My living maze is getting more "a-mazing" with each row of plantings.
I started this three-acre maze in the spring of 2022. I designed the maze with a variety of interesting trees, hedges, espaliers, and shrubs that would all grow tall enough to prevent walkers from seeing the paths ahead. Each row would branch off with pathway options and dead ends - with only one correct route to the center. So far I've planted European beech, European hornbeams, boxwood, parrotias, espaliered apple trees, American sweetgums, barberry, London planetrees, yews, hollies, and camperdown elms. This week, we added more privets and hornbeams.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
My crew has been working very hard to clear the designated paths for more maze planting. This living maze is developing so nicely.
Planting any row of specimens always starts with a carefully measured line. The maze is drawn out on a map, so the area is marked according to the map’s specifications.
The next step is to remove the sod from the designated area. This is done with our Classen Pro HSC18 sod cutter. This sod cutter is so easy to maneuver and so sharp, Chhiring finishes one row in just minutes.
The sod cutting machine cuts the sod in two strips, which are then cut and rolled into sections, so they can be removed easily.
This is what the cleared area looks like once all the sod is pulled up. The exposed soil will also be tilled.
These trees are all from Select Horticulture Inc. in nearby Pound Ridge, New York. These are deciduous hornbeams and privets, which are now beginning to leaf out for the season.
All the trees are positioned first before any planting begins. Privets, Ligustrum ovalifolium, are also known as Korean privet, California privet, garden privet, and oval-leaved privet. It is a species of flowering plant in the olive family native to Japan and Korea. It is a dense, fast-growing, evergreen shrub or small tree.
The leaves of the privet are elliptic-ovate, glossy, dark green and about two and a half inches long.
Then the digging begins. Remember the rule of thumb for planting – dig a hole that is two to three times wider than the root ball, but only as deep as the height of the root ball.
Using a Hori Hori knife, Arnold makes the necessary root ball cuts to stimulate and encourage root growth.
Now the first privet is in place.
All these are in good condition, but we always position plantings with the best side facing inward toward the walking path. Alex steps back to check that the privet is straight and facing the right direction.
Once the specimen is positioned correctly, it is backfilled. A good tip is to “plant bare to the flare,” meaning do not bury the tree above its flare, where the first main roots attach to the trunk. Tree roots need oxygen to grow. By placing the root flare at or slightly above ground level when planting gives the tree the best chance for survival, growth, and development.
We always save all the plastic pots for future use. This is one of my favorite ways to repurpose. These pots come in so handy.
Meanwhile, the smaller hornbeams are also planted. This one is placed near the hole to check it for proper size. The hole is also sprinkled with fertilizer specially made for transplanting.
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.
As with all trees and plants, whenever it is transplanted, the root ball is scarified.
The tree is placed into its designated hole and then turned so its best side faces the path. The hole is carefully backfilled in the same way as the privets.
Finally, every newly planted row is raked neatly and watered.
European hornbeams, Carpinus betulus, are fast-growing. 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. Because of its dense foliage and tolerance to being cut back, this hornbeam is popularly used for hedges and topiaries.
And here are the newly planted privets. One can see that they are all equally spaced. They will eventually grow into a nice thick hedge also, making a wall in the maze. When fully mature, these privets will grow 10 to 15 feet tall. The maze will take some time before it is complete, but I am so pleased with how well it is turning out. It gets more interesting – and more confusing – with each row of plantings.
At 150-years old, the Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the United States.
I hope you saw my Instagram photos @MarthaStewart48. I attended "The Run for the Roses" last weekend with several friends and had a wonderful time. The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes horserace held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The race, which is the first leg of the Triple Crown, is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of one-and-a-quarter-miles. It's been called "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports." This year, I was the event's Grand Marshall and delivered the iconic “Riders' Up” announcement to ready the jockeys for this memorable race.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here I am at the 150th Kentucky Derby wearing my outfit by Peter Cohen and my hat made by Suzanne Couture Millinery.
The Kentucky Derby is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville and dates back to 1875, when the track was called the Louisville Jockey Club.
This year, more than 150-thousand spectators attended the event.
I attended this year’s Kentucky Derby with my friends, Douglas Friedman and Kevin Sharkey. Here we are stopping for a fun photo.
The racetrack occupies 175 acres, featuring a one-mile dirt, oval racetrack and a seven-furlong turf racecourse.
Here I am with Abby Melfi, founder of Sacred Spa + Wellness, and her husband, Anthony Melfi, owner and operator of GMP Farm, a 100-acre Equine Rehabilitation and Training facility in Schuylerville, New York. They also own one of the horses competing in the race – Society Man. Abby and Anthony invited us to their viewing box.
And here I am with some of our nation’s sailors.
The Kentucky Derby isn’t the only race on Derby Day at Churchill Downs — more than 10 other races are held through the day. The post-time for the 150th Kentucky Derby was set for 6:57 p.m. ET.
Seated with me are Susan Magrino, Jane Heller, Heather Kirkland, Helen Peparo, and Douglas. Kevin took the photo.
The day was warm, about 80-degrees Fahrenheit and mostly cloudy, but only a 30-percent chance of rain. It was a good day for the Kentucky Derby.
Helen’s ready to enjoy a mint julep. The Kentucky Derby’s traditional cocktail is an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint, and sugar syrup.
Here I am with some of the young workers at the event.
And here I am as I announce Riders Up! “Riders Up!” is the traditional command for jockeys to mount their horses for the race!
And then one by one, each of the horses is brought out to the track and the designated starting gate. This horse is Forever Young.
Here comes Stronghold.
… Resilience.
And Society Man.
The field for the Kentucky Derby has been kept to a maximum of 20 horses since 1975.
Here I am after the race with jockeys Irad Ortiz, Jr. who rode Domestic Product and his brother José Ortiz who was on Catalytic.
This jockey is Ben Curtis who rode Honor Marie, a three-year old colt.
And did you see me with Josh Groban! He attended the race with his mother, Lindy Groban.
And a photo with Kid Rock. It was a great time and an exciting nose-to-nose race. And you all know how it finished. The winner was Mystik Dan, the handsome three-year old colt who who ran it in 2:03.34.
Beautiful, colorful tulips continue to bloom at my Bedford, New York farm.
By planting varieties with different bloom times, one can have tulips flowering for six weeks or even more every spring. These brightly colored perennials are hardy in zones 3 to 8 with species ranging in height, form, petal count, and color. Among the tulips flowering right now are 'Sanne,' 'Foxy Foxtrot,' 'Sugar Crystal,' 'Columbus,' 'Qatar,' 'Queensland,' 'Flaming Parrot Tulip,' and 'Estella Rijnveld.'
Enjoy these photos.
It’s always so exciting to see what flowers are blooming around the farm. We planted hundreds of tulips in my new vegetable garden and they’re still putting on such a gorgeous show. This variety is ‘Sanne’ – a beautiful dainty two-tone of deep rose in the center of the petals and soft pink along the edge.
Tulips are perennial, spring-blooming plants. They are grown for their graceful leaves and bright and cheery flowers.
All tulips are planted as bulbs in the fall and bloom in the spring.
Tulip ‘Estella Rijnveld’ is a flamboyant bicolor flower with bold red and white flames that vary in width and intensity.
The Flaming Parrot tulip is big and bold. It features a variegated yellow and red pattern on ruffled, textured petals atop 18-inch stems.
Tulips can range from six-inches to 32-inches in varying shapes and forms.
They come in a wide variety of colors. And although the red varieties remain the most popular, they range from white and pale yellow to deep mahogany and violet.
This ‘Queensland’ tulip is a double fringed variety. It has rosy colored petals accented with light pink ruffles and serrated edges. The flowers can grow to five-inches across and up to 14-inches tall.
Tulips require full sun for the best display, which means at least six-hours of bright, direct sunlight per day.
Blue Parrot tulips show-off shades of purple. As the buds open, the fluted and fringed petals unfurl into large blossoms.
Tulip ‘Columbus’ is a beautiful peony tulip in glowing reddish pink with white edges. Huge double flowers sit on strong tall stems making it a popular cut flower variety.
When planting tulip bulbs, space them about three to four inches apart for the best display in spring.
Tulip ‘Qatar’ is another striking double fringed variety – this one in bright red.
And do you know… tulips continue to grow after they are cut? Tulips grow about an extra inch after cutting and bend toward the light. Kept well-watered and away from heat, tulips can last about a week.
And yes, Tulip Mania was real! It was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when prices for some tulip bulbs reached extraordinarily high levels. It started around 1634 and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637.
Although Holland is the largest producer of tulip bulbs and flowers, the flower actually originated in Central Asia and Turkey.
Tulips hold many different meanings around the world. In Western societies, they represent love. In Persian and Turkish traditions, tulips signify spring and renewal. Dutch cultures associate tulips with wealth and prosperity.
These crisp white tulips are growing in a bed outside my greenhouse. Tulipa is the Latin word for tulip and is believed to be derived from Tulipan, meaning “turban” in Turkish – inspired by the shape of the tulip flower.
This unique tulip is called ‘Green Wave’ – it is mostly pink with dark green markings.
And here’s a delicate yellow tulip with tinges of light green. There are more than 100 species tulips and at least 3,000 variation tulips in different combinations, gradients, and patterns. What are your favorites?
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