Hunting spring signs

 

It's a pity, last time I wrote it was a real Nordic winter... some beautiful days. But within one week it was green, raining warm water or very misty in Småland again. We didn't see the sun for weeks. Only some moments we had to go out quickly to catch the sunlight for some minutes. Hopefully now it will change to early spring, don't you think? Maybe spring will come a little bit earlier this year 🙏.

While we keep ourselves busy inside we keep on hunting spring signs, till now we only found the snowdrops. Just now we are busy with next years planning. What days shall we open? What events we will take part of? This is the time to subscribe and upload actual information. I think we will start with Lingonställen beginning of June. They have an Easter event end of March (info is coming soon on the side) but that is really too early for a garden. Would be nice to start some earlier, somewhere in May. I'm hoping every year but I don't think nature will hurry, so it's wishful thinking. But you never know.

End of June it will be time for Tusentradgardar again. A lot of (private) gardens in Sweden open up for every one. An event I really can recommend. Organised it every two years. Full of energy, even more inspiration and meeting only nice people and gardening enthousiasts. 

Half of July I'm happy to join the open garden day 2024 by Land.se again. They have not got the new information on the website yet, but it will come soon. It was a big succes last year, we booked a visitors record!

End of July I'm very honored to welcome the members of  "Värnamo Trädgård Förening" in the garden for a loo around and a fika. 

The event season will end with a Lingonrundan in the beginning of September. 

So it's looking like we will open up every two weeks in summer, maybe some spontaneous openings in between, depending on time and weather. I'm sure the summer won't be as bad and rainy as last year....

But now it's time to get out of my head again. I started with cutting the pelargon. I have some nice English (French for Dutch people 😝) Pelargon. My collection is growing more as I thought. They are so nice to grow here in this climate and they seem to like it in my upstairs room. But last year I managed to sell them also in the small plantmarket att the street side. This year I had also an a refugee, staying over for winter. The neighbors had no place to put it so it had a sort of sabbatical inside with us before getting out at their side again. 

Of course i started with the seedlings. Maybe to early but  just can't wait. I started with the experimental ones. Some difficult plants I want to seed, some plants who need warmth inside on my kitchen floor and cold outside to germ or seeds I hope they will flower this season too though they are two years plants. So experiments first. After it i started with Hollyhocks and Sunhats because i like to sell them flowering. But then they need to be quick unless I'm so quick to seed them more early. 

Hollyhocks

Outside we started with all cuttings. A nice part is always the Willow trees. Because it triggers me always to make something nice out of it. Those tranches are so fresh and beautiful colored and easy to work with. I already have some ideas in mind, you will see later. Beside of the water in the garden, it really needs to go down because now it's like a swimmingpool. But also in the lake is very high water. At lease we have no problems with drinking water next summer season. As soon as the temperature will go up to 7 degrees or above it will go fast and all jobs need to be at the same time. Before you know you are in the middle of summer (when you take a rest for midsummer). 

After the snow i'v been looking for Spring signs every day. It took a while but I'm very happy to tell you I found some: 

• Last week I was waken up very early by a singel crane in the lake nearby. The very first one a heard. It's looking like his/her partner is not back yet. When I look for the place where they collect before spreading after migrating from Europa I can read the first one was seen the 19th of February 2024.
• The snowdrops I told you already about but I even found the new buds in the Clematis Alpine what is climbing on the iron stairs. It's growing in the total open air in the back of the yard, so a very cold micro climate you could say. But maybe this is a tough cookie. 
• The Alliums bulbs started growing already... that's the sign we will need to prepare for closing the garden. Otherwise the hares will eat all of it. Or even worse they will find a place to make their nest. 

I really hope the water will disappear soon. Because it is too wet at the moment. We will ruin the grass by walking to much on it, it's very weak. The good ting is you can see the very nice mosses all around. Some people think they only grow on sick trees. But in contrary, they only grown in very healthy areas with clean air. I think they are beautiful. I call them trollenmos, but I don't know their real name. 

Do you want to read about last year spring time, please follow this link: Following natures steps last year. Or we will meet next time again, same place same time 😊.

Christmas Time again

 

Finally we are there again, the last week before Christmas. Last dark days. And they have been very dark, after the snow disappeared. It felt like the evening time every day. But now on the way to the light again... Next Friday the days will be longer again, before we know time will be running and it will be Midsommar again 😁.

Before I close this year on my blog I like to wish every one a very nice time together with family and friends. And even the ones who are not that close this year, just know, there is always some one for you, you are always in some ones heart. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. See you next year!

Buzzzzy springtimes again

Spring.... or summer already? The weather changed beginning of May, we got finally warmth and sun. Suddenly we had summertime and we touched even more then 20 degrees. In only three days later all the trees got green again! It was also the sign for the start of the busiest time of the season, like always for a gardener. Now, all jobs needs to been done at the same time. 

Before I kept all the small plants inside because it was still frosty at night until then. So I forwarded most jobs around the young plants till half May. I put out the toughest seedlings on the veranda, so they had some shelter but still could adapt a little to outside climate at the same time.

I only took the risk with planting outside some climbing Ipomea's in full ground (because I would have visitors and no time for planting next week). I wanted them to grow already so they would have some body beginning of June. But I was punished for that, too quick. All 40 died. I need to sow them again, this time directly outside. By the time they will start to grow, about a day or 10, I expect the temperatuur will be above zero. 

At the same time I'm so happy I've been trying to fix all other possible jobs what needs to be done (as far as possible) before opening the garden beginning of June again. We started already in April to make an extra fence of chicken wire around the total garden, to protect the plants against the hares. Last year it was a tragedy. All my Salvia's Verticilata, Papavers, the small fresh sowed Lathyrus plants, the big Campanula's (Stor Blåklocka) and some other in the total garden were eaten off each time they tried to get up a little. The hares were like an unwelcome grass machine in the total garden. The worst of all was the Clematis, which I was so proud on because it grew perfectly in Spring, two meters high already. It was cut off at the bottom and didn't recover that year. 

We have also been busy starting up the robot called Herman. Every year a surprise if it's working. Mostly not. Because the line is broken somewhere around in the garden. So you have to check all the lines, which is quit a lot in our garden. The easiest way is to take some hours or an afternoon without stress. The good news is we managed it again, "Herman" is running around again. So we only have to cut the outside parts by hand right now once a week. 

The weeds are starting to grow too, so now I need to weed the whole garden, for not getting behind. That will only take more time. Mean while I'm fixing small plants for selling by getting cuttings and moving the seedlings form the plugg trays to a bigger pot. Some parts in the garden need also a reshuffle. Extra handicap is the sudden warmth, not very suited to replant or move plants. Beside of that I have to water all the plants (special for them in baskets) to keep them growing.

By the way, some planting pots are already filled up for the season. Maybe it is a little too early but I just cannot do all in the last days before opening. I'll have to bake some cakes, fix some chairs and announce the garden on the socials. So if you don't mind, I'm out in the garden again...

Not only summer weather by the way 😏

Ready to travel? Glad Påsk!

 

Happy Easter for every one 💛 We wish you all very nice days together with family and friends where ever you are. Just enjoy the time! We finished the decorations around the house and prepared the Easter program. So we are nearly ready to celebrate 😉

Of course we hope the winter will be over soon, like a lot of people. Although they say it's going to snow tomorrow again...😳. We still have the winter tires (spikes) but need to change them soon. We have an appointment next week. I hope we don't need them anymore and we need to change them before the 15th of April. But at least I found the first Crocus flowers last week. Finally not only snowdrops anymore. I saw also the first glimpse of the blåsippa. I will keep you updated. 

Finally. We started also with some gardenjobs outside. I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to go outside. It's still very cold and wet but when you have some sun it's ok as long as you keep moving and working. It's good the groundwater level is back on normal level again since the very dry periods last years. From 2018 it has been too dry. Though it's very high water at some places now, even in our garden. Mostly it will disappear in the bottom quickly because it's very sandy over here in Småland. And it will provide us and all the people around us with fresh drinking water for the wells. 

In the garden we are taking away the frost prevention, the rest of the leaves and burned the rest of the woods in the fireplace. We are making extra fences to keep the hares outside. All those little plants start growing now and they like special the new fresh leaves. I saw the new build flowers from the Helleborus where gone already 😕. The deer have a special nose for the first parts of the Daylilies, so we have been protecting them too. We made some chicken wire around the fresh youngsters. Last years we already made fence around the garden and it's looking like they are a little lazy. So they don't jump in that easy, only when they are very hungry. 

Inside the work of sowing already started weeks ago. A lot of plants are growing now but couldn't go outside because it still was freezing at night time. I kept them as cold as possible inside (around 10 degrees, so it's more easy to go outside. As soon as the frost will be less severe the next weeks the first plants -who are hardy enough can go out. Like the Sweet Williams (Borstnellikor/Duizendschoon), the Snapdragons (Lejongap/Leeuwenbek) and the Columbines (Akleja/Akelei). I've been trying to sow Verbena but I haven't been lucky with that. They need a period of cold, I know. So they have been outside and inside but still noting happening. 

Now it's the latest time to cut the Willow tree. You need to do it in winter. Somewhere between December and March before the juiceflow of the tree starts. That's for me the time to have some fun with Willow branches. I made a new wreath and a basket for my lady. Hope to see you soon in the garden for a fika 😍. 

Just in case you never heart about the old Swedish Easter Saga, please take a look. It's funny!

And for those how know about it? Have a nice trip on Thursday 😆.

God Jul & Gott Nytt år

 

We wish every one reading this blog a very nice Christmas Time, where ever you are or with whom. I wish you all the warmth you need 💖, with all you're nearest and dearest in the the neighborhood. I will burn some candles for all those who can't be close just now.... We only can hope for better times 🙏

See you next year! With love Brun 😘

First of Advent again

Start of the Christmas Time in Sweden. And I can say: It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

In the shops it's totally Christmas, as well on the streets in the city and the private houses along the road. Only some weeks to go. Hoping for some snow to come.

I've been very creatieve last time (I was inside anyway 😜) and I have been working on Christmas decorations to create a real Christmas house. I like working with natural materials of course. I like them very much (the ferns, the mossa and pine cones) but it's also so difficult to buy suitable natural decorating stuff and very expensive too, when it is possible to buy it at all. Beside of that the assortment on the countryside in Sweden is very small, in the cities it is much better. 

For me it's always the best time of year. I like to decorate, to make new creations, to use new colors. It's like party time packing out all boxes with Christmas stuff. With a good herbs tea (filled up with pomorans, kardemomma, cinnamom and fresh ginger). a fresh baked almonds cake and a warm fireplace the ideal start of this time. When you need some inspiration, have a look on my earlier posts about Christmas decorations. And of course Pinterest is a good source to find extra inspiration. You can find me there too!

Meanwhile we take the time to visit some Lingonställer in the neighborhood, worth recommendation. Late Sunday afternoon there's the yearly Julskyltning in Ljungby. It's sort of partytime, with Christmas market, opened shops, Santa Claus and time to put on the lights of the enormous Christmas tree. 

We wish you lot's of luck next weeks. I know in working times it is always the most busy time of the year. We try to keep busy in the dark, starting to count down for Christmas....only 4 weeks to go.

By the way, we got just a little sun last week (just before going down again). I saw it on the perfect spot, at lake Flyxen. See you soon....😏

Advents Time is coming closer

Nearly time to go out and visit one of the Lingonställen in your surroundings. We are closed this time of the year but we recommend the places who have opened this time. You can find places of your interest here: Lingonrundan Jul 26-27-11 & 17/12/2022

It's really worth your visit! 

Very recently I saw already a glimpse of the Santa Claus office somewhere....Did you see it too?

September moods

Don't you think it's to early to think about autumn? For me it is, I really need some more time to prepare for wintertime.

But you can feel the autumn coming anyway... The appels were ready to harvest, both the yellow as the red ones. The ferns are starting to get brown (I still hope I can make a wreath out of it) , the beech is starting to get yellow leaves (but they don't fall down yet) and we've got a lot of flowers still around us. The moose is bellowing around all night, in the woods around us. Their calendar is telling them, it's time to mate again...They are very close this year, the moose is already been spotted twice by our neighbour just in the back of their house. Peter went out walking, just before sundown, he heart them very close to him (it's a pity he couldn't see). Maybe they were just laughing about Peter 😂. 

From gardening perspective, even in this part of Sweden we have a long winter, nearly 5 months, från november till april. It can be frosty and snowy, plants mostly don't like it and will wait for better times.  The rest of the year it feels like June or September weather, with some hot summer days in between, mostly in July - this year also in August. We were lucky, last weeks (end of August / beginning of September). We had very good summer weeks, blue skies, no wind att all, not too cold and not too warm. Very good for me because I need to collect some more sun and energy for autumn time, it can be dark, grey and misty last months of the year. But of course, I realize, we also need some rain for nature and ourselves, because the lake and the drinkwaterlevel in Sweden is very low. We tried successfully to save some water for watering the plants with the rain barrel. It works perfect as long as we get some rain sometimes. 

Last week I managed to paint and prepare some outside windows, before it's getting too wet for painting. We have still some windows to fix. Beside of that we still have some jobs in the garden before winter. As long as it will be 8 degrees or more I have to fight the growing of the weeds, the more I can take away the less work in spring. I need to change places of some of the plants and collect seeds for next year of course. Some plants need to go inside before frost. Some parts of the garden needs some extra compost (cut gras and home made compost) for better flowering next year. We have to cover the furniture as well before it gets to wet and put some things inside. But for now we still hope for some sunny days in September/Oktober. Maybe we will have a sort of Britt Sommar? When it stays a little sunny with some rain we maybe can find some Chantarelles?

And last but not least? Maybe the best of all jobs? Be creative and making new plans for autumn and winter ... And maybe then after that all, I'm ready for autumn 😜.

See you!

Seen recently....

Busy & Planning

 

Just now we have some others things to do. We had some visitors from the Netherlands and we are busy with all jobs you need to fix before wintertime. Like painting the house, weed weeding, seeding, maintaining the garden and preparing the garden for winter. Beside of that we are making plans for the future and reflecting about last season. Maybe there will be an opening around Advent, we will see later. You will hear as soon as possible, of course.

Sjöbygget Trädgård Summer update

It has been so exciting! We started our open garden (or tea garden they say in the Netherlands 😉) beginning of June. Of course it was a challenge to fix everything in time. For me it was the first time to open up, so we needed to organize a basic outfit, such as coffee cups, a water can with communal water, enough chairs and tasty cakes but also a tiptop garden. Which actually ment some extra work. Most of them we managed so we could open.

We had some special events like the Lingonställen in the beginning of June 2022. It's a network of (mostly) small companies in the region of West Småland. The garden was perfect, the weather was too special on those two days. Though it had been raining a lot before (not so nice when you want to prepare). The only challenge left was the hare, who had been eating much more as last year. Last year we had some big Campanula's left (1 meter high) but this time they didn't come up at all because the hare was cutting the flowers like gras, same for all the Asters and Salvias. So we tried to protect a lot of plants with chicken wires and took away this irons just before the weekend. We were so happy we could welcome of a lot of people from the neighborhood as well from the Lingonstallen network.  

The garden was at it best around Midsommar. It was a big oasis of Daisies (Prästkragor), Columbines (Aquileias) and some left over Campanulas (Stor Blå Klockar). But of course, then we didn't open our garden but had nice time with nice food, beautiful summer weather and good friends around us. 

After the first openings we decided to have a växtloppis (sort of selling of small self grown plants) outside of the garden which is opened every day. People can have a look, take the plants they want to buy and pay digital. 

Normally the Tusen Garden event takes place around the last weekend of June. Because of Midsommar had took place a little later, beginning of July. It's an event of opened garden in total Sweden, from north to south. We had very nice garden weather again, not too warm not too rainy. 

The Land Open Garden half of July was successful too. We were very happy surprised so much people found our garden. There were not that much gardens in this area to make a combination, only in the direction of Värnamo. A lot of Swedish families made a day trip to this part of the region in their holiday time.

In between we had several private openings too, without any supporting network. Of course, little less visitors but good days too. I like to meet people and have a talk about gardening, the old school building or the regions history. Some families have been living in this neighborhood for a long time. 

It stays a challenge to manage nature 😜. They often say having a garden, is facing real life. With ups and downs, always something to solve or some extra challenge. It can be too dry, too wet or wild animals kill the plants you nourished for months without flowering this year.

And of course we are very dependent on dry weather, but till now only one weekend was very rainy but the positive side was, I ended up gardening and having fun for myself.

By the way, this summer season isn't over yet....so when you haven't been here, take your chance now!

Hope to see you...

Greetings from Brün

Välkommen in 16 and 17 July 2022 (11-16)

 

Welcome in our garden again. We have been watering, seeding and weeding and chasing the hare who's challenging. The hare seems to like the small fresh special plants the best. Or the Clematis we were so proud on, who reached the top of the climbing iron of 2,5 meter, totally ruined because he ate the tribe. It's such a pity he doesn't like the ground elder (kirskål). But it's still worth visiting us....

Or may be we can see you next time?