Spring Joys

Spring is laughing out me. When all snow melted in month ago, I say that this is great and I have early spring. Yes. You wish. We still have some snowy mornings, cold nights and not very warm days. So just one step in spring. But some works can be done in this weather.

 Some works is new beds forming and planting. Here you see my past daylily circle project. Sadly, but past project. Soil is too poor for daylilies. So everything changed to IRIS CIRCLE. I add some compost and started planting.

 After some serious rain grass colored green and irises already sit in new beds. I made right decision to move irises. Because past place is too acid and wet. So I lost some of them... But now they are rescued and safety sit in new rich beds.

 All concept looks nice. I still left some place for other plants. Irises blooms just for month or two in total of all varieties I have. And what is next? Circle without my intense to came to the end of garden? No. This year I plan just annuals in this spot, because perennials still in seed bags cooling and waiting for the best time to get sown in pots.

This is how all garden look from iris circle. Some beds are still empty. Weather not let to plant them all as soon as possible. Oh well. Let it rain. Garden need water.

As my daylily circle project not worked, I have some problems with daylily beds. With circle I had 33 new beds for daylilies. That is a way more than enough. But after serious decision of changing to iris circle I have left just 16 beds for daylilies. You can see how it looks in photo at the right and right side of photo is already prepared beds for daylilies. I hope they fit more than half of my daylilies. I have some place in left photo side. But it not ready for any plantings. Still some irises left, lots of new weeds and no serious plan how to organize beds. I love being creative in my garden. Do not limit myself and let it flow thru all ways. Long and slim garden is true challenge, but I love some challenges and get some clue how to make it perfect. I divide it in several sections and make some lovely spaces in some bigger spots. Yes. You can't see them because everything still in my minds. But if I move this fast and get some free hands to work, I can show all of it very soon. There is building time and creativity of spaces. Later I will work with bed schemes, planting plans, caring problems and etc.

I remember how desperate I feel in the same moment last year. No actual place to live, less than half year to move. True headache for gardener with tons of plants in it. But everything ends just fine. Now you see how I grow with my new space and creating something I have dreamed for years.

 As I work with garden spaces now I saw that I get a very long airport road to the end of my garden. To destroy that line, long path to the iris circle I decided to make another space. Not a circle, but still round form. Ellipse in the middle of yard. And to get it faster I make a brake in path and shorten it with extended bed. You can see it marked with wood sticks.

And here is visualization how it must to look in some years from now. Already I have some plants just for this spot. One of them is Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane', Rheum  palmatum varieties and some perennials in seed bags, as I mentioned before.

Rheum  palmatum varieties. I love these decorative rhubarbs. They are not edible. At least I don't try to taste. I pick them, because I wanted something exotically looking. Gunera's doesn't grow in our zone. So ornamental rhubarbs is just what I need. Also price wasn't high. So worth trying.




























Ellipse will move to compost part. Not the best move for esthetic look. But I will plant roses in the
end and in this way I will cover compost part. Hiding something is gardeners biggest weapon to perfect garden. Cover rustic fence, hide not nice wall and your garden turn to something better. That will work in my garden also. Even in slim and long.

TALKS FROM GREENHOUSE

The main garden building is greenhouse. No mater small or large as this one, but it is must to every garden. We build this big greenhouse to place everything and save from cool temperatures, start some seeds, and grow tender plants and vegetables. It is big enough to fit everything I've mentioned. I hope this will last for a long time.
Those lush rhubarbs which you see before is from this greenhouse. Sitting here just for week, but grow very well.

 

I had a dream to work with Hepatica's. Our woods are full of Hepatica nobilis, so I found some people who work with breeding of them and get to know some basics. The only thing I need was plants. And my dream came true very accidently, when I visited my friend and he gave me those Hepatica's. Now they are in greenhouse, because I still have no place for them in this garden. Maybe soon, when I make some beds, I will make the right place for these beauties.

 Other dream is Helleborus orientalis. I get this from the same man. He is very generous. It was that big, that I can't fit it in the biggest pot I have. So I split little part and plant in other pot. Wow. This one also finely sitting in greenhouse. Enjoying it.
With this I end today's talks from greenhouse.
We can back to garden now. Weather let enjoy nice sunny moments rare this time.

Here is my garden view. Now you can see the problem of long path. It doesn't look nice for me. So Ellipse part will divide it, and make it look not so long. Time will show.

Petasites hybridus blooming just fine. Very strange plant to our eyes. At least for spring. Later those big leaves looks like a weeds. But I keep it to my unique garden zone.

 I don't want to shock anyone, but this is plants I got from my friend. He is a way more than generous. I wanted some plants for years. And now all dreams came true.

 And this is zone where all of them are planted. It is close to home. From window we can see this view. Later grass will be moved and left just soil. There I can plant some evergreen plants, who grow close to ground. Or even add mulch and left it grow just in this way.

 Iris reticulata 'Katharine Hodgkin'

 My very first yellow leaved daylily. This is seedling out of Stella De Oro. It has yellow leaves for all spring. Later it turn green and doesn't look different from all bed. I took this picture with tulip leaves to show how yellow they are. I love that this doesn't feel bad. Show new growth. I hope blooms will be good too. But it is still a keeper, because of this foliage type.



And for the end I show my cat. He is working with seeds while I took pictures outside. He sort some sweet pea and pick only nice ones. Cute cat.

Thank you all for reading my blog. I am proud to show what I do, but when I have readers, then it is powerful.

Enjoy any spring marks or even spring.

Lithuanian gardener EDVINAS

Early spring

If spring moves closer and closer every year, in coming ten years we will have no winter. That is my dream, but maybe some time of sleep is good enough for garden and gardener. I wanted to end winter faster this year. I wanted some fresh breath and green horizons again. And my will was heard by mother nature. Spring is already here. I already weed something, get my hands dirty, transplant something and sow few seeds. I think that time with mad sowing is close me. Then I will sow everything, place pots on every garden corner and make it all filled with something new. This year I will sow some seeds, which is waiting for their time more than 3 years. I am not a lazy gardener, just never have enough space for it. And now, with new garden I can stop limit myself. That is so nice. Like let bird from it's cage.

 My first replanting started with snowdrops. I like them, because they first start to bloom. But they are white again. Remind us of snow. So might need some other spring early blooming plants to mix with snowdrops. Here already grow some Muscari mixed species.

 And the most impressive view is first live mark in daylilies. Here is my big treasure from Claudia Conway. Her seedling (Montana Sky x Maya Blue). I get it as a fan from her garden. Hardly went there, but it is safe and growing after winter.

 Other treasure is lovely VIVA GLAM GIRL (William Marchant). I waited to see it live. I get a small fan of it from C.Conway. And it is growing. Wish it will bloom in next summer. This year it must to increase or just feel the new ground. It is special plant for my breeding works. I wanted something double. But Viva Glam Girl is perfect double maker. William shown a lot of great seedlings from it. And I have some from his seeds bloomed. Only first year blooms, not very clear, but double. So wait it will let me do more and more with doubles.

 Even just some plants start vegetation, my garden still look dead in full side view. Grass is not raked, because I had some nice works with future daylily beds and other garden spots. But I want to add these pictures for track of my garden changes. Several people asked to do that, and I feel it will be nice. Still need to make garden look not so slim, divide it in several sections, make green walls and rooms with different feelings in it. But for now, I work only with greenhouse place and daylily beds.

 Our vegetable garden part. Will be filled with vegetables this summer. I have a lot of seeds, of various vegetables. It must be tasty, because soil is very rich.

 Some greenish photo from closer to home part. Still a lot of places to clean, weed, remove grass and etc. But it get shape and do not look like simple field. Some zones. In right - vegetable garden, on the left - herbaceous border, going to daylily beds (still in process), in right upper side you see irises zone, and in the back my daylily circle project. In following days will sow green fertilizers, to increase soil fertility. Researches give me results, that soil is very poor in that side. So will put compost to each daylily when planting.

 Snowdrops from my past garden. They do fine, even replanted not on the best time.

 Alliums. Love these giant ones. Emerging from ground very fast. Want to show their beauty.

 Tulips from past garden. Looks like only one or two blooms in this area. Too small bulbs I planted. So need some fertilizers, and might get them bigger for next spring.

 Something amazing I noticed, when walking with phone camera in garden. Muscari started to show buds. Only this hybrid started this yearly. Others just show leaves. Maybe it will help me to identify this one. Bigger leaves, than others.

 Iris reticulata 'Katharine Hodgkin' emerging from ground too. I get this from Janos Agoston and hope it will be true Katharine Hodgkin, because in this way I got only others, not true to name. But this is reliable source. So fingers crossed for early blooms.

 Crocus, which I get very cheep doing nice. When I open bags, and started to plant then in autumn, I thought I will have nothing green in spring, because bulbs was so small and majority of them look like get some rot. But they are growing. Not every of them make, but I have even few blooms. They multiply fast, so will have this area covered in few years.
I hope we will build our greenhouse without any problems, because it is new to me. So will work as hard as I can. Wish next post will be about new greenhouse and maybe daylily moving to new garden. It must be big moving. I remember how I write here, that I move my daylilies to grandmother garden. Then was hard. But I filled only one long row with 3 and 1/2 beds. But during that time I sow, planted and separated some seedlings. And now in grandmother garden she have over 18 daylily beds. And I am planning to move them all to my garden and keep under my wing.
I wish this season will be interesting, challenging and full of blooms.
Best wishes from Lithuanian daylily and iris gardener.

2014-2015 Years of big changes and new chalanges

Photographer: Algimantas Krisčiūnas

 

This blog will be a gift for everyone who still reading my blog and found something nice or interesting here. I am pleased for all views I saw for now. Over 13 thousands! That is something powerful. That's how I feel my words and acts like something more than just writing, expressing myself and let someone to know about me. I do love this idea about my blog and all what I write there. Even I am not perfect in English, but I do my best and I see that you understand and that make me keep going.

This time I show everything from my personal life. As garden is sleeping, gardener doing something still. Even I would like to relax (like be a dormant). Wake up in spring and enjoy sunshine. But now I try to be sunshine and catch it. As cover photo you see very nice photographer A.Krisčiūnas work. That was from interview for magazine 'Panelė' (Lady). Populistic article about what I done. Nothing new, just photos. It was taken in late autumn. Some frosts already touched leaves, and they start to fall down, but big colds just came her soon. Photo taken in Kaunas Botanical Garden. Place where I work until January 5th. I left job because of various circumstances and way how it move. It was place not for me and not for this time. I have lots of studies at university, very tight schedule and not enough time for everything. This decision is hard, but better for me. Closest friends understand. But this is not the end of the world. I work with studies as priority for now. And have some nice entertainments to enjoy some times.

One of them is big event Žingsniai (Steps) which was held in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. Official event with fancy clothes, luxurious food and some awards. This was year event for all EU financial projects for education, and especially life changing. As I went to EUCYS in beginning of it was national tour in Lithuania which live out project from EU moneys. I hope I understand this well and can show some moments from that event.

 Vilnius train station                                                    Gates of Dawn (Vilnius)

 





Official dinner at event Steps 2014                              Nice award for our team, young scientists

 

I always like to take some brakes and do something nice, what touch my feelings and make good memories. This event is just like that.

This semester at university was extremely hard. I never thought I can have so busy with studies. But I tried to stay strong and do my best in every subject I have. But that make me go out of my mind. Every done task changes to another one and that without any stop. So always with tons of books, papers and tasks. But for brake I have very nice opportunity. As each year I got American Hemerocallis Society (AHS) International Seed Bank list of seeds to pick for my works. I every time say big THANKS for Maureen Strong, who work with these lists and always brighten my life. Not exception this year. Even she made me one surprise with ALL LIFE MEMBERSHIP IN AHS, but still nice offer of seeds. List has over 800 crosses and I pick really a lot.

 Seeds went to my home very fast. Very good condition and clear. Even one was missed, but I just can't believe what I am holding in my hands. Dose of amazing genetics to work with. That was great gift for me.

 Talking about gifts, it always has something related to Christmas. And this year they was very different. In new home with something different.
In all study works, I have no time for Christmas. Like teenagers with computer games spend all their time, I spent it with studies and works at university. But I am happy what I done. Exams end almost perfectly, just one lower mark.
But we found some time and decorate our home. I with my sister placed new plastic Christmas tree and decorated it only in white. Before Christmas we have almost no snow. So I and mom wanted something white. And it works. In contrast of my painting in photo and cat in background it just look glorious. I wish next year we can make it the same, because it does look fancy and very well. Not too much decorations and nice for eye, also something related to holidays and light dreams about free time after works and studies. Sadly everything has end and now home get back to normal and flow casually.



 Photographer: Gintarė Raudoniūtė

There is good illustration of our studies. How we hardly work in university. On table you can see a corner of our semester works. For landscape architecture we have to design a whole garden. Pick house project, place it, make paths, plant trees and some flowers. Fortunately only on paper, later on computer and in the end on large scale tablet (printed). That guy with eye catching blue pullover is this text author, new daylily and iris garden owner and big gardener.

In Lithuania we have a tradition to end all debts before Christmas. I get one order for silk work earlier in 2014 and have no time for it. But I always try to make my promises and I did this just few days before Christmas Eve. It is for Thelma Douglas author - Heidi Douglas. Ended silk work is already in her hands. There you can see photo from process of work. Even it is a little lighter, but still something nice. That's how I end my year of 2014. Years with loads of changes get new job, moved to new home, visited England and Italy make some changes in my life and that is all positive. Even very hard, like true horse years.

With champagne in our hands we started NEW YEARS. 2015 started like every year. We went in street in the last minutes of 2014th. In past home our neighbors (who used to drink and make problems) always share their champagne. Not exception this year, when friendly, but a little drunk neighbor came with two bottles and asked if she can join us watching fireworks. So it started the same. Just other place and different neighbor close to us. To keep so success we hold some moneys in our hands. As our country currency changed from 2015, we hold EUROS. Sadly we say good-bye for our Litas and say not very friendly hi for Euro.

 And that is all from my brakes. All the next spare time I study new articles, read books and try to memorize everything for coming exams. But I still wanted something creative. And I did one job on canvas. This is 2014 KOTH seedling award 1st place winner. Original silk work reached William Marchant, hybridizer of amazing daylilies. And I wanted something like that on my wall. I know that it will be nice to see it in my garden, but for now it is good enough to see it on my wall. It hanging in my room. First and only (for now) painting in my room.
This year I had one day, that has big influence for my life. It is January 5th. I already mentioned in beginning of this blog post. I left my job at Kaunas Botanical Garden. Sadly day, but oh well, it turn into something still. But this day has more colors. In morning I had first exam from Landscape Architecture Theory. It was hard enough, because for Christmas holidays we have to read 3 new articles and in the first day write something in exam. But I am lucky that I remember what is all about. But before the exam my group mates make me very big and kind surprise. I never expect this, so it was true surprise. I love surprises and never thought it is so great to start day with one big kind group gift. Group mate stand up and start their speech. It was directed for all, I understand it is for all. But she always looked at me, and when she picked something from her bag I was in light shock. She hold washed bluish green color T-Shirts with my MITSU on it. It is so great. You can't imagine what happened in my mind in that moment, but it was something powerful. Other group mate say, that I will understand true meaning of it just in the evening. They already knew what will be later in the day. And that makes me really happy. All exam time I feel special and very great. All stress went somewhere else and I just let my minds flow on exam paper. After it my dad take my and we went for some lunch. Not very often I see my dad, but that day I was very happy. It's like from talks about Americans, parents, who have lunch with their sons. It is very nice. Simple, but powerful. Even we went to factory canteen, and I wear fancy clothes it was good and I feel comfortable. And after dinner we went back to university for first event of the year. Rector's New Year Greetings and award ceremony, with concert in the end of event. It is very nice, because I first time went to university event with my dad. He sit close to me. Listen how I introduce some lectors and professors  around us. It was warm and nice, not too long event. And believe it or no, I was one of the nominees. I get RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR 2014 award.

 This award is really heavy and cool. I thought it is just a piece of glass, but actually it is something more. Because it weighs like ton. I need to hold it with two hands. It looks like I am not strong enough for next season in garden. So I have to work with it.

 And here close up of it. Even not very clear, but there is card, award and those precious T-Shirts from my group. It is so cool to start years in this way. With love and respect, with understanding and taking care. I love the way how everything happened in this year.
Now I am writing after all exams. With no more works to do for this moment. I just clean my room, take care of new papers from university, try to relax, do some more art works, maybe some orders, if anyone place. My first task of this year is to write something to you. I do not want you to feel lonely here, with no new information about what happening in my life and in my garden.

Here is shot from yesterday. I took picture looking from my window. There is tons of snow. I have to shovel snow two times per day, and that doesn't make me feel bad. It is nice to see so much white color, it keep me calm and straight. Something cozy around it.
That's it. I hope you enjoy it, not get bother or even sick of my talks. I wish everyone nice weather, positive minds and never ending energy and health to do kind things.

Best wishes,
Edvinas Misiukevičius
Lithuania

My new garden

Dear blog readers, you might be thinking where I'm gone...
 At this time I have loads of tasks and information to memorize at University. Studying very hard. Hope it will ends soon and I can relax a little big. Even now, when I am writing this blog trying to memorize loads of trees in latin and Lithuanian and how to ID them in the test and exam next year.
But for blog I write about my gardening experience.
Working with my new garden is big task, but very interesting and educational. Creating spaces, planning flower beds and making some compositions. I can show just few photos of my garden to understand how it looks like. It is long and slim, so no very big open spaces, but I try to make something that trick you eyes in the future.

First photo in the right show the view which I found in mid-spring when we decide that this will be our new home. And that is my first tasks to think how it will looks like in the future. It is pretty hard to understand what to do next. So I just sit, and think where I can put some trees, big flowers and shrubs. All new ideas for spaces came later. When I moved in there I understand something more and in learning process I try to plan some areas for different cultures of my passion.

Second photo in the right is how it looks like at this time. Long lawn is just for now. Later in the end of this flower bed I make one big flower bed which cut this space to two areas and make no bad feeling of too long and slim space. As I found very interesting landscape architect Piet Oudolf, and his gardens, I wanted to create a little part of his matrix-planting in my garden. So that big bed will be exactly that.

 

This is the end of my garden in the beginning. Warm spring day when we look for future home bring us to this place and we just inlove house. And I liked that fact, that garden is more than 10 times bigger than before. When I saw this part of the garden just one idea get in my mind. There must be lawn circle and edges till fence (or future green hedge) will be filled with daylilies. 

And this is how it looks like few weeks back from this day. I call this part - Daylily circle. A new space with name is something unique in my garden. I never try to name any spaces. I think I didn't do that before, because I have too small garden space. And now I can let my imagination work without limits. Even this is still in process, I think it will look great in the future.

 Some easy way how to combine some flowers which I grown at Dean fields. Now I moved them and create this bed. Those small plants where from pots. So now they are save in the ground.

 Vegetable garden part is moved closer to home, because my mom not planning to walk in a half of garden to pick few onions every time she need them. So in old vegetable part I planted all my iris collection. And there is fresh beds for our food. Strawberries already in their place. In spring we are planning to build a greenhouse. So it will look different any way.

 Very long lawn and Daylily circle in the back will look differently in the future. I will try to prune or even cut off all trees and shrubs close to fence in the left side and make long bed for daylily seedlings. And side in first plan will be digged out and in this spot I will make a big ornamental grasses and other plant mixed bed.

 Iris collection.

 Carpinus betulus hedge will be perfect green wall, and will create cozy spots in the garden. Will try to hide from neighbors. Planted them really big, so effect will come really soon.


Daylily circle project will glow in the future. For me Daylily circle project means more than nice space for wonderful plants, but also like monument of this year awards. American Hemerocallis Society awarded me as this year Mabel Matthews Scholarship recipient. It is very big award for me. And also other large gift from AHS International membership chair member Maureen Strong - all life membership at AHS. Oh my, it is outstanding gift. I never dreamed about it, so it is perfect gift. All recently news came to my home while they still are fresh, so it will be for following years and entire life.

In the end I can say just one big Thanks for all who coming to read my blog. Over 11 300 views from beginning is something wonderful. Even this is just a number, but for me it is appreciation from you all. I know that I am on the right path and I will reach my goals.