Our home and garden once upon a time

Once upon a time we bought a house in Sweden. A very special building, a school build around 1897. Nowadays it's looking like the picture above. The house is nearly totally painted outside. Around the building, it's a green oasis now. Very well maintained, the gras is looking like a lawn and there are lot of flowers areas. We brought a lot of plants form my garden in the Netherlands and a got a lot of special plants form my late father. Also we found a lot of plants from former days, when the old lady was gardening (from the sixties till 2006). They had some difficulties because they were overgrown but managed after being in the nursery. 

But we bought it like you see it on the picture below. We started with cutting a lot of trees. There were too much, sometimes not planned but just growing. Creating a lot of shade and moss. And the place you see before the house, they planned to have that awful avlopp. Just in front of your doorstep because there was no other option within the rules. We really hated it but made the best out of it. Only the Midsummer Roses are still there!

Above you see the picture made in 2015. The ground around was totally overgrown, you could mow the grass around the house where once was a path. Two Thuja's were growing too close to the house. We cut both the trees and recreated borders around the house. We took away the wild grass and reconstructed the gravel path around the house. We painted the a lot of red and white, also the iron pilasters and balconies. Right now we are recreating the grass in front. Actually, we are trying to make a wild dry meadow. 

The barn (totally in the left) was taken away already in 2016. The barn at the right, build around 1897. was painted and repaired again. Inside you can still can see the traces from former days. Once is was the home for the horse of the teacher who lived here in Sjöbygget but also needed to teach in Dörärp. Maybe there was even a sort of housekeeper for the school who had his "office" in the barn. The sculptures are still there, in good shape. Created by the old lady in the sixties. 

Above you see a picture for 2015. We think the old lady got a lot of Christmas trees for free. She planted them everywhere in the garden and started shaping them. Maybe to keep them small. But in the years when the house became a holdidayhome they started growing very fast. In the years we have been living here they just speeded up. That's why we cut down 4 of 5. Below you can see the one who's still remaining. Already 4-5 meters high. 

The biggest difference is the painting but there is more. We renewed the total wall at this side and painted all the stairs in a lighter color. In front here was growing a climbing plant "Blue rain" for some years but never flowering. We replaced it to a more sunny place. And the good news is, it flowered this year for the first time since 10 years. 

The lake side didn't change so much. It is still a very quit place. It's always there. A very nice small lake where you can fish, swim, walk along or take a swim. 

Same for the udden in Flyxen. The half isle where you can enjoy the private view, or your swim in summer time. There is a stone picknick table and a grilling place you even can enjoy while ice fishing in winter time. 

 Do you want to read more about the school and the garden some years ago? Try the articles I already wrote about this special place. 

May and Junes gardening life

There happened a lot since the beginning of May. It was a very big rush. Lot of things happening at the same time or needed to be done next day, it just to follow nature. When we walk around the garden with our morning coffee, you will always find a "job to do". But I think also that's all inclusive, when you take care of a garden, it will always call you. 

In the beginning of the month is stayed very cold, specially in the nights. Later on in June it went little warmer but finally around Midsommar we really had the first Swedish summer days. For the plants it was good weather anyway. not too warm, not too cold and heavy rain showers now and then. So everything is growing very very very fast. So much I can't keep up with the weeds. The bad thing is it will be more difficult to get rid of it because it will take even more time. But we will see. I have to split my time anyway. 

Of course I opened my plantmarket beginning of June. I collected a lot of plants while weeding and I had been sawing so enough to sell. And the weather hasn't been too dry (so it takes a lot of time to water all) or too wet (so we have so save the plants from drowning) until now so it goes with the flow. It only took some time before the people really bought some plants but now every now and then some payment is coming in digitally. 

A mole decided to make new routes and big buildings in our garden and destroyed a lot of the grass in front of the livingroom, near the apples trees. We started to discourage by removing his buildings daily and putting garlic water in his routes for some days. But when it didn't work we decided to try to catch it. We succeeded in only two days. Actually they are quit good looking guys. Next time they should dig in the 60 hectares around us. 

Again we managed, we chased away the Maqpies, they have a nest but not in our garden. We made a very long stave to reach the building of the nest and tried to destroy it several times. In the end they got tired of rebuilding. So now the other young small birds in our garden were not eaten and had more chance to survive. 

We got special visitors last weeks anyway. The Cranes with their youngster, very early in the morning (around 5) they just walking around our neighbors house, while we were sleeping just some meters aside. Looking for some nice frogs or pads....

Just found some smultrons in my garden, de small strawberries (around 1 cm, growing in the wild. I like to eat them when I passing by, they are very healthy. I saw also the first Cantharellen, very early this year. Mostly the appear end of July or even August. It must be the weather, high temperatures and lost of rain sometimes. Let's hope we get some Scandinavian high pressure area around soon, which will deliver a stabile weather period for some weeks. For now we had some very hot days suddenly. From cold weather to 34 degrees..... You can not do that much when it is so warm, nice to go swimming in the lake of course. I'v been there now more often then last year in a summerseason 😄. 

Thanks for now, nice to see you next time!

Rush hour in the garden, it's springtime

Finally. Everything needs to be done, nature is in a hurry. Only some months you have the chance to show yourself. Now or never. Really rush hour now....

After the snowdrops, we had Crocus time for a while, followed by White and Blåsippa (Anemone and Liverleaf). After that...? Well it simply exploded. The Pulsatillas started flowering, the Magnolia (for the first time), all sorts of Narcisses and my favorite bulbs: the Fritillaria Meleagris.

Right now, 4 weeks after spring started -end of March- it's nearly all green around us. Except the Beeches. But they are getting green very soon, more and more leaves appear.

Pulsatilla

Some things have been growing 40 cm's already in very short time, like the Aquileias. We still needed to clean some of the borders, they are still covered with leaves to protect the plants. But in the beginning we were little afraid being too early. Because frost is still possible till the end of May. After cleening the next step is to create an extra mulch layer to feed the soil and slow down the weeds. There were also some parts I didn't manage to weed in time last autumn. That's a pity because the roots grow longer in winter so it's a hard jobb to fix it now. So already a lot of wheel barrows transport through the garden. At the same time I've been cutting the grass for two times already. That never happened before in April. I also already installed Herman, the robot, too. I was very lucky the lines were still okay after winter, though Herman is getting a little older and doesn't always know the way back home. Last days we have been busy to clean, composting and replant the old fireplace, it was totally overgrown and the robot crashed each time on the stonewall because it disappeared under the weeds. It was really a very heavy jobb, but we fixed it 💪.

On the average we walk 2-3 km's in the garden every day, without counting our walks in the neighborhood or fitness/yogatimes. Last weeks we didn't need extra fitness actually, only some stretching for the painful muscles 😂.  

Magnolia

Meanwhile this is also the moment to reshuffle plants a little, for a better composition. Now it is not to dry and warm yet. Normally it is the ideal time also to split up plants, so you'll get more of your favorite ones. I was just in time for the Sedums, before they start growing. There is only a little problem now. We didn't have rain the last weeks, so it's already dry. And because of the high temperatures last weeks all is happening at the same time, all needs to be done now. Nature is ruling at the moment. So there is little time left to fix all the things in some weeks you normally fix in two months. 

My favorit bulbs: Fritillary

We prepared the front side garden to be a flower meadow. we bought 40m2 seeds and good manured soil. But there was soooo much moss in that part, we thought it would be better to take it out as much as possible. We took out nearly 10 wheel barrows to the compost area (We are lucky my brother Alrik made a new compost area one last year) to make new compost. It's mostly garden garbage, because I don not want to attract or feed the wild animals with leftovers from food. I started 8 years ago with composting on the old place. Now it's time to use the compost ground, it contains nutrients and minerals. Normally I mix it with extra manure to better the poor ground around here. I can already experience that the ground is getting better after these years working like that. Never thought I would be happy for my own compost 😄.

House made compost

Last autumn I collected a lot of small plants for selling in summer seasons. They only had to survive the winter, because the best is to stay outside in winter. And ques what? Most of them survived! We even found a small but well growing Clematis, we made last year out of cuttings. We cleaned and refreshed them and now they started growing already very well. In some weeks we can start selling at the street side again, we will open the Växtloppis again. 

But I promised also to make time for maintaining the house and for traveling together now. Having less stress because of having a garden cafe - with deadlines whole summer-  but experience really quality time together for the time we live our dream on the countryside. So we dried, cleaned and painted the garden gates, the front and kitchen door -nearly finished- and we traveled in between every 3-4 weeks to the city to socialize and see some soccer to Göteborg or Stockholm.

In March I started sowing. First the most difficult plants, how needs a long time to germinate, like Day Lily, Gaura, Crocosmia and a Wisteria (we call it Blue Rain). Later the ones who need to go out when the frost risk is over, in the end of May/beginning of June. In the end we have over hundred seedlings. Most of them are Lathyrus, we like them so much. But also Holyhock, Amarant, Mais, Basilicum, Lavendel and lot's of Snapdragons. All alive and kicking. But not only succes stories. The Passion flower didn't grow, as the Salvia didn't - only one survived. Maybe it was too dark and too cold on the room. In some years you also collect a lot of seeds but you don't use all. This year I started sowing this old ones, getting a last chance to grow. The rest of the seeds I will sow outside directly. Like the Dill, Cosmea, Aquileia, Pumpkins, Beans and Marigolds. 

Last week we took out all the seedlings to the outside veranda. It has been very nice weather last weeks, between 8-15 degrees. But suddenly some frost appeared in the weather app 😳. So we needed to (replace some and) protect all the plants again, with preventive fleece. We lost some of them now, it is always a pity when you put so much time in it. But nature is ruling, it can be challenging too. We still love it 😅. It gives energy!

By the way: now it is Tulip season in Sweden, they call these French Tulips, they are very big and flowering wonderful! Even the Appletree starts coloring, at least the early ones. Did you know I also tried to sow a new Jazz apple tree (with seeds from the apples we eat every day). It is our favorite Apple and two of them came out... now already 10 centimeters high. Same I did with our favorite Cherry tomatoes, just for fun.... also growing big now 😂. 

PS: The bad news is we think the Maqpies are breeding in the Christmas Tree again. We see them flying around very sneaky. Next days we will try to chase them away again. I will let you know next time....

Visiting Botaniska Trädgården Göteborg (GBG)

 

It is always a pleasure visiting the Botaniska in GBG. There is always something to see and it is a very nice park in the middle of the city center. A lot of citizens use the park to go outside for a walk or fika. You can also start your walk in the Botaniska and walk out of this park to nature in direction of Mölndal of visit the higher parts and enjoy the view on GBG. At the moment the Botaniska is renovating the glasshouses, so it is a little bit a mess, nevertheless worth visiting. They finished already building a new glasshouse on top nearby the entrance. 

Porcelin klocka

Not snowdrops but Springbells

Under a glass roof you will find very rare sorts of bulbs from al over the world. They are flowering now!

And in the new build glasshouse they show threatened plants by climate change. Specially plants growing in the coldest arias (like Antartica or Himalya) of the world are having more and more problems to survive in a warming up world. 

View on Goteborg

When you want to have an indication what it can be like in summertime, just have a look on the pictures from the Botaniska I made in earlier days. For more information about opening times, what exhibitions or events they offer, when they finish renovation or something else, please visit their website. 

Spring arriving in Småland Sweden

For now we are still in the Snowdrop season in Sweden, in general the earliest flowers of the season. They are giving there best for now, growing bigger every day. Every year I start looking for the first small sign of spring. Like some years ago when we still had a real winter.  Now it hardly was a real winter, more like a very long autumn. 

Till the moment of spring arrives, I try to enjoy myself inside with sowing Lavendel and Passion plants and making plant cuttings, mostly pelargon. Last season I already made cuttings of Hydrangea Annabelle, Skimmia Kew Green, Forsythia and Hydrangea Paniculatum. They are doing very well outside. They survived "autumn"time and are starting to grow now. 

After a little walk around I found the first flowering Crocus. Only the left overs. The most of them are eaten by the Sork. Like the specials bulbs I bought in the Botaniska, the Camassias and lot of special Narcissus. That is a small active animal, something in between a mouse and a cavia here in Småland. We try to scare them away by watering garlic water in the holes.

We also heard the first Cranes some weeks ago, already the beginning of March. Quit early actually. Last week they also arrived by our lake, very close to our house (only 50 meters) but we can not see them from our place. First only one, screaming all day to inform the partner who arrived later. First days screaming each morning, so we waked up early too. Now they are quit ok. Feeding after the big travel from the south of Spain. It is hard to belief they can make that long journey, survive the challenges of modern times and know what direction to fly to. We tried to make a picture of them but they are very scared. So I only can offer you a far away picture, there are some grey/white things in the left corner. Our cranes. We saw them much more close but then couldn't make a video in time. Today we were working outside, we saw several groups of cranes arriving in Sweden. A fabulous view and sound to witness. 

Cranes hiding in the reed

But finally half of March, expecting spring, you wake up and see only snow. A total white world. With beautiful sun this time. Suddenly time to clean the path again (before it's getting icy). And next step,  just throw all your things you are busy with away, put on your winter clothes and just enjoy the day today! Don't forget to make nice pictures 😎. By the way, the snow disappeared as suddenly as it came. 

So we went on with inside jobs to do. I started sowing the more difficult plants (like Passiflora, Crocosmia or Hemerocallis (Daylily), or the ones who need warmth and coldness or a long time to germinate (like Pinus, Verbena, Lavendula). Next weeks it is time for the Lathyrus to sow. But I need to create place first 😉. So the Pelargonias have to move from their winter place to a little warmer and more sunnier place for waking up. 

Meanwhile we have been outside sometimes, not only to have some healthy movement, but also looking for more spring signs. We only found them hidden far away between the leaves: the blåsippa. It has been so cold and grey till now, I can understand they are still hiding (frosty in the nights, max 5 at daytime). But I have good news too. Last week we got suddenly some days of spring, temperatures around 10 degrees and totally sunny every day 💛😍. We have been outside as much as possible, enjoying the light and sun (we even got sunburn in our faces). 

Hiding Blåsippor (Hepatica)

Of course the Blåsippa started flowering immediately, it was waiting for the first sun and warmth too. We have been enjoying sun for nearly a week. Having breakfast early in the morning (with a wintercoat, in the sun out of the chilly wind). It's like nature is exploding. Everything in nature is in a hurry suddenly. "Grow now, we only have some months left before its getting winter again." Daylight gets already less from the end of June 😬....

We still need some more patience, because we also went back to winter again. Maybe we will have some spring in the beginning of April?.....Hope next time we meet, spring has started 🙏.

And oh yes my neighbor Andreas made very close pictures from the cranes only 50 meters away in the lake. Beautiful to live to closely. It was funny because this time there were invaders, the Cranes man got concurrence, but was chased away. The cranes wake up us nearly every morning when the daylight starts to come, very early around 5 o'clock 😳. See you next time!

Last garden season

The leaves are falling. We have been cleaning the grass for some days now. I think around 50 wheelbarrows (So no need for the gym this week again). Temperature is still upp and down, doesn't know really what to decide but it is mostly up to 7. So the last flowers showing their best, also those who never had the change because of early frost. We only had a little touch of frost last weeks. The grass is still growing, I still have to cut. But I'm nearly ready for winter. All the pots are in, as the furniture is. Some plants I want to keep over so they went inside the house. Making my last round for picking weeds because they are rooting very well in wet relatively warm weather. It will give me disadvantage on weeds in spring. 

The leafs turn bright before they fall, in the last sunny hours. Nature is stepping back. It's autumn again. Soon it will be dark, foggy and grey for weeks, no sun at all. They call it "Smålansk dimma". Today it is very dark and raining constantly. Time to overthink. To refresh. To charge the battery and collect some power again for next season. I feel it is the season of the soul now. Go back inside and enjoy a warm yogi tea, take a blanket, stare into the wood fire and relax. 

Looking back to the summer season of 2023 I had been open very weekend in summertime. Unfortunately it wasn't worth efforts, time and costs. It brought to less visitors, though I spent very much time on social media to get peoples attention. So this season my focus was on the big national events of gardening (Tusentradgarden in June en Tidningen Land garden Event) and the regional events of Lingonställen in Västra Småland. In between I would open up spontaneous when it was good garden weather. Looking back on this last season, this was a though cookie, a real difficult one. The weather was totally unreliable. When you have to go with the nature flow it was very nearly impossible to follow up and down.

This one crashed in a storm

In the beginning of the season we were "blessed" with several downpours what flushed away everything. It damaged a lot of stuff. Several times my garden turned out to be a swimmingpool. A lot of plants had difficulties growing and flowering because of too much water and too less sun. Suddenly it could also happen that the temperatures did rise extremely and we had to run and water them daily for saving the falling down and die. Later in summer it stayed unstable and wet, though we got more summer feeling in August. But then the holidays time in Sweden was over already.

The humidity was (actually the total year) extremely high for Sweden, around 70% on the average. In former years we were always very happy with the dry circumstances, around 40-50%. So it feels more and more we are living in a worldwide greenhouse. A lot of plants reacted on this weather by getting diseases, so they needed special treatments. The tomato's and chilis had a disastrous season, mostly rotten nearly no harvest at all. The weeds grew unbelievable fast, it was hard to keep upp with them so they would not over grow my plants. But I still was lucky because we had no snails here (yet). I heard many people complaining because they were so many and ate everything in their garden.

On the most important day of this year, the Tusentradgarden (a very big garden event in Sweden, once in two years) it was a total disaster. it was sooo much rain, one big downpour (very heavy rainfall for hours),  the whole day. It was around 30mm. I had to close the garden because otherwise the grass and robotlines would be ruined. The years before I had around 60 visitors. Now I have to wait another two years for next time. 

The spontaneous openings were difficult too. Often the weather in the "summertime" weekends were too wet or to cold to sit outside. Sometimes it was even stormy. When it finally was a nice day people choose not to come and visit us. After lots of rain people in the beginning of the Swedish holidays they were so happy to enjoy the final sunshine that they went to the beach. Which I can understand of course. But at the same I was disappointed they didn't come and visite me. Lots of work, costs and time for nothing, very much demotivating. It feels like blowing away lots of energy what I could have used for a lot of other things.

The only good garden day was the Tidningen Lands Event in the middle of July 2024. Like it should be normally. Nice summer weather and around 55 visitors. We sold coffee, cakes and plants. We had a lot of garden talks and it gave energy back. 

So now -in autumn time- I need to think about the future. It is such a pity. I have been following my heart. Build up my dream in some years. I was happy baking cakes. I should like to meet people, share my love and knowledge for gardening. I keep hoping every time, but I have to be hones. t. It is not worth the efforts and I haven't got the energy anymore to keep on trying. So with pain in my heart I know I have to stop with the open garden with fika. 

At the same time is the garden my energy for living. For me it's like emptying my overstimulated head and finding my soul again. So next year I will keep it for myself and make it my hobby again. Only the plant market will continue next year. The rest of the summertime I'm free to do whatever is on my bucketlist. I need to find something new. But most important is feel free and enjoy life now!