It is still wonderfull in the garden. Allthough it have been very warm dry weeks. Now it's not longer allowed to water the garden and there is a firestop as well (so no BBQ and open fire anymore because of the firerisk). That means the grass has turned dry and yellow. The plants in pots survived till now because will have been carrying lot of watercans, even in the plantmarket at the streetside. It's a dilemma too, I want to be carefully with water too. But when all plants die I can close the garden for this year...
The lovely Finnlandrose -you see above- is already finished. A little quicker as normal, because of the heat. But now the peonia's started flowering, it's parfum is very strong and impressive. And what about the Papaver "Pattys Plum". All around the daisies (alias "prästkragor") are flowering, like they used to around Midsommar. It's unbelievable we reached the longest day again. But before I start thinking about Christmas I want to enjoy the summertime even the days will get shorter and darker.
Till now it looks like we managed to keep the hare out, at least not all the plants are eaten like last year. We are happy for that because we spent a lot of time to make chicken wire around the total garden twice ((the first round seemed to be not high enough or the hare learned how to jump 😜).
Next weekend, the Midsommarweekend we will be closed for celebrating ourselves. We wish you a very happy Midsommar!
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| By the way... the växtloppis is always open 😉 |
Soon it's time for Lingonrunda again. You are welcome on a lot of places (Lingonställen) in the Western part of Småland. It's a network with more then 100 places to visit. Among them are musea, shops, farmshops, arts & handcrafting, flowers, vegetables and design. Mostly small companies or enthousiasts with a hobby. The products are produced in the neighborhood. There is something to find for every one!
Sjöbygget Tradgården will join this event in June too!
Have a look on the website: www.lingonrundan.com. Some have opened the year around, some only in Summer but most of them open at the special event day. You will recognize them with a special flag.
Suddenly it's summertime al over the place... Four weeks ago it started, beginning of May, nice temperatures, very sunny and mostly blue skies. Perfect!
We have been working on hare prevention... Maybe you remember last year the hare has been eating al my Salvias, Campanula, Lathyrus and a lot of plants more. Even the Clematis what was already some meters high and would start flowering. Also the seedling I have been growing for months. So we made a totally new fence around the total garden. We thought we managed but after some weeks we found out that the hares had been learning to jump. So in a new round we made an higher fence, totally around the garden again (this time with the help of my brother and his son 🙏). Till now it seems to work but we keep our fingers crossed.
Now, beginning of June, it's getting warmer and warmer even at night. I've already been swimming a lot of times in the lake around the corner. Also no midgets yet, maybe because of the dry weather. But the broms (sort of horseflies) already arrived 😬. They land very sneaky and before you know they start biting painfully.
Also an other problem showed up again: it's sooo dry. The grass already got yellow. We need to water the plants very much and every day, so they can survive. Special the ones in pots, just planted or the ones in the plantmarket (växtloppis).
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...
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| Not only summer weather by the way 😏 |
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.
I'm so happy I found the first Snowdrops end of February. They are the symbol of hope, awakening and spring expectations. Did you know their names in other languages? In Dutch they are called "Sneeuwklokjes", in German "Schneeglöckchen, in French Perce Neige, Snøklokke (Norvegian) or Snödroppe (Swedish). It's called like this because of the flowering in snowy times and it has the form of a bell. The bells wake up the other plants after winter.
Last week I found the next winter flower. It's called a Winteraconite, Wintergäck (SE), Winteraconiet (NL) or Winterling (German).
You could feel spring coming closer. Very blue skies, the sun already warming earth and the birds whistling. We even had a coffee outside (with a very warm jacket on) but we had the chance to load our battery with vitamines. But sometimes nature makes two steps forward, one back. From spring feelings back to winter. Suddenly we are totally back in winter times. We got lots of snow today, more then 20 cm. It teaches you to be flexibel. Just anticipate. So back inside again.
Already started gardening inside some weeks ago. The first things were some old seeds, maybe it worked out, maybe not. Actually it was too early but they had nothing to loose. Otherwise they would be thrown away anyway. The next I started with was some kitchen herbs like Citron Basilicum and Koriander. Always nice to have. It kept me busy in winter time, preparing for the season with some green -what I like to do so much. I can loose my self in working with plants, I simply forget the time.
Some of the old seeds came out anyway. So now I've got some extra plants of Nicotiana Lime, Dianthus and Mirabellis Jalapa. The last one we call in Dutch "Nachtschone", Four o'clock plant (in English because it opens after four), Wunderblume (German), Underblomma (Swedish) or Belle du Nuit (French). The last name I like the best. They are beautiful, they have nice colors and a flagrancy to attract evening butterflies. But sometimes it's a pity they flower best at evening times.
Others are still in the try out fase. Like Papaver Patty's Plum and Helianthus Citron. Waiting on the kitchen floor to come out. The Petunias I just started with because I couldn't wait...
The positive thing in nature is the circle of life. In winter all the plants look like they have died. But they actually took shelter inside earth. The autumn provides the plants with leaves falling down. They protect all plants and animals in the ground during winter time, to come back later. So don't take away all the leaves!
When you tried sowing something and it didn't work, you always get a new chance next year. It a good feeling to take care about something. After winter always follows spring. But you never know when exactly. You just have to follow. Go with the flow. Nature is the boss. (Though people often think they can manage nature.)
What will be next steps? It looks we will have severe winter next weeks, with strong frost. So I'm happy we got some snow, it will protect the flower buds which were already growing. The Magnolia I protected myself with some extra bubble plastic.
I will keep you updated next weeks what happens!