by Sandra Hutchinson

I’ve long been a fan of the The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program, which arranges for public visits to some of our country’s most inspired and beautiful private gardens. There are usually a number of great options in New York’s Hudson Valley each spring and summer, as well as in neighboring northwest Connecticut.

Earlier this summer, through the Open Days program, I visited a stunning property near Millbrook, NY, in Dutchess County, that has been transformed by Christopher Spitzmiller and Anthony Bellomo. Called Clove Brook Farm, the current 5.5 acre property was originally part of a 200 acre working farm. The name comes from the stream that runs along the edge of the property, called Clove Brook.

The main house appears to be of Greek Revival style, dating from the 1830s, although the earliest portion of the house, at the rear, is said to date to the 1790s.

Christopher is especially known for his lamps and tableware. In 2021, he published a beautiful coffee table book through Rizzoli that outlines his gardening, decorating and cooking choices at the farm, according to season. He is close friends with Martha Stewart, who wrote the foreword to the book. Christopher was on site and ready to talk to the visitors to his home. His ceramics studio is located on the property, in a 1903 building that previously served as the Town’s Grange.

Christopher was ready to sign books for visitors, and offered everyone cool beverages and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

The dovecote is for real — literally filled with doves. Once a year, the doves are released and eventually through their homing instincts, they find their way back.

This is the rear entrance to the kitchen, which is in the oldest portion of the house. Note the blue ceiling paint on the porch, known as “haint blue,” which is traditionally a practice in the southern United States to keep the spirits or ghosts away.

A cozy covered sitting area with unusual varieties of plants hung on the wall.

Perennials and statue near Clove Brook; a faux bois basket of succulents; view from one of the perennial gardens to rear of main house.

Christopher and Anthony love birds. The renovated 1940s cow barn now serves as a location for entertaining, and housing chickens! A neighboring structure houses peacocks.

Say what? This neoclassical temple adorned with antlers shed from fallow deer is, indeed, the pool house. The temple faces the pool, below.

Set apart from the main house, the pool house also houses a butler’s pantry with a deep stone sink and a bathroom. There’s an outdoor shower to the rear. The tableware is made by Christopher.

Look whose picture we spotted in the bathroom. It’s dated 2020, although it resembles photos of Martha that appeared in the 2023 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

The vegetable garden is sensibly fenced to protect it from deer. The building to the rear is the ceramics studio. The door was open, and we peeked inside. I’m wondering if those glazed pieces on the rack are pet bowls!

A classic Spitzmiller creation. Is it a warty pumpkin?

A regal sculpture.

Clove Brook Farm will be open again this fall through The Garden Conservancy, on September 23. For information on how to reserve tickets, click here.

Incidentally, I can recommend a charming French bistro called Les Baux, in the village of Millbrook. Click here for info. They actually had sole meunière, for déjeuner!