Russian gardens

[Hkind]

Hi Razvan,

Glad to see you on this forum!

I have been musing about your reply to Olga and  I think there are quite some people here among us at the forum, who should protest. There are actually lot of gardens in western countries with thousands of different perennials, ferns and alpines - I myself have 1500 - 2000 different plants in my garden.  We are of course plant enthusiasts and our gardens are not comparable with the average gardens in our countries. But on the other hand,  if there is a plant enthusiast in Russia, it is Elena.  Her garden, tended by three generations of cunning and caring gardeners, is outstanding among Russian Gardens. But there are gardens in the rest of the world not so different from hers.

I would be curious to hear more about Romanian gardens. Couldn't you tell us about them?

[razvan chisu]

Dear Hannelotte
There is no need for protesting. What I was trying to say is that Romanian gardens have no perennials at all, in contrast with western gardens where perennials are in such great numbers and diversity.
I was just looking to your Anemone nemorosa varieties and was thinking that in Romania probably there only is the common white form in a few gardens, while in the woods white and a few variations. Though I've looked I have never found doubles, or coloured variants. Only thousands upon thousands of whites. Do you think that maybe I am too far south for such variations to occur? Is there any mutagenic factor that you can think of, which would explain the high diversity of Anemone in Sweden?
Razvan

[Olga Bondareva]

Razvan, hi!

Many gardeners here are dreaming about your climate.  Think I understand what you say. We have the same gardens at the south of Russia, at the Black Sea shore. Fruit and decorative trees, climbers and annuals. It is too hot for alpines there.

There are some nurseries here. They grow mostly apple and other fruit trees and shrubs and some basic perennials like phloxes, bergenia, etc. It is unprofitable to propagate most of plants here because of short vegetation period. Hostas, heucheras and ferns are from Europe unfortunately. But they are very popular and fashionable.

As for anemone nemorosa it is only white here to. But there are some places where plants become to mutate. You have to travel many times and many locations to find something different and wonderful. 

I join Hannelotte’s question about Romanian gardens. 

[Joakim B]

Since this thread has slided a bit towards ex commist countries and garden ideas I would like to tell how I have seen Hungarian gardens. It is like Razvan say a lot of annuals and vegitable aand fruit treas here in the country side. Not to forget roses! Every garden where there is a house have a at least one rose. In Hugary there are also iris (a variata form). In Hungary there are nurserys and plant shops but far from every Hungarian garner can and will spend that kind on money on the garden.
In the citys it is a bit of conifers like You said.
There are for sure lovely gardens in Hungary but they are in general behind in trends.
I have not seen any hungarian garden magazine nor any garden program on TV. New trends have not come to the masses yet!
That is not an ex- communist thing I think it is where there are little culture in garden books and magazine. Portugal is the same, regarding being a bit behind . Different plants though. Only 1 garden magazine and it is only 4 years old and a bit bad I must say. Sweden that has less population have at least 4 and garden programs on TV are very popular! I think that effects how garden trends impact a country.

Sorry for the slight diversion

Joakim

[Hkind]

Sorry, Razvan, I obviously have misunderstood you!

As for the Anemone nemorosa, I would say that you just didn't look enough - or at least not close enough. You have to lift hundreds or even thousands of flowers to detect the garden worthy varieties . Most of my anemones are bought cultivars. There are only a few forms found in Swedish nature in my garden. I would be happy to send you some roots next year, when Romania has joined the EU and sending plants is going to be less difficult.

Olga, What about species related to A nemorosa? You have a lot of them in Russia. As I wrote in the thread about A nemorosa, I have just received several roots of A uralensis, which has a lot of different shades. Do you know anything about A caerulea? It seems to be something of a mystery plant to me - very little information about it.

Joakim, Economical development and -as Olga stated - climate are probably important facts for style of gardening.

[razvan chisu]

Continuing on this thread of gardens in ex-comunist states...
I think 50 years of public owned property destroyed private initiative. I am an avid reader of books and magazines, and looking through old stuff, from before the 1950's I found out that there were a lot of nurseries, and flower shows, and horticultural societies with a consistent and frequent activity. Breeding of ornamentals was taking place, but most of those plants are lost now.
Gardening now is either for the rich who hire someone to design and nurture their garden (these are the conifer-lawn gardens I mentioned earlier) either for plant enthusiasts who try to get their hands on novelties but have little money. Perennials here are imported and cost rather a lot for the average person, thus the emphasis on annuals which cost little and seeds can be saved and shared.
Gardening magazines translated from european editions or imported.
The biggest horticultural society is Friends of Roses Society, with over 1000 members in a 20 million citizens country.
As for those corms I would appreciate them very much. Thanks. I have been waiting for the accession of Romania to the EU, as I plan to start next year a nursery with perennials and alpines. Wish me luck! 
Razvan

[Maggi Young]

I am sure we will all wish you lots of luck and much success in your nursery venture, Razvan. 

[Joakim B]

Good luck with the nursery Razvan.
Good nurseries help making better gardens. They inspire to use different plants in different ways. Or old plants in new ways.

Hannelotte I do not think it is only economical development since Portugal is not that poor country and could afford garden programs on TV. The same goes for Hungary. Gardens are in Hungary used by the older (porer) generation to grow things that can be sold in the market and also pernuals like iris and daylillies when splitted in the autumn. So interesting things can actually be bought cheaply in the market and cheap also to the locals, if they would like to. Unfortunally I do not see much interest for plants only cut flowers. Hopfully this is changing when the interest is spreading to gardens as well. Most people in Hungary or Portugal do not need to grow things in their garden as food to survive but many does. The lack of buzz for gardens in these countries are obvoius and I think that may have a negative effect on the gardens.
I think the lack of inspiration have a big effect on garden style not only lack of money.
Hopfully more nurseries producing things locally improves the interest for gardens.

Kind regards
Joakim