant is well-established, hellebores are very resistant and require little upkeep.
Hellebores can reach up to 36 inches in height and width, so be sure to position hellebores in protected areas away from winter winds.
Here is a hellebore just about to open.
The leaves of most hellebores are leathery, shiny, and edged with shallow teeth.
Hellebore flowers come in pretty much any color ranging from pink to red hues, shades of green, white and yellow, apricot and even deep purple.
All parts of the hellebore plant are poisonous, including the seeds, so use caution when considering planting location. Hellebores are also deer and vole resistant.
Hellebores benefit from a moderate amount of watering. They like to be watered deeply enough to saturate the root zone but then not watered again until the soil feels dry to the touch. These plants are drought tolerant but quite sensitive to soggy soil.
Unlike the blooms of most other flowering plants, hellebore flowers do not consist of petals, but of sepals, which serve to protect the flower.
Here, one can see the stamens and the carpels – the delicate parts shielded by the sepals.
This hellebore has dark colored edges and well-veined undersides.
Hellebores also come in many varieties, from veined or picotee, and single, anemone or double flowers.
This single flowering hellebore variety is deep purple in color with burgundy leaves.
The stamens are long white filaments with bilocular anthers. Each flower can have many stamens.
Hellebores produce nectar to attract the few insects that are active at the time of year when hellebores flower.
These plants are not choosy about their insects, so all types can pollinate the flowers effectively.
Given the right conditions, hellebores will spread nicely in the garden and look beautiful through the season. Wherever you live, I hope you are able to enjoy some of the colors of spring.
We all know how important it is to drink water every day. In fact, the average adult should consume 64-ounces, or eight 8-ounce glasses, of water per day to keep hydrated and healthy.
Everyone here at my Bedford, New York farm drinks a lot of water. I have an excellent well water set-up, but in order to eliminate the use of large plastic water drums and limit the use of individual bottles, I use the Berkey Water Purification System. Each Berkey tank holds up to six-gallons of water and can filter more than three-gallons per-hour. I have one in every outbuilding and everyone loves them. Plus, these systems are so easy to use and maintain.
Here are some photos showing how the filters are changed - it takes just minutes to do, enjoy.
I’ve been using the Berkey Water Purification System for about four years. These Berkey systems are great. They are made of highly polished AISI 304 stainless steel. And, because they don’t need electricity to function, they can be placed anywhere in the home, used during travel or outdoor activities, and unexpected emergencies.
Each unit has two chambers. In the top chamber are these black purification elements, or filters, made of activated carbon. This Crown Berkey model holds up to eight purification elements. Each element is designed to purify approximately three-thousand gallons of water before needing replacement. Even with a good water system in place, purifying water further removes harmful pathogenic bacteria, unhealthy contaminants and impurities. And what’s left is the most healthful, delicious water.
Here are two new replacement black filters. Because of the effects that water deposits and contaminants have on the unit, it is recommend that these be changed every six months or as filtration speed slows.
After Carlos has emptied and cleaned the top chamber the system, he removes the black filters.
They are very easy to remove. Carlos unscrews them from the bottom of the chamber.
Here is the outside of the chamber once the filter element is taken out.
And here is the view inside the stainless steel chamber.
The next step is to prime the filter.
A thick tan rubber “priming button” is included with the replacement filters. It is is used to funnel water into the filter interior to saturate the media and flush out air and manufacturing dust. Carlos places the button on the filter and presses it against the faucet while the water runs slowly.
The exterior wall of the filter begins to sweat. After it sweats for about 10-seconds, it is ready to install inside the chamber.
That’s it – Carlos can now screw the filters back into place.
The entire process takes less than 15 minutes.
The lower chamber is also cleaned thoroughly and prepared for filling.
Carlos fills the chambers with water.
These purification systems are gravity-fed so there is no pump needed – just fill the chamber and it is all purified as it passes through the black elements. The easiest way to tell whether the elements are still functioning well or need changing – just add a teaspoon of food coloring into the chamber for every gallon of water. As long as no color goes through it’s good. This easy test can be done every few months.
The larger Crown Berkey Systems can hold up to six-gallons of water. It can also serve up to 100-people in one day or a family of six with regular use. This system is in my stable kitchen. It is used by my horse caregivers as well as the farm’s business staff. With such a large team, it is great knowing we are not using plastic bottles. Americans use billions of plastic water bottles a year with only a fraction recycled. I encourage everyone to cut down on their use of plastic to save our environment.
This one is in my Equipment Barn lunchroom, where the outdoor grounds crew gathers for coffee and midday meals. The large unit stands about 30-inches tall when fully configured.
The smaller Royal Berkey system holds 3.25 gallons of water and stands about 20-inches tall when fully configured – perfect for smaller families up to four. I keep this one in my gym.
Another Berkey System was placed in my Tenant House which is where my daughter, Alexis, and her children, Jude and Truman, stay when they visit – they are all big water drinkers and plastic-free. These systems are portable and easy to move, even when full.
I also keep one in my large Winter House basement. The Berkey Systems can easily purify ordinary tap water, but they are powerful enough to efficiently purify raw, untreated water from sources such as remote lakes and streams, which is helpful during natural disasters when treated water may not be available.
And here’s one in my Winter House kitchen. This one is on the rolling stainless steel cart right next to the sink. It is one of the most used at the farm.
This one is in my servery, just off the kitchen. Every unit is placed near a sink for easy filling and dispensing. I am so happy to use these Berkey Systems to purify the water in my home.
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