Come join the garden tour at my house! I love reading your comments -- please leave one!

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to attend the wedding of Laura Normandin, a deputy editor of Holiday and Crafts at Martha Stewart Living. With some time to spare before the lovely event, I decided to visit my friends at the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden. BBG is a 52-acre visual delight of world-class plant collections and specialty gardens, where I always learn and garner new inspiration. I urge anyone visiting Brooklyn to make this wonderful place a destination. While I was there, I suggested to Scott Medbury, the president of BBG, that perhaps he would like to bring a group to my farm and tour my gardens. He happily accepted, the tour was organized, and, thankfully, the weather cooperated!

Unfortunately, I could not be there to greet everyone as I was in Detroit on business. I would like to thank BBG for their kind gift of two rather rare yellow magnolias to add to my yellow magnolia collection adjacent to the summer house. One is a Judy Zuk, named after a former president of BBG, and the other is called Skylands Best -– a coincidence to my home in Maine in name only.  This magnolia was named for Skylands, the New Jersey Botanical Garden.   

. Check out the new map of my gardens in Bedford!
Thank you Carly Blake and Susan Bryan for helping me to create this map.

Here's Jodi speaking to a group in the vegetable garden. About 80 guests came by tour bus that day, all members of BBG's Gager Society. Named after the first president of BBG, the Gager Society is comprised of avid plant lovers who are also big donors to BBG.

This is my cold frame –- now uncovered. Things grow well here, under glass, during cold weather.

Meet Ester Leaming Tuttle, more commonly referred to as Mrs. Faity Tuttle. My foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, is driving her around the property on the Kawasaki Mule. At 97 years of age, Faity is still a working actress/model. She was also chairman of the board at BBG during pivotal times.

This is the front of the greenhouse facing Girdle Ridge Road.

Here are two guests admiring the currant bushes. It was very sunny and hot
and they were wise to wear their hats.


This is the shade garden in front of Alexis's house. The gentleman in the white shirt and sunglasses is Fred Bland, the chairman of the board of trustees at BBG.

The guests were all given the latest issue of Living magazine to enjoy on their return ride to Brooklyn.

Pierre made a little snack for everyone. My young hens are laying small eggs -– a perfect size for deviled eggs. Pierre seasoned the yolks with sweet paprika and a bit of cayenne pepper. He made little puff pastry palmiers, layered with blue cheese. The round crackers are cheddar shortbread.

My housekeeper, Laura Acuna, made a refreshing punch. Here's Jodi serving it to guests.

Francesca and Sharkey loved all the company.

The peonies are exploding! Oh, the fragrance!

This is Elizabeth Scholtz, the director emeritus of BBG. A native of South Africa with degrees in botany and zoology, Ms. Scholtz began working at BBG in 1960. She claims it was the perfect move for her -– a total distraction from what she refers to as her midlife crisis. Ah, the power of gardening!

Here's the whole group in front of the peony garden. Kneeling are Erika, Jodi, Kim, and George –- my wonderful garden crew.

This is a nice photo of some of the trustees from BBG. Sarah Young, director of gift and estate planning; Patrick Cullina, VP of horticulture; Fred Bland, chairman of the board of trustees; Scott Medbury, president of BBG; and Leslie Findlen, VP of development.   

Comments

[Robin Ball]

Martha, I see your troughs with the herb/sedum in them. Are these original or did you make them? I remember from a show I think it was MS Living you made some. That would be a good refresher. Sedum are so fun and easy to grow. Thank you and your staff for the prairie native plants article in this month's magazine. Very informative and I think many of us in the Great Plains will benefit from the information. Did the cattle get their name yet? Enjoy!

[Sherey]

How wonderful for this group from BBG to take a tour of your magnificent gardens...and learn even more...and, fortunately, because of your blog, so do we!

Seeing all your peonies, I am waiting patiently for my peonies to open up...as i sit here at the computer in my combination office/laundry room/wrap room, I am gazing out the window where the peonies have numerous healthy buds that will soon be in bloom. Haven`t had quite enough sun here on the West Coast!

I am also inspired to create a map of my garden...how utterly fun it would be to have one. Perhaps in the future you could do a little segment on how you created yours.

Thanks again for sharing!

[Janette, Lexington, KY]

Hi Martha,
My husband and I had dinner in NYC last week with Bruce Harris, formerly of Clarkson Potter, whom we met in Cambodia last year building houses for Habitat for Humanity. We (my husband and I) are leading a build in Vietnam in January. I told Bruce you should come along. I think you would REALLY enjoy it.

[charmayne]

not sure exactly how they do it but ants help to open peony blooms, can't imagine having such a garden of peonies, stunning, wondered what u did with all of ur hen's eggs, aaahhh 2 have such hens!!!!!

[Laura]

Ooh! I wish I would have been there! I've love all the photoes from your farm and garden and I bet it must have been a great day for everyone.

[Anita Lasanowski]

It is wonderfull to have such a magnificant garden of your own to share with the public. Have you considered founding a Botanical Garden/Green House/Memorial Garden in your honor? It would be nice to have memorial bricks (which the public can have personally inscribed in memory of a loved one or a personal cause or a foundation ...etc) that line your paths or walk ways. You could have a pond with geese and ducks and bird sancuaries--that would be an awesome place to visit and an awesome contribution to mark your visit here on Earth

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, Thank you again for letting us tour your gardens with the group from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The gardens, photos and weather are absolutely beautiful! I love the photo of Mrs. Faity Tuttle. At 97, she looks fantastic! How great that the BBG gave you two beautiful magnolias. I'm sure they will look great in your garden. Thank you so much for sharing and letting us view all of this beauty from nature. Jan P.S. I hope you do get the new chow chow and can't wait for the new photos. God bless wonderful Paw Paw. J.

[Noreen]

Love the tours of your farm, the gardens are beautiful. Nice to see the "Frenchies" enjoying the visitors.
Take care, have a good summer.

NMS

[Tracey]

You make everything look so effortless- the secret to great living! I am still waiting for my peonies- loved the picture of yours!

[Celestina Marie]

Hi Martha, Your garden is fabulous and so well planned. How wonderful for those able to take the tour and for us in blogland to feel like we came along. I am certain it was a great day. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Celestina,
La Rea Rose

[Kim Wylie]

As I'm hailing from South Carolina, where magnolias are EVERYWHERE, I was hoping to see some photos of your yellow magnolias. All is forgiven, though. I hope to see them in a blog later in the summer. (Droppin' hints, here!)

Thank you for sharing the photos from your garden tour. I would loooove to see those peonies up close and personal! They're such beautiful flowers, and I'm sure yours are exquisite. As for your snacks, it gave me a great idea for entertaining guests this weekend! I think I'll have to put out some deviled eggs and homemade crackers. Thanks, both for the idea and for sharing your fun photos (as always)! :)

[kellie moklebust]

Fantastic!!! A very serene scene it is. I've always loved gardening, it brings such a overwhelming feeling of joy. Thank you for the tour!!!!

Kellie

[theresa]

Boy you even have a gym. Do you have a pool in it too? Your place is fabulous. This year has been a good one for blooms so I can imagine how your garden looks.

[dann]

THANKS!!!

Love to see your garden. It is beautiful and inspiring. I'm going to go home and work in my garden tonight. If you can, please put more gardening segments on your show. I watch it every day. It is a bright point.

[Ladymissgailo]

Francesca and Sharkey must have just loved all the peeps!

[Mischa]

What a lovely day that must have been! Everything looks beautiful, from the garden (of course!) down to the puff pastries (yum!) Thank you for sharing with us!

[jenn robbins]

Love yr blog Martha!! All I ask is that you should take more food pictures!! Maybe a favorite meal of the day thing or something?? Keep up the good work !

[Desiree']

Martha,
I loved the post about your garden. I always enjoy your blog everyday! You are so inspirational. Hope you have a wonderful summer!

[Dan]

oh Martha, how I wish I had the space you have to vegetable garden. Things are certainly looking very good!
________________________________

[Scot Medbury]

Dear Martha,

Just when we thought nothing could top our tour of your wonderful garden, we were delighted to read your blog today. On behalf of all of us at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, thank you for your generous hospitality - Jody and her team were terrific guides, and I was also delighted to meet your sister!

Your blog allows us to share highlights of our visit with our Garden friends, and I've asked our web manager to post a link to your blog on BBG's home page (http://www.bbg.org). Readers can think of it as a bridge from one special garden to another!

We were also glad to potentially contribute to your grove of yellow-flowered magnolias, by bringing a specimen of BBG's newest magnolia cultivar, Magnolia 'Judy Zuk', which was named for my talented predecessor. It's a beauty, as was its namesake, and I hope you can find a place for it.

Thanks again for your support for BBG - our group loved every minute of our visit!

Warmly,

Scot Medbury

[Kathy :)]

Thank you for sharing, just lovely and that 97 yr old actress how cute is she, quite amazing !!!

Kathy :)

[Lois Carswell]

What a wonderful day! As Chairman Emeritus of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden I want to thank you again for opening your garden to us. Speaking personally, I got a couple of quite wonderful gardening hints! Many thanks again.

[Michaele]

What I wouldn't give to be able to grow magnolias! I have lovely lilacs and lavender but the magnolias don't like my Eastern Washington climate. How nice of you to share your garden...it gives me inspiration when I see yours!!!

[Linda]

Hi Martha

This is my favorite time of year. Everything is blooming beautifully in your garden. I wish I could smell the peonies from where I am sitting right now. The 97 year old Faity is an inspiration. Francesca and Sharkey must have had fun with all the company. The food looked yummy. Those cheddar crackers,mmmm...yummy. Your gardens are simply fabulous.

Linda
Phila.

[Barbara Maher]

As a gardener here in Lancaster County, my favorite flowers are the peonies which are in full bloom now. The fragrance in the air each morning is like no other. My 84 mother in law faithfully watches you each day and reports to me how inspired she is by your program. Your greenhouse reminds of those magnificient ones at Longwood Gardens another favorite of mind.