We've had some nice, dry days and some windy, wet days. Temps in May have been between 2°C and 18°C. The sun now rise at 04.15 and sets at 22.50 so theoretically I can garden almost all night. I need my beauty sleep though. (The last one who asked if I was going into hibernation got a glitterbomb in the mail.) Anyways, we have blooms. The latest ones are the Cypripediums. Here are some photos from today: This was one of many without names at a nursery. The tag said "Cypripedium yellow". I bought it anyway, and the other eight, because they were really low priced and Cypripediums are usually very expensive: This one is from the same purchase. The tab said "Cypripedium white", but unless my eyes deceive me it's yellow: The Trilliums are in mid-bloom. Some are almost done, some haven't started properly, and some look their best now. This is a favourite: We only have one Arum. This year it decided to bloom: The primroses are still at it. That's one good thing with the cool, wet weather we have: I'll end my show-and-tell here. There's something new opening up every day out there. Spring is my favourite time of year. The weather is unpredictable, we don't expect anything from it, and we just roll with whatever we get.
Well, it is a stunning display, Droopy. All of the flowers that you have shown just float my boat. Do people stop by and ask you about your flowers?
Thanks, Sjoerd. These are in the back garden, so only people I invite in can see them. The front garden has lots of Hostas, some Meconopsis and other hard-to-move stuff, but people do stop and ask sometimes. The only problem is that when I start to answer them their eyes glaze over in less than a minute, so I think they only ask to be polite. I don't want to put any small jewels in the front garden since I've found holes where there should be plants. I don't want to sponsor anybody's plant collection unless asked you see. As it is now I believe our neighbours would react if they saw somebody with a big spade hopping about between my plants and helping themselves to pieces of them.
I know what you mean about the glazing. Chuckle. Ach. As for the holes— I am surprised. Somehow that doesn’t fit with my idea of your culture.
Not my idea either, Sjoerd. I learned on a Facebook group that plant stealing is a normalized sub-culture amongst plant collectors in this country. Probably springs out of some nonsensical, century-old belief that plant cuttings ought to be stolen in order to grow well. Guess somebody just made that defence up and others adopted it and it spread. My gardening friends and I have several plants that are hard to come by here in Norway, and we have all had rare-ish plants dug up and stolen. A really painful fact is that some of these plants need special conditions to grow, so they're probably dead, or will be, unless the plant-thieves know what they are doing. Another fact is that if they had asked us we would gladly share with them when it was time to divide the plant. I'll stop now. I get angry just thinking about it. One of my friends has lost plants several times and has installed four wildlife cameras in her garden. She has also installed electric fencing on top of her normal fence. That's how bad her situation is.
Good grief, Droopy. Infuriating. Yeah, I get it— yeah, the people who are talking normalisation are perhaps thieves themselves.
Absolutely gorgeous blooms Droopy! Plant theft happens here too I'm afraid. Infuriating to say the least!
These are so exotic Droopy. Very very special. I'm sorry that they have to be hidden. What a joy for you and yours though to enjoy though. Just breathtaking. When I was a child, Ladyslippers grew in the woods by my home. My mom would tell me to never pick them, but every once in a while I couldn't help it, to show my love for her. I soon learned she loved me more for leaving them be. Plant theft....that's a new thing for me. A definite head shaker. Like...get a spade and dig? That is bizarre. Some folks and concepts in society are just a bit broken.
Droopy - I loved reading when your sun rose and set. I was thinking on asking everyone close to the solstice. I'm 3:30 am now, and about 9:00 pm. ( If we are talking when the Robins YELL good morning and sing good night). My daughters have atleast a few hours on me.
Thank you Daniel, that's so kind of you to say! Sunrise today 03.41. Sunset at 23.29. Subtract an hour on both sides to get normal time. We're on daylight savings hour, lol. And it's not midsummer solstice yet!
Thank you! I'm so sorry this happens there too. I was hoping this was a national problem, not an international one. Thank you! We love them, but I'm not getting any more unless I come by a C. flavum. I had one. It died, and I'm still sad about that. We're not allowed to pick orchids in the wild. Most of them are protected. I can fully understand your mother's thoughts. They don't last long as cut flowers, unlike the butterfly orchid. Yes, or no... Bring a spade, climb the fence or sneak through the gate, and dig. Or just pretend to admire a small plant, and whoops, that ended in a pocket, imagine that!
Wow Droopy. I checked the lattitude of Norway compared to where I used to live in Fort Nelson BC. 60.4720 N for Norway, and 58° 48' 18.06"N for Fort Nelson. I have all new respect for your amazing gardens and what you can accomplish. You must have only a few hours of a bit more than dawn in the winter?? Would love to chat with you about this one day. That is very cool.
We're actually north of Anchorage, Alaska, but not north enough for the midnight sun. We have around four hours of daylight mid-winter, and daylight is also applied to the days when it's grey, foggy, or pouring and it's more twilight than daylight. I usually hope for snow in December and January since it brightens things up. We can grow a wide range of garden plants here on the coast. We have the Gulf Stream. The winters are usually mild-ish compared to inland Norway. Some winters we hardly see snow. What really kill my plants is hard frost without a snow cover for insulation, or a very wet and chilly summer. I can water if it gets too dry, but can't do much about frost or rain. Anyways, we have lots of weather and it's just about finding the right plants for our climate.
