{"id":3525,"date":"2009-07-31T09:00:23","date_gmt":"2009-07-31T13:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nybg.org\/wordpress\/?p=3525"},"modified":"2009-11-16T11:35:29","modified_gmt":"2009-11-16T15:35:29","slug":"designing-martha-stewart%e2%80%99s-culinary-herb-gardening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nybg.org\/blogs\/plant-talk\/2009\/07\/exhibit-news\/designing-martha-stewart%e2%80%99s-culinary-herb-gardening\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing Martha Stewart\u2019s Culinary Herb Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\"\"<\/td>\nAndrew Beckman is editorial director of gardening for <\/em>Martha Stewart Living and co-host of the satellite radio show <\/em>Homegrown.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"M4_4587\"<\/a>I must admit I groaned a little when Martha told me that she had agreed to redesign the herb garden at NYBG as part of The Edible Garden<\/em><\/a> summer-long exhibitions. I\u2019m not a big fan of herbs: They aren\u2019t the most visually interesting plants, being mostly fine textured and green-gray. To top it off, the existing features at the location such as the shrubs, trees, and paths would dictate so much of the design.<\/p>\n

But after seeing the site and meeting with NYBG\u2019s head horticulturists Todd Forrest and Margaret Falk, I sat down with Andrea Mason, our garden expert for the Martha television show, and Jodi Capobianco, Martha\u2019s head gardener at the time. The three of us got stoked up on caffeine and sugar and got down to work. With a lot of laughter and talking over\u2014and past\u2014each other, we put together the plant list<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The plan included old standbys, Martha\u2019s favorites, and some herbs from cuisines from other parts of the world. We plotted these onto the garden map, trying to mix up the textures and colors so the long borders to the sides of the garden would be as visually interesting as the parterre in the middle. Garden staff reviewed this first rough draft and suggested adding more silver plants and some edible flowers to spice up the design.<\/p>\n

I revisited the site multiple times during this process, each time finding it smaller than it was in my memory. We asked Sal Gilbertie, owner of Gilbertie\u2019s Herb Gardens<\/a> in Westport, Conn., who donated the plants, for his advice on quantities and timing of the installation. <\/p>\n

After more revisions, Jodi, Andrea, and I presented the plan to Martha, who added a few ideas to the mix and filled in some gaps. Once we had final approval from all parties, we handed the plan<\/a> over to Kristin Schleiter, who had worked for the Martha television show and is now on the staff at NYBG. Having someone who knew all the players in this game was a great help in getting the plan from paper into the ground. I am sure we never could have done this without her.<\/p>\n

The first part of the planting was filmed for Martha\u2019s television show<\/a>. Given my pathological dislike of seeing myself on camera, I made sure I was on a magazine shoot and let Andrea handle it all. It came out beautifully.<\/p>\n

When I saw the herb garden on the media day for the exhibition last month, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how well it came together. I\u2019m happy to hear that the show will extend through next summer, because I already have ideas of how to make it even better.<\/p>\n

When planting your own herb garden, keep these tips in mind:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Most herbs like full sun and a well-drained soil.
\n\u2022 Put your herb garden near the kitchen so it is easily accessible when cooking, that way you\u2019ll use them more often.
\n\u2022 Herbs benefit from regular pinching, which makes them branch, so the more you harvest the more you grow.
\n\u2022 Annual herbs like cilantro, basil, and dill are best when sown in small batches every few weeks.
\n\u2022 If you only have shade, try annual herbs like parsley, cilantro, and dill.
\n\u2022 Mint is a vigorous grower, so it is best grown in pots or otherwise corralled.
\n\u2022 Herbs generally develop their best flavors in a lean soil, so use fertilizer sparingly.<\/p>\n

For recipes by Martha using herbs, visit<\/em> The Edible Garden recipe pages<\/em><\/a> and the<\/em> Ultimate Kitchen Herb Garden<\/a> on Martha Stewart\u2019s Web site. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Andrew Beckman is editorial director of gardening for Martha Stewart Living and co-host of the satellite radio show Homegrown. I must admit I groaned a little when Martha told me that she had agreed to redesign the herb garden at NYBG as part of The Edible Garden summer-long exhibitions. I\u2019m not a big fan of… <\/p>\n

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