Tusen Trädgårdar 2024

As a lot of gardens in Sweden we will join and open up again. Next time is 30th of June 2024 (10-15). More information about our garden? Just keep on reading 😊. You will see our former web page. You only have to translate it because it's in Swedish 😜. But maybe you only want to enjoy the garden pictures.

Sjöbygget Skola, Vittaryd

Adress: STEGARYD SJOBYGGET 1, 34155 Vittaryd
Webbplats: https://arntzcreations.blogspot.com

Hej välkomna, är du nyfiken? Komma hit och titta in!  Jag har alltid tagit hand om min växter och trädgårdar i Nederländerna. Jag behöver ha lit grönt omkring, gillar att odla, njuta att se det utvecklas och jobba i trädgården. Så jag har börjat om igen. I början var trädgården helt överväxt och försummad (2016), det fanns överallt träd, kirskål och hallon.

Innan det har blivit semesterhus bodde en kvinna med gröna fingrar i Sjöbygget Skola i flera år. Hon fanns alltid ute, var kreativt med betong och hade en blommigt trädgård. Jag hittade flera små mormorsväxter från denna tiden (bland annat Kärlekört, Blåsippa och Ungersk Iris) och har hunnit växa de igen. Flera betong ornamenten finns fortfarande kvar, även om det var mer än 20 år sen. Nu är trädgården under uppbyggnad i några år. Jag har rensad bort ogräs, klippet ner högt gräs, grävt ut gamla rabatter och vår vänner sågade ner några tråd. Sen bli det dags att skapa nya rabatter och plantera nya plantor, träd och Bok häck.

Siste år var skugga lyckligtvis minskat eftersom de jättehöga gran i grannars skogen på baksidan var röjet. Till sist har vi förnyat grus, jobbat med kreativa prosjekt och odlat sticklingor till växtloppisen. För alla som vill följa med från början och står ut med att titta på trädgården, trots att delar behöver tid att växa lit mer. Ständig ska det blir fler växter och skapas nya projekt med minimalt budget och stor glädje. Visst finns fortfarande utmaningar också, som vilddjur, torr sommars och sur sandjord. Drömmen är att bygga upp et gammaldags blommigt torp på landet (som det en gång har varit) med mormorsväxter, hemmagjort fika och trevlig utsikt mot sjön Flyxen. Som ett lantligt och naturligt idyll i Småland. Kryddat med lit prärieträdgården sås. Eftersom jag gillar Piet Oudolf design, en känd Nederländsk trädgårdsmästare i Prärie trädgårdar.

I trädgården finns just nu bland annat: stor Blå Klocka, Plymspirea, Hässelort, Gullviva, Pipört, Rhododendron, Sippor av olika slag, Pioner, Salvia, Iris, Aster, Dagliljor, Borstnejlika, Julrosor, Akleja och naturlig Prästkragen. Dessutom finns också prärieväxter bland annat Aklejruta, Blodtopp, Kungsljus, Jättevallmo, Silverhavre, Tuvtåtel och Stipa Giganteum. Hopas vi ses!

Landskap

Småland

Zon / Odlingsläge

5

Specialitet

Mormorsväxter

Genre

Privata trädgårdar

Always Fika time 😎

Garden challenges

 

Backsippa (Pulsatilla)

This time I like to take you with me in my garden adventures. About the challenges in gardening, the plants very slowly waking, taking special care for seedlings in a difficult climate and uninvited visitors. In the garden you will have good and bad times. You win some, you loose some. It will never be like you expected. Always new actual jobs coming up spontaneous and it will always workout differently as you thought. 

The unstable climate doesn't make it more easy just now. It's too much water at once, sometimes on a frozen ground. Or too little water in months, so the ground will dry out and get heavy water after a long time. Different seasons within some days. Too warm or too cold at once. Last year it didn't rain from april to June. This springwinter the clematis nearly drunk in the swimmingpool created on the icy bottom (but I managed to higher up a little with some extra sand). Hope they will manage and are not rotten already. Last weeks we had two days of summer with 20 degrees, but after it got winter again. We even had snow within 5 days after. 

Now, in the end of april it's still freezing at night. I think last year springtime was a little earlier? springtime? Though my seedlings are on the way out. I have them on the veranda, I try to cover them every evening and uncover them in the morning. Nevertheless it didn't help enough or it was too cold. Last week freezing -3 at least. So I lost some of the seedlings. I need to start again later, when I just thought this project was finished. Last week I started cutting the grass partly by hand, the robot is not running yet. But I had to look in the future again.... when it start freezing hard it shouldn't be cut too short, then the grass will be damaged....but you'll only know afterwards. I'm happy it went well this time. The first days after there was no frost.

The plants are -very- slowly waking up from wintersleep, for the last weeks. It started, like always with the snowdrops some weeks ago. Some weeks after the Crocus started. Now we are in Narcissus time. And one of my favorites: Vitsippor, Blå sippor & Backsippor. The tulips are starting soon, they haven't been eaten. But most of the trees are still not green at all. Maybe in two weeks? The positive side is that I managed to weed the total garden for the first time, while the weeds are still very small because it's still so wintery. So not growing that quick that you'll soon be behind. While weeding I will often find a lot of baby plants. I collect them now for selling later in spring (in the plantmarket at the roadside), while they can grow in a pot for a while. By the way, this is also the ideal time for replanting and designing the borders. My favorite part of gardening: making nice border combinations. Like painting with different plants, times of flowering or leaves and complimentary colors. 

We even managed to fix already some bigger projects. We cut back the hedge at the barn, so it can grow this season again. It was very old and had a lot of old died branches. Soon it will be fresh and renewed again. We made a watercover under the airco/warmth unit outside. We pruned the willow trees, took away all winter leafs and prepared the compost side, I even carried out compost 💪. As far as possible because it was still a swimmingpool, so it went out to be a sort of mud wrestling. But in the end, gardening is just like in real life. You will meet a lot of challenges. It's up to you how you handle it. At least I got a very good and healthy condition from working outside, because it is like a good physical workout every time. The coldness is challenging too - I don't like to weed when it's under 7 degrees, it is sooo cold. Of course I wear good clothes but I really have to warm my fingers after an hour before I can move on again. Yesterday is was only 3 degrees, snowy and grey (of course 😜)... 

Also the animals are waking up. The first cranes we saw in Mars in the lake nearby, that's really early. A lot of reptiles did come out their wintersleep because we had some summer days. But when the severe forst came in the countryside again, a lot of these animals were found dead in the garden or on the streets. 

Last week I was working in the compost area when I spotted a slow worm for the first time (Snok på Svenska / Hazelworm in the Netherlands). In the two days of summertime I spotted the loving toads (pad - NL), in a very sunny but hidden place at the roses. The man climbed on the back of a female to be sure he's the first to mate. Just waiting to be carried to the water. They are not only ugly, they are lazy too.  Some weeks ago it was totally quiet around us, you couldn't hear anything. It's different now. A lot of birds have been starting nesting, most of the birdhouses in our garden are getting occupied now.  No signs of the hare yet, but we closed the gardenarea in March with a anti hare net. In winter we left the entrance open. It's not that big issue in wintertime because most of the plants disappear temporary into the ground. I forgot actually to protect the young beech trees, planned to be a hedge some day. The hare found them unprotected in winter and has not only been eating them more small again, all the buds with leaves for spring are gone too. I hope they will recover in summer. It's a pity one of them was ment to be the port to the compost area, I will have to change that one for a bigger one, otherwise it will take to many years to grow back. By the way I just took a look back, when you look at the older pictures you can really see what progress we made in the garden 💪. 

We also got some uninvited visitors. Mr and mrs Magpie (Skator/Eksters) decided to stay with us for a while. In the middle of a very big forest, with a lot of very nice and tall trees, they found their ideal nesting area very close to the window of our sleeping room. They build in very stable castle of branches, not easy to disturb. It's very high up in the Christmas tree, we don't dare dont climb that high. In the beginning they flow away when they heard Peter yelling at them. But now, they just think there's that crazy man again 😏. Now we made a very long stick of snow sticks and try to disturb the building and the breading every day, till now without any positiv result haha. But we are afraid they will stay with us for a long time, about next months. Breeding 20 days, feeding the youngsters another 20 days at least before they take there own way out. Mostly you can not mis them because they are very loudly (special early in the morning) and they shit everywhere around the place. And the worst of all: all the young small birds nesting in our garden are not save anymore, the eggs or young birds will be a very nice dinner for mr. & mrs Magpie and their youngsters. When they like this place too much they will be back the next years too.....😳. Let's see what happens.... See you next time!

Signs of spring approaching

Somewhere you can feel the spring coming. It sounds like spring is hiding just around the corner. Officially it started end of March, but I can not see it yet. But I can not wait either 😇. Time to prepare when the temperature is at least above zero. We have been preparing the flowerbeds with fresh selfmade compost. And we repaired the grass by sowing some extra. At least it keeps us busy while we are outside. It's important to get in some extra energy after winter. 

I think you know already. When I find the first Blåsippa (Hepatica Nobilis) it makes me so happy. It is really the sign nature is going to start soon again. After this flower all other plants will start to grow and soon the garden will explode again. All plants growing and flowering after a grey wintertime. I love this time of season. Every year I hope this time (May/June) could stay some langer. (And maybe skip the November month?)

Some of the plants I could put outside already. They need a periode of cold to germinate, like the Verbena Bonariensis. I tried already some years but never succeeded before, till i read about this. So they have been out in very cold and frosty periods in sandy ground so they don't start to rot. And the good news is: they started growing! To be continued....

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 😆.

Take your chance for special Christmas presents

Last time to go out and visit one of the Lingonställen in your surroundings this year. I've been looking at some of these places, they really offer nice and special presents. Take your chance!

Stegaryd Sjöbygget is closed this time of the year but we warmly 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! 

But next year we like to welcome you again in our garden for a coffee, a cake or some plants. All homemade of course! Depending on the weather we will open soner or later in spring, Vi ses!

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?

Last summer opening

 

Next weekend 6 and 7th of August 2022, it's time for Lingonrundan again. Sjöbygget_Trädgård will open up too (10-15)! Maybe it's the last opportunity this summer (the rest of the program is not clear yet), so take your chance now, come and visit us now. 

Take a look at the beautiful Flyxen lake, buy some self made plants in the växtloppis, taste our home baked cakes or enjoy a coffee in our garden. 

The hare is still around, sometimes he's irritating us a lot. Every day there is something new. For example when he is cutting of the Clematis dead at the bottom (who grew 2,5 meters this year) or biting off the flowers from the Asters and not eating them at all but leaving the rest on our terrace 😬. It's a challenge to live peacefully with nature every day... Come and take a look at it yourself, take your last chance this summer! Where to find us

/Brün

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?