Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we're always working off a long list of gardening tasks. This time of year, these projects include putting out lots of my potted plants.
During the warmer months, I always display lots of potted plants around my home - on the terrace parterre, in the courtyard behind my Winter House, on the stone ledges around my carport, along the carriage roads, outside my stable, and various other locations. Last week, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew moved a collection of potted agaves and fan palms out to my pool. Using beautiful container plants is an easy way to decorate any outdoor space.
Enjoy these photos.
My pool was built to run north to south in this space, so I could enjoy all the gorgeous views of the landscape. The pool project was completed in 2018 and has quickly become one of most popular spots to gather.
At one end of the pool, I have these five antique staddle stones.
I bought the staddle stones in 2017 from the annual NYBG Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair. Staddle stones were originally used in the 17th and 18th centuries as support bases for granaries, hayricks, and game larders.
They typically looked like giant stone mushrooms, but mine are square – a more rare and unique version.
Around the pool, I have chaises longues and side tables from Restoration Hardware. The big square shade umbrellas are from TUUCI.
Some of you may remember last spring I planted six of these Ginkgo biloba Goldspire™ Obelisk trees from Select Horticulture Inc. in nearby Pound Ridge, New York.
The term “obelisk” refers to the tall, four-sided, narrow tapering which ends in a pyramid shape at the top. They’re doing so well here and are showing lots of lush green growth.
The trees sit feet away from the pool – just enough to fill in the lawn space nicely. Ginkgo Goldspire™ is a highly ornamental, non-fruiting male tree originating in Italy. It has a very upright, tight fastigiate habit, and the foliage tends to be smaller than other species.
New foliage on the Ginkgo Goldspire™ emerges a rich shade of green, fan-shaped, and slightly curled. It keeps its color through summer, then turns buttery shades of yellow and gold in autumn before dropping.
Mixed in are some potted agaves. I always take out many of my tropical plants and display them in beautiful ornamental urns around the farm during summer.
This is one of several potted Agave bracteosa, or Squid Agaves. Agave plants have rosettes of fleshy leaves, some soft and smooth, while others have sharp spines.
Agave leaves are filled with gel allowing the plant to survive in extreme dry conditions for a period of time.
Agave prefers a sunny location with at least six hours of direct sunlight. Full sun plants always do so nicely here by the pool. The tough skin of the leaves is able to withstand even harsh solar rays without burning.
These Mexican fan palms prefer full sun to partial shade – they will do well pool side also until they are brought back into their designated hoop house in the fall.
Mexican fan palms have large, three to five foot wide fronds that are palmate, meaning shaped like fans.
The Mexican Fan Palm is native to Mexico, but has naturalized in several states including Florida, California, Hawaii, and Texas. It’s a beautiful palm tree with shiny, deep green fronds.
Here one can also see its trunk, which can reach up to 100 feet tall.
Under the pergola, another potted agave, which will also thrive in full sun.
This evergreen succulent perennial produces a beautiful rosette of silvery-green leaves without teeth or spines.
This is one of the best spots at my farm during summer – I look forward to any time I can spend by the pool. I hope this inspires you to display some potted specimens outside in your yard.
My large “iced terrace” at Skylands, my home overlooking Seal Harbor, is planted for the summer!
Every year, I like to spend Memorial Day weekend up in Maine planting all the large outdoor urns, pots, and troughs. It is quite an undertaking, but it's become a fun tradition especially with the friends and colleagues that accompany me every year. Many of the tropical specimens we use are stored in hoop houses at my Bedford, New York farm during winter, and then carefully loaded onto a trailer and delivered to Skylands for the summer months. As soon as I arrive there, I design the layout of where things will go and we all get to work.
Enjoy these photos.
It’s among my favorite traditions – going up to Maine for a spring weekend with good friends to plant the terrace. Rain or shine, we always get it done. Here I am with this year’s group – Douglas Friedman, Hannah Milman, Ryan McCallister, Kevin Sharkey, and the “Lady.”
Here is my handsome Chow Chow Emperor Han guarding his ledge – the dogs love to go up to Maine with me too.
Look at all the planters waiting to be filled. And this is not even all of them…
I have all different sized planters. They are put away for the winter or covered in place and then displayed around the terrace when I arrive.
These trays of succulents were propagated over winter in the Skylands greenhouse. Before we start planting, I make sure all the supplies are ready – the urns, the potting mix, and of course the plants.
My greenhouse at Skylands cannot accommodate a lot of plants, so many are wintered over at my farm and then brought to Maine. Here are some of the plants that came up the day before. I decide where each plant will go before they are moved – staying organized saves lots of time and energy.
Peter Grub, a member of my Skylands crew, is young and strong! He’s carrying one of the potted plants, a bird’s nest fern, from the front driveway to the west terrace.
One of the first meals was a hardy early morning breakfast. I used my delicious farm fresh eggs and scrambled them in butter and then served them with croissants I got from New York City’s Ladurée.
Then it’s planting time. The containers and plants are carefully positioned in or close to where they will be displayed for the season. The small pieces of wood are shims which will be placed under each pot. This is a Lunaform vessel. Lunaform is a coastal Maine studio where beautiful handmade garden containers are made.
To protect the rather porous and fragile pots, I like to line them with garbage bags, so the pots don’t soak up too much water. The garbage bags have drain holes at the bottom and are neatly tucked inside the pot, so they are not visible. It’s also easier to clean up after the season.
Here’s my gardener, Wendy Norling, moistening the potting mix in this long trough. I bought this stone trough at Trade Secrets in 2013. It has worked perfectly here at Skylands.
The trough is planted with something different this year – succulents and ornamental grasses. In less than a month, this trough will be so full of gorgeous growth.
This planter is filled with small succulents and then top dressed with pink granite gravel stones. Everyone takes turns doing everything – from moving and preparing the plants to moistening the potting mix, to filling the pots, to planting.
Another one is filled with dark burgundy succulents.
And once planted, the shims are put in place. Elevating the pots helps to prevent drainage holes from getting blocked. It also allows better air circulation and looks more aesthetically pleasing on the wall.
More succulents and agaves are planted in these containers. The antique faux bois planter on the left is extremely heavy – about four to five hundred pounds.
Agaves are long-leafed succulents with shallow roots and showy, spiked leaves. A little extra care should be taken whenever working with such sharp plants – always protect the eyes and face when handling agaves. This is an Eric Soderholtz pot – a deceptively simple turned pot, with Soderholtz’s scarab trademark impressed on the side.
I am fortunate to have such a good crew up in Maine who can care for all these plants when I am not here.
Many of the urns are also planted with ground covers that will spread and fall over the sides of the container.
For lunch on this day, we enjoyed smoked salmon, fresh brioche, mozzarella drizzled with balsamic vinegar, cucumbers, and refreshing orange slices from my orangerie.
The terrace looks excellent after all the hard work – I can’t wait to see it all filled out the next time I return.
I am an avid horseback rider and love to go out for rides on my trusted Friesians.
A crucial part of riding is making sure the horse has a well-fitted saddle. An improper fit can cause a rider's weight to be distributed unevenly resulting in pressure points, rub marks, and soreness on the horse's back. The right saddle improves the horse's comfort, prevents injuries, and ensures a pleasant riding experience for both horse and rider. Recently, I purchased a new saddle from Freedman's, a multi-generation family-owned Toronto-based saddlery business that has been making quality harnesses, saddles, bridles, and other leather goods since 1910. I've been using Freedman's products for years and have always been pleased with the fine craftsmanship and quality materials.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This is Bond, one of the 10-equine residents in my stable. He is a Friesian. The Friesian is most often recognized by its bold black coat color. They have long, arched necks and well-chiseled, short-eared, “Spanish-type” heads. They also have powerful, sloping shoulders, compact, muscular bodies with strong hindquarters, and low-set tails. Bond needed a new saddle that was better-fitting for his body shape and comfort.
I’ve used Freedman’s saddles for years. This is an older model saddle. It is at least 15-years old and is still in excellent condition.
In my saddle tack room I keep other equipment – bridles, saddles, collars, and harnesses – also made by Freedman’s. This bridle has the symbol of my farm on it, the great sycamore tree.
All of this equipment is custom made for carriage riding. Everything is always ready for the next ride.
A horse’s body changes through the year. During warm weather, horses are outdoors grazing on fresh grass. In winter, with a change in diet, they sometimes lose body mass. And, there are also muscular changes that occur from time to time. When a saddle no longer fits a horse properly, it can rock and wobble, and make the horse very uncomfortable. This saddle does not fit Bond well. He needs a narrower tree, or saddle structure, to fit his shoulders better.
This is Bond’s new Freedman’s saddle. It’s made with super grip leather to ensure no slip comfort during the ride.
It’s also manufactured with reinforced straps and a strong saddle tree for durability and proper rider positioning.
Here is the new saddle tested on Bond. This saddle fits perfectly between the back of the scapula, or shoulder blade, and Bond’s last rib.
Before going out on a ride, Helen grooms Bond. Grooming a horse does more than just clean the animal. It is also a good way to assess the horse’s skin and coat for any abnormalities that may necessitate veterinary care. A horse’s face should always be kept as clean as possible.
Grooming can be very soothing, and for many horses, it helps stimulate circulation. For young horses, it’s a good time to practice standing still, being patient, and being touched. Here, Helen wipes down his coat. Bond is secured to cross ties for safety.
Helen also combs the legs. Because all the horses are groomed every day, they are quite used to this process.
Cleaning a horse’s hooves is also very important. They should be picked daily. A hoof pick is used to remove dirt, stones, and other debris – particularly in the grooves beside the frog. Regular hoof cleaning can prevent thrush, a foul-smelling bacterial infection.
Now to get Bond ready for a ride. This is the saddle pad, which cushions the horse’s back under the saddle and protects it from the weight of the rider. This pad is from Mattes and has built in pockets for a cell phone and treats.
Next, Helen places the new saddle on Bond.
This Freedman’s Hunter SG saddle has a low cantle profile, which is the back of the saddle seat, making it easier to swing the leg over when mounting.
The front of the saddle should sit behind the shoulders, allowing good swing motion. The back of the saddle should also be the right length. And the saddle itself should rest nicely on the back.
The girth strap is also an important piece of equestrian equipment. It is attached to the saddle and encircles the horse’s underside securing the saddle in place.
The girth strap is secured with these leather strips called billets.
The straps should be secured equally on both sides of the horse, so the saddle sits centered on top.
The new saddle also has a custom name plate.
Finally, Helen puts on Bond’s halter. This leather halter fastens onto the horse’s head to make leading and handling easier. He is ready for a good, comfortable ride around the farm.
Here’s Juan on Geert and Helen on Bond. The fly masks keep the pesky bugs from biting. A well-fitting saddle gives the horse freedom of movement without any discomfort. It also helps the rider sit correctly.
Afterward, Bond and the rest of his herd are brought out to their paddock where they can graze, roll, and frolic.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
