Christmas Spirit

Dear blog readers,

   I want to thank for all of you, who visit my blog regularly and read what I have experience in my gardening life. For this holiday season I want to share some warm Christmas Spirit that I surround myself.  I wish this blog will be more live next year, because my garden will get more mature, I get more seedlings blooming and some more entertainments for next year. So stay tuned.

   In first photo you see my entry to house. I decorated them with Picea - fir tree, Cornus (a.k.a. dogwood) and some Crataegus branches. It does look very nice. Even birds are eating berries fast, but I still see some. Wish they leave seeds, so I can grow them in hedges and have material for next seasons. It does look nice. Because it is simple. I found this idea on Facebook. Can not describe source more clear. It was just quick tutorial video, and in few weeks I get in mind, that it could look nice here too. In left is our Christmas tree. This year theme - red/white Christmas. Red is spirit and celebration and white - snow. I think that it is 4th Christmas in row without snow. Even so, yesterday was +12 C (53.6 F ) outside. Not good, because some seeds already get cold time and now it is warm enough to start vegetation. Fingers crossed for cooler nights.

  Few days we had frosts on everything. That was so magical. In sun that is like fairy dusts sprinkled on everything. So one day, after hard day at University I stopped and enjoy those little diamonds of nature. Explored nature and capture some nice photos. There is one of them.

   Yesterday was last official day at University this year. Last lecture was pretty hard and not remind last day. But group made some nice theme with cake and sweets. And I sneak earlier to meet my best friends from school. What a day. We went to city and seen some nice Christmas spirit around. On right is main Christmas tree of Kaunas city in City Hall square. If you not heard about it - it is smart. There is some devices like for example - little train in front of tree with stick, and when you spin it, wheels of Toy Train spin also. Other you sing close to piano and Ballerina toy on tree spins. That was so magical and cute. I really adore all trees. There is artist, who each year create amazing Christmas tree. And this old fashioned with new functions is simply cute.

  That sparkling toy is as big as I am 1.8 m (5.9 feet) or even bigger. It is decorations of our city in front of Kaunas Castle. When we came to that place, we heard loud fireworks, so we run to see them closer. And I loved great show. I uploaded video on my facabook profile. So can come and look for it.

    And here is Kaunas Castle Christmas tree. Right after it was lighten up. You can still see Santa Clause on the left side, taking pictures with kids and parents. So great time spent. I know this is great to enjoy Christmas in City. Do not look for commercial shows or decorations. Simply enjoy things that are close and look so nice.

    I wish you all to have a moment when you fully enjoy Christmas. For me it is magical and very nice time of the year (no counting of blooming seasons). And to bring some summer colors to this magical time I created greeting cards for all International friends and people who read my blog. Used three daylily seedlings. Two of them are mine and red one is from William's Marchant seeds. Sorry, if you do not see your language. At least you might understand any of those. I am not an expert of languages. So used translating program for that. In total I liked to make that, because I see someone in each greeting and that bring me lots of joy. 

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Best wishes,

Edvinas

KEW - each gardener dream

I continue blog series from past. In 2014 summer I went to London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF). And in program we had various trips and one of them was KEW Botanical Garden. Even main interest of science was laboratory, where researchers look for new information about seeds, write books. There we saw one of the largest fungarium. That was my very first touch with that kind of collection. And it is impressive. If you even visit KEW, try to found opportunity to visit this place. Other impressive object - biodiversity camera. This is world most populated place looking from biodiversity prism.  

They show us how it works. It is powerful and inspiring.
After inspiring visit in laboratory we had to hurry for next part of day. But still had opportunity to capture some photos of garden. From Lab to Victoria Gates.

Close to lab growing large grasses. Like entry and invitation to aquatic garden. Large Stipa gigantea look great in any arrangement. Looking at some grasses, I notice they look good in any place. Just plant good quantity and right specie. Because some grow in shade, others in sun. Soil other factor. And this photo show that they do more than fine. What more, I might plant more to fill gaps. Or add other plants to create multi-layered border.

Aquatic garden. Place where grow lots of water lilies. From this place was stolen blue water-lily. Sadly, I came here too late. I like the way it arranged. From one side it is simple. But brilliant. Looking in photos of KEW, each part look like card. I can imagine, if I could came here next time and spend at least one day, I would make tons of great pictures.

Rose pergola

Order beds. At first I didn't like order beds. I like when plants get mixed and create one big picture. But there you can see closer each plant, pick them as detail and in order of family. This is Euphorbia. I saw Oxford's botanical garden largest Euphorbia collection. But this is huge too. Looking at them - I wonder to add few in my garden. Just for detail.

Order beds. I can imagine working in this place is powerful. You could see wide range of plants in various stages. I saw them just in July glory. But empty gaps show, that there is or was something for spring or autumn.

Order beds. These was fun. I capture all order beds photos while almost run. And they are still in high quality.

Rock garden. Very interesting arrangement. Wonder how they cover them for winter..? Maybe have some moving plastic greenhouse for winter. But for summer, it does look great.

We crossed woodland garden and went to see Glasshouse gallery.

Glasshouse gallery in background and woodland garden border close to pond.
This is short, but colorful report from past year. I love it a lot. Now I have lots of works with my studies. It keep me busy and I can't write often. But I do my best.

Best wishes,
Lithuanian daylily and iris gardener, Edvinas

Oxford Botanical Garden

In 2014, July 31 with London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) group I visited Oxford Botanical Garden. I want to share my memories from that place now.

It is worth to see. This botanical garden is small. But each corner is clean and organized. So it pay for space. I think, that they might need more, but it is each gardener dilemma of garden space, which is never enough. Unless you move to too big garden and can't maintain it. Better to grow from small, and always need for more, than destroy yourself in too big space. Each have to organize their minds, and heads of this botanical garden did all the best.

The Botanic Garden has been a Plant Heritage National Plant Collection holder of hardy Euphorbias since 1983. This was my first National collection I have visited. And I feel nice. Lot's of species, few varieties let to see how this plant look in different species context. Each specie is interesting, and I could find a room for it. But I am not sure how they act in my garden. So do careful with my wishes.

 This garden has even more interesting points, but I note those, that was interesting for my point. Family beds are very unusual, because they used new system of molecular data. Created Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). Guide pointed, that this garden was first to adopt this new classification system. I saw some interesting plants, some of those classified beds create nice combinations of plants. Some times, using same family plants, is a risk to get never ending diseases. So I point to myself to use mixed families and only those, that has lowest risk of getting any problems when you grow them.

 Merton Borders. The Botanic Garden is working in collaboration with Professor James Hitchmough from the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield to develop this area. And it is clear to see, it was touched by master. During that visit I know nothing about Dutch wave, Piet Oudolf or his movement with naturalistic planting. But this area catch my eyes of how freely they mixed those borders. It look neat. When I look closer to ground, there was other layer of low plants, who cover surface and create weed-free area and keep moisture for main plants. Great range of Echinacea pallida and E.paradoxa give nice feelings for me. Large Silphium's and ornamental grasses create meadow look border. There was all range of plants and I like them all. Combination was great and worth to study more. And when I start looking at it, I found this great source: http://www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk/sites/botanic/files/images/Hitchmough%20concept%20for%20the%20new%20garden%20.pdf
The best way to learn is theoretic information and practice. This time I switch and first seen this in personal and then get to know all about it. Naturalistic plantings are really top fashion in garden. But it is cleaver. As student of Landscape Architecture I can point, that we are looking for easy maintain and long peaking period. And these combinations with ornamental grasses and a lot herbaceous plants create movement in garden. Let use imagination and play with local plant, or take all new. And maintenance  is really small. Only plant cleaver and enough, weed in first year and cut everything in early spring. Mostly of time, when people look for ideas to their garden and notice that everything that look nice, can cost a lot and require never ending work with them. Well, I can point, that it only cost more in beginning. But later all those colors, lush foliage, sounds and moves give you pleasure and it pays everything. I can say it without any regrets. It is true.

 Our lunch was in this garden. Great place to relax and get some more energy to explore. I found bench in Bog Garden where I have great view for my lunch break. I finished my food really quick, because I wanted to see more, while others started to go out of this place. I went around Merton Borders, Family beds again and herbaceous border.

 

              Arundo donax                                                                     Dianella caerulea

 

 Kniphofia uvaria. I had one in past, but it not survived in my garden after winter. Even I give everything, what seller pointed for me. But I wasn't sad until I saw this one. It is really nice, and attractive.
And after I explore all those great beds, and I still have some time, I went to greenhouses. And I enjoyed what I saw. Not crowded, and organized with system.

 Eucomis vandermerwei

          Thunia gattonensis sp.
         Paphiopedilum superbiens

                            Disa uniflora
      Sarracenia alabamensis

 Sarracenia x mitchelliana

And a light meadow for the end of this post. It was fun to remember this place, my visit to United Kingdom.

IRIS CIRCLE PROJECT

    When we decided, that we are going to live here, I started to make a plans of my garden. And in the back of long and slim backyard I decided to make an Circle project. At first in my plans was daylilies. All circle of daylilies could look great. But when I start to dig, soil looked good just for irises. So all plans switched to IRIS CIRCLE. Large circle of grass make it look dramatic. Tree, that grow in it doesn't make it plane. So no centrifugal impression. Sometimes it look nice, but this area is too small to make it nice. So tree was saved and keep as part of it. Beds was arranged as sunshine first. But that doesn't look nice to me. Also, soil condition doesn't satisfy me. So while I was in States, parents bought truck of top soil without peats. Because I have enough of them in other parts of garden if I ever need. Also irises do not need them. And when I go back from States - full of inspiration started to draw some ideas of how to make it dramatic. And get inspiration from pattered daylilies or reflecting water. So I just offset circle contour to paths and make beds. So easy to maintain and reach blooms when bloom. Also from side look nice.

    Other task was to add some perennials, that could bloom after main iris season. Because when irises done their show, that part of garden no longer look attractive. So make gaps for some perennials. Already I add some small verbena plants with clear blue candle blooms, few salvias, daylilies, aquilegias (Aquilegia's bloom in same time as TB irises, but there is other story. I ordered aquilegia seeds from UK National Aquilegia Collection. Seedlings do not that good. But I have several that might bloom next season.) and a lot Echinacea seedlings. Echinacea is my third favorite plant after daylilies and irises. Maybe in spring I have others to fill empty gaps. So nice to keep some small room for unexpected new plant from fair or nursery.

  Panorama photo show all circle. But beds look too big. Actual they are just in borders of circle. Not that big. Circle dominate. Also in photo you can see both corners, that was behind me. So that make sense of how panorama is made.

   Detailed photo of my favorite part in this circle. Strong lines give formal look. I could not imagine irises in free style garden. Always look nice in classical or formal gardens. So tried to play with forms and display my irises as best as I can. Other task was to make them look as flower beds, not nursery rows. So now look even better. Even not that organized as before in straight lines, but I could get nice clumps in near future. Maybe true experts notice that they are too close to each other, but that was the best way to fit them all.

   Same area, just from other point. You clearly see corners of my garden. Usually garden designers try to cover them. I did that too. I planted hedge. But it is too small to be visible in photos. But in few years it will cover that ugly fence and neighbors gardens. Street is small. Only few cars drive per hour. But still I planted it and want to cover from noisy eyes of people who stop and stare in my garden. At the moment I want to create for myself and enjoy it with my friends. But not for all. My gardening friends and people who care about my works want to see something new. And this project is recently thing I have made. From the day I go back from States. It is done for week now. But I wanted to capture it in when all beds look alike.
   I planted these beds during hot and dry days. So that keep all works really slow. But inspiration was stronger and I make some nice area in my garden. Next year it will be glorious.
   Thank you for reading my blog. There is almost 20 thousands views. So that is powerful. It means, that I am not alone, writing for more than my friend abroad. Now I start my third year in university. So that keep me very busy. Some huge projects. But I always find some time to enjoy my garden and try to share my joy with you all.

Best wishes,
Yours Lithuanian daylily and iris garden owner
Edvinas

Tower Hill Botanical Garden

Remembering trip to States one of the most important and special day was DAYLILY EXHIBITION. I already wrote about it, but that was not all from that day. Exhibition was in beautiful Tower Hill botanical garden, which I can explore during brakes from exhibition of daylilies.

Entry from parking lot to botanical garden. I have not seen such a things often, so was surprised to see gazebo as entry. Interesting point, that each gap of structure is like frame to wonderful view created around. Sadly photos doesn't look that nice, so hope you can imagine it. What I liked during my visit to States was daylilies. I saw them everywhere. Parking lots, street green zones, parks, public spaces - everywhere I saw daylilies. And this garden show great point of using daylilies as landscaping plant. People used to say, that they doesn't look good enough in modern gardens. But I think that we have to found perfect daylily for each spot. And plant it with others or alone with combination of hardscape.

Weeping Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum). That was my first touch with this form. It look very nice. I like it as special tree of garden. It look nice from far. But there is nice features when you come closer. Leaves are same as usual specie. But features of weeping tree is like waterfall. It could give dramatic view in garden. If anyone found this tree in Baltic countries, please get in touch with me.

Alley with bench in back look nice. But I am not sure why it doesn't invite to go and see it closer. Need something on borders to look more dramatic. I see it is shaded area, but there is some nice plants for shade, that could give nice view and invite to explore these long borders.

Some times daylilies look nice alone. I think this point is just for practical uses to reach plant for breeding or take close-up pictures. I like background in this picture.

As I was fanatic to fabaceae family plants and this themed bed with Baptisia plants amazed me. They are huge. And I saw labels, that few are same as I bought this spring. So I have to keep that in mind before plant some companion plants. I know that they might be smaller, but still keep more room to grow and look good. They look Royal in this botanical garden.

I worked in Kaunas Botanical Garden and saw problem of where to plant small succulents in display and during this visit I saw nice way for that. In this section beds edged with thyme pillows and there planted sedums. Easy to maintain and looking nice.

Fern collection. These are just few varieties and species to chose from for shaded areas. I like them. Sadly have almost no shade in my garden at the moment. So wait till trees and hedges grow more and then can add few ferns to my garden.

Some times rose garden can be made with one variety and without companion plants. That is interesting and simple. For my own opinion I would like to add other perennials, but that was main idea to make it simple. Other borders around look fancy. So this make more relaxing area.

This palm ( and others) are in large pots and moved from big conservatories where they grow over winter. During summer time they are placed outside. And look nice in combination with other plants, that used to grow there all the time. I am not sure about their experience, but some of these plants are annuals in Lithuania. So they mix annuals, perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses. In this way they create seasonal changing garden. I hope there was some bulbs for spring impression and then plant annuals when they turn brown. Grasses give amazing autumn view and evergreen trees and shrubs make static winter view, which might gone during summer.

Following photos are captured in motion. I have limited time to see this area of botanical garden. So almost run with never ending snapping. I had about 230 photos from this area only. Lots of them blurred or half blurred. So show just the best. I enjoyed this fast tour.

Main area with unusual form lawn make big impression. Green edges give a feeling like I was in nature. No distractive views, only plants and me.

That area might be bigger, but they reflected paths adding beds. That give more private places to enjoy plants and relax.

Statues give theme and nice feelings. They doesn't look like monuments in center lines. So surprise us, when you came from corner and saw one.

All area. I liked display of daylilies. Yellow bloom spots give class to this area.

And this is same gazebo which I show first, just from other side. That was great day to visit garden. Not too hot and not too sunny. So photos went perfect. Memories from this botanical garden is very bright. I get enough inspiration and sense of freedom.
If you even plan your trip around, you have to visit this botanical garden.