travel

  • travel

    Some More South-Africa

    I wrote about my trip to South Africa in October earlier. I posted most of my decent horizontal shots (I actually take a lot more vertical shots, they just don’t look as good on the blog), but a certain part got left out, what I could call “random roses” and a few other pics. I’m a member of the Finnish Rose Society and I am interested in roses, but not in the same way the most devoted enthusiast are, I really could not even be: I am more or less equally interested in so many other aspects of gardening as well and time would just run out. That said, I’m…

  • travel

    Villa Borghese

    The Villa Borghese is not so much a villa as it is a giant and beautiful park in Rome.  There is of course an actual villa, which in France would be called a chateau and in several other places a palace. Most of the showy planting is around the building in question and behind a wrought iron fence. These pictures have mostly been taken by extending my arm and camera through the bars, setting it for auto focus and hoping for the best. Considering that, I am happy with the result.. It was the perfect time (around May 1st) for seeing the massive plantings of Iris germanica (I’m guessing) in…

  • travel

    Villa Landriana

    It so cold here that I am almost losing hope of ever seeing spring again, but until then, some browsing in my photo album might help. I  went on a garden tour to Italy last spring with my local garden society. The tour was organized very well by the Swedish company Rosebud Tours.   We visited quite a few nice places, but out of those Villa Landriana was a definite favorite of mine. Russel Page, the world famous garden designer has had some hand in this garden. The garden was divided into several rooms, which I don’t always like that much, but when the rooms are quite fantastic, I find myself not…

  • greenhouse,  travel,  winter

    Spring is Approaching

    Or to be more exact it is now possible to tell yourself that spring is approaching, since the sun can feel a bit warm when its shining and it actually shines a bit. I’ve had some heating in my greenhouse this winter. It hasn’t always kept it above freezing, but it looks like it’s been enough for my newest tree peony. It still grows in a pot and I remain hopeful that the Cordylines and at least a few of my Agapanthuses are alive. I fear my Coloacasia is a goner, but perhaps I’ll find a new bulb a the Spring Garden Fair in Helsinki in April. Kevät lähestyy – tai…

  • travel,  winter

    A Berlin Break

    Florals the Berlin way. Kukkais-Berliiniä. Blommigt på Berlinvis. Going to Berlin had nothing to do with gardens, and that was a good thing because it really wasn’t the most flattering time of year in terms of garden experiences. Berlin has a lot of attractive sides, very stylish buildings and pretty parks, but the more interesting parts of Berlin are the rough and very urban parts with a bit of old east-Berlin architecture thrown in. En lähtenyt Berliiniin puutarha-ajatuksissa ja se oli kyllä hyvä, koska vuodenaika ei imarrellut kaupunkia ja hienoista puutarhakokemuksista oli vähän puutetta. Berliinissä on paljon kaunista, tyylikkäitä rakennuksia ja kauniita puistoja, mutta kiinnostavinta on se rähjäisempi erittäin kaupungistunut Berliini…