Taking a break

You've probably already guessed - I'm taking a break from this blog. I have other things to do.

Thanks for reading, maybe I'll see you again in the future.

Cutest tomato ever grown?

I don't even remember how I found this, but it's got to be the cutest thing I've seen in quite a while.

No, I didn't take this picture, and I do NOT own it. I found it here, among with 9 other related pictures, on the website of British newspaper Guardian.

Why can't I grow tomatoes like that on my balcony?

I took some pictures...

...but can't seem to find the usb cord to connect the camera to the computer.

Anyway, I've been working my a... arm off in the Park for 3½ weeks now. Fot the past few days I've been perched on a very tall ladder trimming the edges of various climbing plants, making people behind the windows able to see the daylight again. Most of the time I've spent cutting ivy. Ivy, as it turns out, collects tons of dust and other extremely dirty stuff. This stuff is now clogging up my throat, since becaus of my glasses I can't wear the protective mask (the glasses fog up).

I don't mean to complain, I'm actually having a great time! And I'll be posting some pictures and write something more interesting as soon as I find that cord...

Guerrilla mission #5

Last sunday, a week ago (sorry, been busy...) I went out with Emma to the playground. I was meeting a photographer and a journalist from a weekly magazine who wanted an interview. I hadn't planned on planting anyting except calendulas, which was all I had, but luckily I got a call from my secret donator asking me if I wanted some leftover annuals. Yes please, I replied, and she arrived with the car full.

Before the dig. You can see my Buddleja davidii in the centre,
the flowers are on their way.
And I wonder if that to the right might be Jerusalem artichokes? We'll have to see.

After. From left to right: Lobelias, tagetes and two Verbena bonariensis.

Emma helped me carry much of the plants including tools and water to the playground, but left as soon as the people from the magazine showed up. They took lots of pictures and had me posing when I tried diggig in the plants. I hope the article will turn out good, I got to read it last week before publishing, and I made a few alterations where they'd gotten things wrong.

Healthy elm trees, and starting my new job

I've been busy as a bee the last few weeks, no time for internet at all! First, I went to Gävle to visit a friend who bought a house in the old town, and helped her paint the ceilings. The surroundings were beautiful, but of course I had forgotten my camera at home.

The most amazing part was seeing the huge elm tree growing behind the neighbours' house. It was completely healthy. I haven't seen a healthy elm in years, and it almost brought tears of happiness to my eyes. Ant there were more of them a few blocks away. It made me realize I actually have no idea how much the Dutch elm disease has spread in our country. Where I live, we have almost no elms left, and the few still standing are infected, and I guess I've taken for granted that's the case all over the country.

I never looked into diseases as much as I'd like, I'll have to make that one of my projects for this year.

Also, I started working in the Alnarp park for the summer. I'll be there eight weeks in total, and that wonderful place actually makes getting up at 5am worth it. I get to spend each day outside among the plants I love, in the park where I (at least according to one of my colleagues) grew up.