Outside

The Tree Across the Road

tree

 The tree across the road on december 28th 2018 at 09:56

Since Februari 2018 I’ve documented the tree across the road on and off.

I just updated the album with more images. You can find the album with the tree images here. I update it infrequently with new images.

I still do not know which kind of tree it is. It is full of white flowers in the spring for a short time. The blackbirds still spend a lot of time in it wintertime.

Posted by nini in Nature, Outside, 0 comments

Birdbaths in the garden

birdbaths, fågelbad

Birdbath in the garden. The second birdbath in the background. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

During this hot and sunny summer (not ended yet…) it became obvious that the birds and the bees and the bumblebees need water. They got thirsty, like we humans too. I’ve always had birdbaths in the garden for that reason. Occasionally I’ve seen a bird or two drink from them, but seldom bathing. Now I’ve got two (2) birdbaths. But almost no birds. Stopped feeding them in the middle of the summer. It got too expensive.

birdbath, fågelbad

Birdbath. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The green one above with the stone in it (an island for bees and bumblebees) I’ve had for a couple of years. Got via my neighbour from her ex-husbands sister who lives in a flat and don’t really needed it. Ceramics, glazed. A little bird on the edge of it.

birdbath, fågelbad

Birdbath. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The second birdbath, above, is of concrete. Got that recently from my newest next-door neighbour. He got it from the previous owner of his flat who left it in the garden when they moved on. As the current neighbour didn’t use it and tucked it away under a bush and a jumping-platform, I asked if he wanted to keep it or if I could have it. He gladly gave it up and I moved it to my garden instead.

Both sit on top of pieces of old tree-trunks to get them up somewhat from the ground.

Do the birds use them? Not what I’ve seen. But the cats do. They love drinking from them.

Important with birdbaths (or drinking stations for the cats) is to regularly change the water in them so it is fresh and free of drowned insects. The green one I take in over winter as I am afraid it otherwise will freeze and crack. The concrete one I don’t think I have to take in over winter. It is concrete. Should withstand cold weather and snow and ice. I’ll leave it there.

The grass got green again after we finally got some rain. Grass is recuperating fast.

Posted by nini in Birds, cats, Garden, Outside, Thoughts, 0 comments

Between the rains…

garden, gardenentrance

Entrance from the garden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Between the rains I check the garden for the latest developments. Autumn is here and it is a busy time. The garden has to be closed down and the patio emptied of pots and other stuff.

patio, autumn

The patio preparing for winter. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The color are changing out there and there is not much left to take care of.

patio, winter, autumn

The patio preparing for winter. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

It starts to look empty on the patio. I haven’t covered anything up yet, and the carpets are still there, soaking wet after the rains lately. Pots on wall and floor and other spots are either gone for waste or indoors. Other stuff is slowly moved from here to the storage on the other side of the house.

rain, raingauge

Rain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

So, any work out there has to be done between the rains. We had 33 mm of rain the last couple of days. Emptied the rain-gauge yesterday and it has rained another 5 mm since.

sweetpeas

Sweetpeas on the patio. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The sweetpeas on the patio are still in bloom and sprouting new flowerbuds. It was NOT a good ide to plant them together with the cobea in the same pot. It just looks messy. I will never do that again. On another note, I will never again grow sweet peas. They have a nice smell and the flowers are interesting if looking really close on them, but… too much work to get them from pea to flower and in the end, how they grow just looks messy.

cobea, cobeaflowers

Cobea in bloom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The cobea, which the sweet peas share a large pot with, is in bloom and has lots of flower buds still not opened. It is a pity that it blooms so late in the year. But this year, at least it blooms. Other years it didn’t even get that far. It is an annual plant so new plant has to be planted every year if you want it. You cannot plant it until end of Mya, beginning of June as it is very sensitive to frost nights. Planting it that late is one of the causes for it blooming so late. It grows a lot in one season though. It has never been this big previous years. This year it has thrown itself over the plank and down on the other side and onto the wall there as well.

cobea, climbinghortensia

Cobea mixed with climbing hortensia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The leaves of the climbing hortensia at the backside of the tall plank on the patio are getting more yellow for each day and will soon fall off. The dark green leaves mixed with them is the cobea form the patio.

cobea

Cobea on the wall.. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

The cobea is also climbing on the wall and is presently at the top of my bedroom window. Look closely for the flower buds all along its loop.

cobea, cobeaflowers

Cobea flowers 2017-10-09. Photo ©nini.tjader.2017

The cobea flowers on the backside of the patio-plank are pale… There has been a shortage of light and sunshine the last week so they havenät yet developed their darkblue color. They look very strange this pale…

cobea, cobeaflower

Cobea flower. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Fascinating flower…

honeysuckle

Honeysuckle on the bow. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The honeysuckles (two old ones) have grown a lot this year and are climbing the bow as they should. The sundriven lamp there I will take down soon. No point of having it there when there is no sun as it doesn’t charge then and doesn’t have enough power to light up when it gets dark. The smaller sunöcharged lamps in the garden I took into storage last week as they too had stopped lighting up.

honeysuckle

Honeysuckle 2017-10-09. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

The old orange honeysuckle has a new flower… in October… 

echinacea

Echinacea. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The echinacea at the outside of the patio is looking really tired after the rains and are more or less finished for the season. There happened to be a couple of minutes of sunshgine yesterday when I shot these pictures, but it was just a couple of minutes… Rains resumed later in the day.

echinacea

Echinacea. Finished for the season. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The echinacea flower is interesting even when wilted. Before the top of it dries (how can it dry in these rains?) it is really hard. When mature and dry and ready to spread its seeds it all falls apart.

anemonehupehensis

Anemone hupehensis. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

The double anemone hupehensis (höstanemon in Swedish) in the same flower bed is still opening flowers. It is always late in the season and this year it is taller and generally larger than ever before. I hope it continues like that also next year.

hosta

Hosta. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Also the hostas are changing colors in the autumn. Big as they are they will wilt down totally and disappear. And (hopefully) come back next year. They always start over from scratch.

virginiacreeper

Virginia Creeper. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The Virginia Creeper is also changing colors and the leaves are starting to fall off. Iäve had it for at least 3-4 years by now but it started to really grow just this year. I am confident that it will continue like this also next year.

orpine, kärleksört

Orpine. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The orpine at the flowerbed by the entrance to the patio is at its most beautiful state just now and has opened theri flowers. A bit late this year actually… The bumblebees and bees and all theri relatives are missing out on the flowers. Most of them have retired by now.

amelanchieralnifolia

Amelanchier alnifolia Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The Amelanchier alnifolia, which we planted in replacement of the mirabelle tree which was cut down in October 2015, has come along just fine. The birdfeeder has new food waiting for the birds. Some of the birds are back, but not many yet as it hasn’t been all that cold yet. Wet, but not cold. I have taken away a lot of the messy plants in the flowerbed on this side of the bush. What is left will be left over winter and then we will see what comes up next year.

flow3erbed, birdfeeders, birdfood

Flowerbed along the plank. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The flowers in the flowerbeds along the plank are still in bloom.

flowerbed

Flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The dark plant in this flowerbed (which I’ve forgotten the name of)  will probably have to be reduced and partly moved elsewhere or it will kill the astilbes.

flowerbed

Flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The above flowerbed was created this summer. The plants there, three alumroots/heuchera and some other plants, are coming along just fine. We moved them all from another flowerbed.

There is a lot wilting down in the garden presently. But two large pots I’ve kept in the garden, the red basil for the bumblebees that are still awake, and the giant verbena which both still have lots of lilac flowers. Not all is dead yet, but soon will be.

garden

Part of the garden 2017-10-09. Photo: ©ninil.tjader.2017

 

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden, greenery, Outside, outside place, 0 comments

All about the garden and greenery

garden

Garden and greenery. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

It is all about the garden and greenery this time of the year. The garden is where I spend as much time as possible. I need the light, the sun and the fresh air. I can be inside when it gets cold and dark again. Now is for the outdoor life.

dry

Dry. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

It has been an unusually dry summer though and the greenery is suffering. What is supposed to be green isn’t really.

garden

A corner of the garden. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

Our small piece of lawn is far from green. The grass is so dry you can hear it brake when you walk on it. I don’t water the lawn. That is a waste of water when there is a water shortage as it is this year. In many parts of Sweden it is totally forbidden to water the garden. Not here though, but saving the water is a recommendation. I do water the shrubs and the flowers and such. I don’t want them to die.

garden, greenery

To the backgarden 2017-07-02. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

In parts of the garden you get the illusion though that it is all green and lush.  It is just that, an illusion.

garden, greenery

A part of the garden 2017-07-14. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

This is the view of the garden from my south-facing window. The high plants in what I call the wild flowerbed are green. But this dry weather is affecting even those plants. They are taller than ever and their flowering-time is shorter than ever. The flowers are done flowering in a very much shorter time than they use to. But there are flowers because I water this area.

garden, greenery

A corner of the garden, 2017-07-08. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Above is the view out over the garden on July 8th. The flowers in this flowerbed were all pink at that time. They are finished now. The green bushes are black currants. We picked them shortly after I shot this picture. We actually had more black currants than ever before this year, and they were also larger. The neighbour and I got 1.5 liters of berries each. Probably because these bushes get watered regularly.

garden, greenery

A corner of the garden greenery. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Just around the corner outside my kitchen windows it looked like this at the same time.

garden, greenery

Overview of the garden 2017-07-07. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Above how it looks from the parking into the garden. Since we have finished the rhubarb (which was better this year than the last, but not really good). Considering the unusually dry summer, it is as green as it can be.

In the backgarden, behind my patio, the rose-bushes bloom as never before to the delight of the bumble-bees. We thought of digging them all up in favour of planting something more useful and edible, but maybe not… ? At least the bumble-bees love them and they are beautiful when they bloom.

beachrose

Beach rose. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

These roses are terribly invasive and spread via its roots. That’s why they should be taken away and dug up – which is hard work and a lot of digging. Most of our garden (mine and my neighbour) were covered with these roses some years back. The entire corner between our flats actually. And all the way around and past and behind my patio too. We have done a lot of digging to get rid of them. What is in the backgarden is what remains. Every spring I cut them down to about 20 cm in height. This is how much they grow in one summer. And it has so far been a very dry summer. Without getting any extra water, they still survive… It adds greenery to the garden… but…

beachroses, roses, backgarden

Beach roses in the backgarden, 2017-07-25. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Posted by nini in Garden, greenery, Outside, 0 comments

Hail and thunder

Hail ongoing. Video filmed with my iPhone 7 from the door to the patio.

 

Yesterday at around 15:00 hrs there was mighty thunder – I actually jumped as it was so sudden – and then the skies opened. At first with rain, then came the hail, combined with rain……

Hail isn’t all that uncommon here at this time of the year but it was long since last time. It is fascinating. At the same time I worried for the greenery and flowers. There was a lot of hail.

The worst affected were the daylilies. There the leaves nearest to the house were broken. I didn’t remember that heavy rains and hail come down just on top of the daylilies from the roof. Now I was reminded. The hail remained on the ground around it for a couple of hours. Fortunately the hail didn’t take the budding flowers of the daylilies on their way up, only its leaves. Had they been up they would have been damaged. The greenery looked a bit sad for a while, but most of it was unharmed when I checked and shot the pictures.

hail, daylilies

Daylilies after the hail. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I wonder how the summer-flowers and summer-plants were affected by the cold hail as it stayed for quite some time after it had stopped coming down. I was especially worried about the tomatoes, salads and herbs. They looked OK when I checked after the hail had stopped, and I hope they will continue to be OK. Outside temperature sank quite a bit with the hail.

Later in the evening it rained. The rain was OK and needed. This is a very dry season this year.

Here are some more pictures. Hover over an image to see text. Click on a picture to see a larger version. Reload page to make the images sort in a different order.

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, Outside, Plants, 0 comments

New flowerbed

flowerbeds

New flowerbed has been added along the fence, June 2017. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

New flowerbed has been created.

Late last year we created two new flowerbeds along the fence, That turned out well. Already then we thought we might create a third flowerbed, as there were enough space for it and it looks nice with plants along the fence. Just looking at the fence isn’t all that exciting. Both I and my neighbour can see those flowerbeds from our flats. So last week I started digging.

flowerbed

Digging for new flowerbed. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

The worst with digging for a new flowerbed is to get the grass off. That is hard work.

flowerbed

New flowerbed. Digging done. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Next step was to create a border around the new flowerbed and to add fresh nourishment and earth.

flowerbed

New flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

To create the border around the flowerbed was no problem as we had collected quite a lot of nice round stones for this purpose not that long ago. We had to go buy fresh earth though. Nourishment (earth with cow-dung) we had half a sack so that was added first. Then the fresh soil. And then plants.

flowerbeds

Plants to be moved. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The next step was to decide which plants to have in the new flowerbed. Two of our alumroots/heuchera had long begged to be moved to a place where they would get more space to grow. They com ein a lot of colors and we have four of them in different colors. Two of them had so far grown just to the right of the lambsears (above). So those two I dug up and moved to the new flowerbed. You see the green one at the back and a purple green one at the front in the picture above. Now the lamb’s ears can spread even more…

flowerbed

The heuchera gone from the flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

It looks perfectly normal without the heuchera here in this flowerbed.

flowerbed

Heuchera before it was moved. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The above purple alumroot/heuchera also needed to be moved as it was slowly disappearing under the hosta at its side. so I dug that up as well.

flowerbed

Alumroot removed from the flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

After the third heuchera was dug up I added some stones at the backside of the flowerbed and some sticks in it as there are plenty of bulbs for springflowers in the ground and I don’t want the cats to dig them up. I also dug up some of the anemone sylvestris that had spread to that same area and moved them as well to the new flowerbed. I also dug up some Japanese anemones (anemone hupehensis) that had disappeared under the largest hosta outside the patio where it would get no light.

flowerbed

The new flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

When the planting was done and watering too it looked like in the picture above. The sad plants top the left are  the Japanese anemones. There is space left top the right of them as they have a tendency to spread out if they like the place where they grow. They didn’t like being moved though and leaves immediately wilted. 

flowerbed

The new flowerb3e3d 2017-06-14. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

One of the alumroots also hung at first after being replanted. It has recovered since though and today looks just as fine as the other two alumroots. The Japanese anemones look very sad though but I think they are still alive. Keeping an eye on them… I will have to cut off the leaves I think, but I will wait a few more days before I do. It might help them recover though.

Three flowerbeds along the fence.

So, now there are three flowerbeds along the fence. Much nicer to look at than just the fence and the grass. The two we created last year are coming along just fine and looks like in the pictures below. All plants in them have been moved from the long flowerbed along the wall of the house, which got too crowded over the years.

flowerbed

One of the flowerbeds along the fence. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

This one (called number two…) got some new plants this spring, to the left of the left astilbe.

flowerbed

Flowerbed number two. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I added two ajuga reptans (with nice blue flowers) that creeps along the earth and spreads. Have to keep an eye on those so they don’t take over the entire flowerbed. If it grows too much, I’ll move some of it to another location. I also added two other plants with yellow flowers which are low and can stand dry and poor circumstance. They have flowers now, but not the entire season.

flowerbed

Flowerbed number one along the fence. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

In flowerbed number one (closest to my flat) the plants are coming along fine as well. They have grown a lot the last couple of days and have changed quite a lot since I shot this picture. The three green plants at the upper right will become quite tall later in the season. They just now started growing.

Otherwise… everything is growing with an amazing speed and all is green and lush. I love this season. Summer is here.

summergarden

Summergarde, 2017-06-17. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

 

 

 

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, Outside, outside place, 0 comments

My outside place

outside place

Part of my outside place 2017-05-28. Photo: ©nini,tjader.2017

My outside place can finally be used. The warmth arrived and plants could go outside and everything be arranged.

outside place

My outside place 2017-05-20. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

My outside place faces west from the wall and south from its entrance from the garden. It gets very hot there in the afternoon. On sunny days it is sunny the whole afternoon until evening when sun disappears behind the higher ground on the other side of the road.

outside place

My outside place from the entrance. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The floors in my outside place are of concrete and not that pleasant to walk on barefoot so I have two outdoor carpets, plastic, on the floor. I think they are already on their third year so they have lasted fine through rain and lousy weather. I take them in over the winter, before the snows begin.

outside place

Part of my outside place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Just outside the door I have this black wooden bench – which has cushions when weather permits – which I bought at Ikea the very first spring I lived in this flat, 2010. It is placed toward the wall and has cover from the upstairs neighbours balcony when it rains. Convenient… 

pots

Pots Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The top of the sofa has a small ledge where I can place various pots when needed. The naked plant in the middle of the picture is my ginkgo biloba plant… I am still unsure if it still is alive or not. Meanwhile it lives outdoors on the top of the sofa where it is warm and it gets as much light as possible. Still waiting for it to come alive again… it might, they say. To the left of it is a fragranced pelargonia from last year that survived the winter indoors. To the left of that a bought tomato-plant. I gave up on growing tomatoes from seed… At the right are seed-sown sweet peas that are coming along just fine. They will be planted in my large pot in the corner of the outside place when I get the plant they will live together with. That plant is still not available in shops. Too early yet.

outside place

Hanging plants at my outside place. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

Just at the entrance from the garden to my outside place I’ve hung two pots on the railing. The one to the left is a red basil, the one to the right is a lavender. Just inside are white and red “stjärnöga”, Osteospermum. They last and bloom until the first frost some time in October if you frequently cut off flowers that are done.

Pots

Pots on the table. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

On the table in my outside place I have two pots. The one to the left is a rosemary, which has bloomed also indoors for a long time by now. I keep cutting it, as I use it with oven-baked cleft potatoes regularly.  The one to the right is a myrtle. It has buds, but I am still waiting for it to bloom. Bought it at the garden fair this spring and it has been indoors until recently.

outside place

Part of my outside place.Photop: ©nini.tjader.2017

This corner of my outside place isn’t quite ready yet. The large black pot still have to get its plants. I am waiting for the climbing cobea to arrive in stores. It will live there in the corner and grow upwards on the trellis on the wall (it can grow upto 3 meters in one season). I haven’t had a cobea for the last two years. It is time for it again. It will live together with the seed-grown sweet peas that are ready for planting. My olivetree is outdoors as well now. You see it on the right in this picture.

wildpelargonia

Australian wild pelargonia. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

On the high wall at the outside place hangs an Australian wild pelargonia which I bought at the garden-fair this spring. I will get whitish-pink flowers later on that smell like candy. I have never succeeded to save one of these over winter indoors so have bought a new one each year. Might try again. Oh. I got myself a wind-chime to hang outside. Got it from Ikea. I like the sound of it.

outside place

Plant under umbrella. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I recently moved my figtree outdoors to the outside place. For the first couple of days I let it live under the umbrella, to protect it from the strong spring sun. Didn’t want to do the same mistake I did last year when the strong spring sun burned some of the leaves and made them fall off.

figtree

The figtree on my outside place. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

The figtree is now out from under the umbrella. Haven’t seen any sun-damage so far even though the sun has been pretty strong the last week.

outside place

My outside place from outside. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Along the railing of my outside place are three boxes with three bright red pelargonias in each one of them. As I live on the groundfloor I can have the boxes on the outside and even water them from the outside. Very convenient.

olivetree

The olivetree. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

My olivetree – which used to be small and compact… – has also moved outdoors and seems to like it. It is no longer small an compact. I cut off all dead parts of it in the spring, but not the long new ones. Still hesitating if to cut it more or not.

poppies

Poppies. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

Just outside the outside place the poppies have started to bloom. Just yesterday I removed a lot of poppies as they spread a bit too much. They are nice, but I won’t let them spread too much. Hard to take photos of though because it was a bit windy just then.

The day before yesterday friend Ulla and I spent some time on the outside place eating home-made (by me) frozen strawberry cheesecake with a glass of cold white wine (wine is Inycon, I really recommend it) in the sun.

My favourite season has finally arrived. May there be more days like these this summer.

outside place

Ulla on my outside place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Posted by nini in House plants, Outside, outside place, Plants, 0 comments

Garden and greenery at its peak

garden, patio, greenery

Entrance to flat from the garden. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

The summer in the garden is green and inviting. It cannot get any greener than it is just now outside. The greenery is at its peak. There are still flowers that will bloom that hasn’t done so yet. But they are coming along just fine.

weatherchange, garden, greenery

Weatherchange Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The weather has been good this summer. Mainly dry, sunny and warm. But of course there has been days with some rain and thunder too. Not many though. Feels like I’ve never before had to water the garden as much as this year. It is so dry.

flowerbed, garden, greenery

The small flower bed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The astrantia major (the pink flowers in the picture) are taller and more plenty than ever. The hortensia is green and coming but I doubt it will get any flowers this year. The chives unfortunately looks poorly this year. The oldest one has nearly died. The giant verbena in the black tub will get tall too after some problems with it in the beginning.

astratniamajor, garden, flowers, greenery

The astrantia major. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The astrantia major is much loved by both bumblebees and bees. They create a constant buzz there.

hollyhocks, garden, greenery

One of the hollyhocks in the garden. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

I have two hollyhocks. The one above is in the regular flowerbed around my patio. It is pink and yellow. This year it is also tall and healthy. No holes in the leaves so far. No bugs have eaten on it. Yet.

The one below is dark pink. It grows near to the anti-noise-fence, just as last year. I make sure every year to spread the seeds from them as they only live for two years. I love hollyhocks.

hollyhock, garden, greenery

Hollyhock. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

garden, greenery

The backgarden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Above the view from the backgarden, behind the patio. At the most narrow point I’ve put a rose-bow for the two old honey-suckle plants that I cut down to almost nothing last autumn as they were sick. They’ve grown a lot this year and only just now started to flower.  They’ve had lots of lice on them though, black lice. But after some thorough showering with water they now look more or less OK. I think the lice-season is over for this time.

blueberries, garden, greenery

Bluberrry-bushes in the garden. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The american blueberry-bushes that I moved last year to the back-garden are coming along fine and they have now plenty of blue-berries that just started to turn blue. Can soon be picked. Still not too many berries, but at least more than previous years. They never liked the previous location.

blueberries, garden, greenery

First blue blueberries in the garden. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Lousy picture of the blueberries… but you get the idea…

veggiebox, garden. greenery

The veggiebox in the garden april 2016. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

A funny comparison. The veggiebox in the back-garden above in april this year. And just now in July below.

veggiebox, garden, greenery

The veggiebox in the garden in July. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

It has grown there… Lots of parsley and french tarragon and lemonbalm (though something has eaten a lot of its leafs). The chives here is fine and so is the sorrel in the frontmost corner. The sorrel and teh lemonbalm survived from last year. I had two oreganoplants between the parsley and the sorrel, but I had to move the oregano to a large pot of its own as it became too crowded in the box and I really want to get as much oregano as possible to last me until next year. I cut and dry it when large enough to be bundled.

herbs, thyme, mint, garden, greenery

Thyme and mint. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The two kinds of thyme (regular and lemonthyme) and the mint are coming along fine in the back garden as well. The mint I also cut and dry to have in tea until next year. When it is fresh I use it in salads and drinks. The thyme I dry as well and use both dried and fresh in salads and other food.

Another fun comparison is the flowerbed along the outside of the patio. Below from 2011…

flowerbed, hostas, echinacea, garden, greenery

Hostas and echinacea in the garden 2011-07-18. Photo: ©

Notice the two hosta plants and the echinaceas. Notice size and spread.

flowerbed, hostas, echinacea, garden, greenery

Hostas and echinacea in the garden July 2016. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The above is the same flowerbed in July 2016. Particularly the green hosta has grown a lot this year (now blooming). And the echinacea behind them have spread quite a lot. They were good last year but I think they will be even better this year.

hostas, flowerbed, garden, greenery

Hostas in bloom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This part of the flowerbed along and behind the patio comes late as it is less sun there. In the spring it is almost empty with only krokucuses. Then the rest come, slowly. Every year it looks like the hostas are cone for ever. Choice of plants has been difficult for it but I now have mix that works well there. Between the two hostas there is actually a japanese anemone. They are almosts hidden by the hostas this year.

echinacea, garden, flowerbed, greenery

Echinacea. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I have two kinds of echinacea. One pink, one white. Neither is blooming just yet, but they are on their way. They get very tall and last long into the autumn.

bumblebee, rose, garden, greenery

Bumblebee Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

In the backgarden, after my area ends, still grow these roses that spread like a pest via their roots. Plan it to dig them all up and use the area for something else. Our rhubarbs will move to their space. The flowers have a strong fragrance and the bumblebees love them, but… (click on this link to see a short movie with the working bumblebee).

ladybug, echinacea, garden, greenery

A ladybug in the echinacea. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Even though the echinacea flowers are not ready yet, the bugs are there… like this ladybug.

bug, echinacea, garden, greenery

Bug in the echinacea. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I’ll stop here. This was only the backgarden and part of the flowerbed along the patio. I’ll show you more of the garden another day.

garden, greenery

Way to the backgarden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

In the foreground, two white astilbes, one pink astilbe and the pink-yellow hollyhock. In the background the back-garden and the rose-bow.

rosebow, garden, honeysuckle, greenery

The rosebow with the climbing honeysuckle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, Nature, Outside, 0 comments

Flowering trees and bushes

floweringappletree

Flowers on a small appletree. photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

This time of the year is wonderful when it comes to all the flowering trees and bushes we can experience. It last for a too short while though. The apple trees of various kinds… lovely flowers.

floweringtree

Another blooming appletree. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

And then there are the lilacs of all colors that just started to open their flowers in my area. And their scent… wonderful. A promise of a coming summer.

lilac

Lilacs, blooms not yet fully open. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

lilacs lilasyren

whitelilacs

White lilacs. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

pinklilacs

Pink lilacs. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Our new bush in the garden reached its flowering peak recently.

floweringbush

Our new bush with flowers. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The flowering was nice, but it is over now. Insects of all kinds took advantage of the flowering.

floweringbush

Bush flower with insect. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Earlier on all the fruit-trees in the villa gardens in the area were in flower.

bluewhite whitetree

Quite overwhelming. All gone now. The trees really have a very short period to flower, before the leaves come. And, later in the season, eventual fruit.

I love this season. It is too short though.

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden and Nature, Nature, Outside, 0 comments

Season is nearly over for the patioplants

patio

Patioplants, August 2015 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The season is nearly over for the patioplants for this year.

I’ve started to move some of the plants inside. Night temperatures are down to around +7C° lately. Still around 17C° in the day though and even some sun. You can feel that autumn is approaching. A few days more of warmth has been promised, but you never know when it is over for the season.

The fig tree is still out there. It has grown a lot since I bought it and become really big already. And beautiful. I always loved fig trees. Both in nature and as house plants. It won’t be long now until it moves inside. Keeping an eye on the weather forecasts.

patioplants

Patioplants, August 2015 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The two olivetrees (first picture)and the three chili plants (one not pictured here) have moved inside, but the pelargonias are still there. Noticed today that the smaller olive tree actually is blooming.

patioplants

Patioplants, August 2015

There are still about 8 tomatoes to ripen (I’ve eaten 22 from that tomato plant this season) on the tomato plant in the background. Will they make it? That huge, pink, Mårbacka pelargonia… I have no idea where I can place it inside. Getting pelargonias to survive over winter to the next year is always a problem. I managed last year to this, but…

patioplants

Patioplants August 2015 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

My jungle is slowly diminishing as the plants that need to be inside move inside. These pictures are the last ones with all the plants present out there.

patioplants

Patioplants, August 2015 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

There are of course plants that will not be moved inside (like the red pelargonias). But my old, large November cactus is already inside (and continue to bloom).

patioplants

November cactus on the railing. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

ujblogo100

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden and Nature, House plants, Outside, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

Plants on my outside place 2015

Photo:©nini.tjader.2015

Photo:©nini.tjader.2015

I’ve got several plants on my outside place 2015. Both inside it and on the railing, hanging on the inside and the outside. On this side (above) are three boxes with regular red pelargonias.

vietnamese basil

Vietnamese basil. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the short side of the railing, by the entrance, I have a Vietnames red basil (which the bumblebees love) and a French tarragon.

french tarragon

French tarragon. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The tarragon actually needs to be moved to the real earth outside before summer is over.

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Just inside the entrance I have a pot with red osteospermum (called “stjärnöga” in Swedish). It is a hardy plant that can be put outside early in the spring and lasts and blooms (provided you cut off wilted flowers regularly) until some time in October, or until the frost takes it.

basil

Basil. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the back of the bench on my outside place I also have plants. One is the regular basil, bought at the supermarket, which at first just stood in glass with water, but has since been replanted in a proper pot with proper soil.

thyme

Thyme. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Just beside the basil is a thyme. Likewise bought in the supermarket and replanted. Bought already some time in the winter. Used in cooking when I want fresh thyme.

Chili

Chili. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

At the time when I took the above picture the chili, grown from seed from Ikea, was also placed here. It started its life inside, in the livingroom window, but moved outside when it got big enough and the weather permitted. I have no idea which kind of chili this is. I have moved it since to another location at the outside place.

rosemary

Rosemary. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Then comes the rosemary. It is hard to make that last inside over the winter and it doesn’t survive the winter outside so in late autumn I usually dry the rosemary to make it last over winter.

fragrance geranium

Fragrance geranium. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Then comes the fragrance geranium (doftpelargon in Swedish). Gets small lilac flowers, has a citrus smell. Is said to hunt away mosquitos – something which could be needed this year.

pansies

Pansies. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Until recently I had a pot of pansies on the outside place on the shelf there. They lasted from March until mid July. Now gone.

mårbacka pelargonia

Mårbacka pelaargonia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Beside the pansies I then had a large Mårbacka pelargonia. It has since moved into the corner of that shelf and the Ikea-chili has moved onto the shelf.

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the table I have a white tobacco plant. It is supposed to give off a nice fragrance in the evening… but I think it has been too cold this summer because I’ve not felt any fragrance from it at all.

novembercactus

November cactus. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Above the table, on the railing is the large and old November cactus. It loves being outside, rain or sun, during the summer season. It also makes it to produce flowers. See the flower buds above?

november cactus

November cactus. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Not yet, but ut will have fully open flowers some time in August. That’s been the result of putting it outside for the last three years. Before that it refused to get flower any time of the year… Now it gets them in August, in October and in April/May. But never in November.

viola hederacea

Viola hederacea. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the railing I also keep a viola hederacea (Australian Violet). It has grown a lot since I got it in March. Then it was indoors. It will return indoors in the autumn when it gets cold. Problem is how to place it as it gets those long creepers which probably would like to crawl aling the ground…

ruccola2jul ruccola20150719

 

On Jul 2nd the first seeds of the ruccola salad started to show. On July 19th it got ready to start eating. I have it on the railing.

olivetree

Olive. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Further inside I’ve got two olive trees, that are indoors in the winter. The thrive outside in the summertime regardless of if the it is sunny or rainy. The above one is the small olivetree that I bought at Ikea last summer.

olivetree

Olivetree. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

And the above one is the old olive tree which I cut down hard last summer as it had grown in all the wrong directions. It is coming back just fine.

chili

Chili. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On raised paletts on the floor in the warmest corner of the outside place I have two chili plants. The above one has lots of fruits at this stage. The other one has just started to flower.

chili

Chili. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

These two chilis are supposed to be medium hot. We will see when they are ready.

mårbacka pelargonia

mårbacka pelargonia

Mårbacka pelargonia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Behind the chilis there is a large Mårbacka pelargonia, child of the other one on the shelf.

tomatoes

Tomatoes. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

There is also the big tomato plant. Since picture was shot, I’ve eaten the red ones… They are delicious.

figtree

Figtree. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

In hat corner also lives the figtree which is new for this year. It will move inside over the winter. It has grown quite a lot since I got it.

lavender

Lavender. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

There used to be a lavender plants there too. I’ve since moved it outside (in its pot) as it looks so sick… If it survives I’ll plant it in one of the flowerbeds.

white pelargonias

White pelargonias. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the wall at the back of the outside place hand three white pelargonias. It was one at the end of last summer and two of them come from that plant. A very good white pelargonia kind which does not get brown flowers when it rains, which most white pelargonias do.

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Scaevola aemula Goodeniaceae (Femtunga). Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the plank also hangs a large scaevola aemula goodeniaceae (or Femtunga in Swedish). When I got it was rathe small and not all that good-looking, That changed though when it got a larger pot to hang in with sufficient enough soil in it. It is a thirsty plant.

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the wall above the tomatoes and the chilis I have this plant. Also a thirsty thing. It only now started to grow. Have forgotten the name of it (it started with D) but I have that somewhere…

clematis

Clematis. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

On the wall I’ve this year a clematis instead of the cobea I usually have. Thought is that if it manages to survive in the pot over winter, I will not have to change climbing plant every year.

clematis

Clematis. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

clematis

Clematis. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

This one gets large dark blue/lilac flowers with an interesting middle. It only now started to open its flowers.

That is this years plants on my outside place. I will probably keep moving them around as they grow and need sunshine and warmth, but there won’t be any more there now. To see an overview of my outside place, instead of only the plants go here.

red pelargonias

Red pelargonias on the outside. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2014

ujblogo100

Posted by nini in Flowers, House plants, Outside, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

The Hungry Birds

peanuts

10 kgs of peanuts for the birds. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

My hungry birds are hungrier than ever this wet and cold summer. The spring was short of insects for them too because of the cold weather and they suffered. Feeding them was more necessary than ever, and not just to get help from them to get rid of bugs and insects on the garden plants.

I ran out of peanuts over the Midsummer holidays because of a distribution problem at Postnord. Then found that a local shop for dogs and cats sold peanuts for birds… so stocked up with some small bags of it temporarily until I got my ordered 10 kgs which finally arrived two weeks too late…No fault of the company I bought from though. But next time Iäll buy from the local dog and cat shop…

Every time it rains, which lately has been more or less daily or every second day, the birds are in a queue to the peanut feeders…

birds

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

And the woodpeckers (three of them) are still visiting too. No others are allowed onto the feeder when the woodpecker is there.

woodpecker

Woodpecker. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

bird

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

I even got a new visitor I’ve never seen before. A hawfinch. At first looked like a parrot as it was much bigger than the usual guests at the peanut feeder.

hawfinch

Hawfinch. Photo: ©nini.tjader.201§5

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The great tit was waiting for it to stop eating but didn’t dare to go there as long as the hawfinch was there. The hawfinch seemed to prefer eating from the ground though, just like som other visitors normally do. They are fun watching.

All photos taken through one of my kitchen windows. I don’t get any closer than that.

hawfinch

Hawfinch. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Posted by nini in Birds, Outside, 0 comments

My outside place 2015

exit, outside-place

View of the exit to the outside place from the livingroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2015

I live on the ground floor, with direct access to my outside place, and then to the garden around it. The outside place just outside the door looks slightly different each year. It all depends on which plants I decide to have there and how to place them.

outside

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

There is a small table there of a material that can be outside the year around and doesn’t need any attention. There are also two black chairs. One bought many years ago and the second one years later when Ikea suddenly started to sell them again. They remain outside in rain and snow the year around. You cannot tell which one of them is the oldest.

On the table is a flower tobacco plant, three stones that I use to keep papers put when the wind blows, and a small lantern.

On the railing is one pot with a plant that was very small when I bought it, but it keeps getting bigger. It is a Viola Hederacea. There is also my large November cactus which is out for the summer, and a pot with newly started rucola salad.

Behind the railing is an apple tree that probably came to be there from a seed of an apple that someone at some time threw over the fence. It gets no flowers and therefore no apples. I cut it every autumn so it won’t get too big. But, it has gotten fairly big anyway. It is good sun protection and I hang a sun-charged lamp in it. The yellow honeysuckle is high up in the tree so it looks like the apple tree has yellow flowers. That’s intentional.

outside

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Out to the left is the opening to the garden. Here I have a black bench (Ikea) and black and white plastic carpets. There is also a shelf that holds surplus pots and such, and plants on the top of it. Presently one Mårbacka pelargonia and the blue pansies that I put there already in March. The pansies will soon be removed. They’ve done their thing and do not look all that good any more. On the back of the bench presently stand one pelargonia (which cannot be seen in this picture), a rosemary, a pot with five small chili-plants, a thyme and a basil.

outside

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

To the right outside the door my collection of this years plants plus a black plastic chair from Ikea. Among the plants are two olive trees that are out over the summer, my new fig-tree, one lavender, and behind the lavender two chili-plants where the fruits are beginning to show, one large Mårbacka pelargonia originating from the other one. On the red wall a klematis isntead of the cobea I usually have. On the same wall as the honeysuckle, three white pelargonias and a hanging plant with white flowers. In Swedish it is called “femtunga”, in latin scaevola aemula.

outside

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

More of the corner to the right. Behind the black chair I keep the mover and some other tools for the garden, under the protection of the two huge honeysuckles that hang on the corner.

outside

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

View toward the garden. When I use the bench, I have a mattress and pillows for it.

outside

Plants outside. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Above a closer view of the collection of plants.

murder-snail, mördarsnigel

“Murder-snail”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

And when I passed the outside place this afternoon, when the rain made a short pause, to my horror, I found a large snail crawling over the floor… We haven’t had those at our corner before, except very small ones, and I definitely do not want any more of them. “Murder-snails” we call them as they eat just anything that come in their way. Picked it up with the grill-tweezers and sealed it into a small plastic-bag and threw it in the common garbage in the garbage-house… Some cut them to pieces with a scissor, but…

ujblogo100

Posted by nini in Outside, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 2 comments

Plant Color Pop

orchid, bluewall

White and blue Photo. ©nini.tjader.2015

The #urbanjunglebloggers has a fun task this month called #plantcolorpop. The idea is to place one plant in front of a colored background – or find a similar setup outdoors. Plant color pop. Above is my white orchid placed in front of my dark blue bedroom wall. White against blue is always good. (Yes, I keep little plastic signs in the orchid pots so I know when there are no flowers which one is which one).

yellow orchid,

Yellow and blue. Photo: @nini.tjader.2015

Oops. That is two plants… My yellow orchid and a plant I bought at the super for Easter. Blooms for the second time. Cut off the withered flowers and it started all over again. No, I don’t like yellow against blue even thought it is the colors of the Swedish flag. Or, should I say, particularly as it IS the colors of the Swedish flag…

yelloworchid

Yellow and blue. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

So this is a closer look of the yellow orchid. Flowers on the left still good, flowers to the right on their way to die.

oakplants

Green and blue. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The green of the small oak plants goes well with the blue wall. But the contrast between the colors isn’t strong enough.

pinkorchid

Pink and blue. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

My pink orchid though stands out fine against the blue wall.

pinkorchid

Pink and blue. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

That one is one of my oldest orchids. I love orchids. Easy to care for, needs very little water, blooms for months, always comes back with new stems with flowers after a period of looking really boring. And their flowers are interesting to look at close.

red weed in grass

Red and green. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

I find what nature itself offers more interesting though. This is a red weed of some sort that pops up in our grass about this time of the year (if the mover hasn’t taken them). Interesting flower. Hard to take pictures of as the red is so intense. It also moves in the wind.

daisy

White and green. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

A few daisies have opened their flowers. There are more to come, but summer is late this year. The white against the green is a good combination.

daisies

White and green. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Daisies close to the raspberry bushes. The grass is supposed to be green with all this raining, but for some reason it isn’t.

flax

Blue and green, Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The blue of the flax in the yet all green surroundings is also nice. The flax is there because I tested one year to throw out som flax seeds (you know the sort you use in your breakfast smoothie). It is now coming back every year.

tagetes

Red and green. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The red tagetes with their dark green leaves is striking in the flowerbed. This year was the first time I planted them directly into the earth instead of in a pot. They really are more beautiful this way than in a pot.

njurvinda

Green and red. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Our red walls outside (re-painted last spring) lends itself well to striking color combinations. The above plant is supposed to hang over the edge of the pot. It gets long slings over the season. Does not survive inside or outside over winter. Summer is late as I said… so it hasn’t grown all that much yet.

fig

Green and red. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The new fig tree seems to like it outside against the red wall. This is the warmest and sunniest (provided the sun shines) corner of my outside place. The fig tree is new for this year and it has got several new leaves already, despite the cold and wet weather. Hopefully it will survive inside over winter later.

Million belles.

Red and green. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

I have a large container on the wall on the outside place with red million belles plants in. Love those plants. It is a kind of petunia plant.

pinkrose

Pink and green. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

The pink rose (from Ikea) was planted in the larger new flower bed. It came to life there in a different way than when it was in a pot. It even seem to like the raining. The watercress near to it is grown from seeds.

White and green. Photo:©nini.tjader.2015

White and green. Photo:©nini.tjader.2015

The white flowers in the grass come in groups that I do not cut off. I move the grass around them. It started (all by itself) with a few white flowers in the grass about two years ago. Every year now they are coming in larger numbers. That’s nice.

The wild orange poppies that are everywhere in my backside flowerbed – brought there probably by the birds – light up the green surroundings. The few of them that have spread around the corner to the flower bed there are red. More sun there.

This was a fun task to see the plants colors pop against a background.

poppy

Orange Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

ujblogo100

Posted by nini in decoration, Flowers, Garden and Nature, House plants, Interior Design, Outside, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 3 comments

Gullis outside place 2015

gullis_uteplats_44

Gullis and Gustav on the new deck on her outside place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2015

Yesterday I took pictures of Gullis’, my neighbor and owner of Gustav the cat, outside place. She wanted them to be able to show to friends and acquaintances how it looks with its new wooden floor.

All pictures can be found in this special gallery.

Pictures can also be found on FaceBook

ujblogo100

Posted by nini in Outside, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments