I have so many, but certainly peonies. I often threw parties, catered by my longtime friend, chef Pierre Schaedelin, in May to celebrate the blooming of my beautiful herbaceous peonies.

Hardest gardening lesson you’ve learned:

Knowing that things are going to die. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if a plant or tree is okay.

Old wives’ tale gardening trick that actually works:

A common one is coffee grinds: When my offices were in the beautiful Starrett Lehigh Building, I had a café in the lobby. I don’t believe in waste, so I would take the coffee grinds from the café home and spread them around my azaleas. They really thrived.

My father used to use fish as a fertilizer on his tomatoes: Growing up, he would take me fishing for bluefish down at the Jersey Shore, bring them home, and clean them into trenches right into the tomato garden. And he was famous for his tomatoes. You probably can’t do that today with all the rodents and animals getting into the garden—but the point is, it’s important to feed, and water, your plants.

Favorite gardening hack:

It’s hard work. You need to be prepared to give effort. Be prepared to work.

Favorite way to bring the outdoors in.

Potted plants. My house—and greenhouse—is filled with orchids, begonias, Dracaena, button ferns, succulents, lots of exotic plants—most of which are planted in Guy and Ben Wolff pots.

Every garden needs …

To start with good soil and compost.

Tool you can’t live without:

A quality hori hori, a Japanese weeder. It’s an indispensable multi-purpose tool—great for many gardening tasks—from scarifying a rootball to planting bulbs.

Go-to gardening outfit:

I have a brand-new line out of work shirts, chore jackets, gloves, and overalls at Tractor Supply that I like to wear.

Favorite nursery, plant shop, or seed company:

I enjoy trying seeds from various vendors, but two of my favorites are Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. And when I’m in Paris, I go straight to Vilmorin and buy every kind of vegetable seed. I grow everything from seed. I just love reading seed catalogues and choosing seeds.

Not-to-be-missed public garden/park/botanical garden:

NYBG and Wave Hill, of course. Though, I’d have to say that my favorite garden in the whole world is Cantitoe Corners, which is my garden [in Bedford, NY], because it’s where I work, where I plan, where I plant.

The REAL reason you garden:

Well, I always say, If you want to be happy for a year, take a spouse. If you want to be happy for a decade, get a dog. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, make a garden.

Thanks so much, Martha! (You can follow her on Instagram @marthastewart48.)

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