Sunday, June 3, 2018

Welcome June, Welcome 'White Nights'!

June has come, hurray!  It's a time of 'White Nights'. 24 hours of light!  It is because it does not get dark as soon as the Sun sets. The 'White Nights' are a curious phenomenon caused by northerly geographical latitude (60-59 degrees North), which can be seen in countries located on the same latitude: in Oslo (Norway), Finland, St. Petersburg (Russia), the southern tip of Greenland and Seward, Alaska (USA). 


In fact a night becomes indistinguishable from a day. Nights which are light, but the Sun's disk isn't visible for the entire night. I hope my neighbors - bloggers from Finland, Norway and Estonia enjoy this time-lapse.




This year June is a real summer month (not like last year). The weather is warm, dry and windy. I'm worrying about watering because May was dry enough and a bit of water was collected in water barrels. In light nights plants grow fast and need watering.
May and June is the time of rhododendron blooming. It's a wonderful show when within the day new flowers open. In the morning the rhododendron bushes have large buds then at the evening the bushes are covered with purple, white or scarlet flowers. Here are pictures I've taken during a day :


 'Helsinki University'


 'Piter Tigershedt'



 'Daughter of North'

 'Cunningham White'

'Pekka'

New opened buds of clematises:



I love outing at this time-lapse, the sky is bright, horizon is clear and light-yellow, listening to birdsongs especially to a nightingale who lives in a bush close to my garden.







 ***Some photos and video from Internet

60 comments:

  1. Nadezda, beautiful times in your garden! The rhododendrons look stunning, I only have one rhododendron. Your clematis are lovely too it's a plant I've never seen in person, I guess it's not suitable for my climate. Enjoy summer and have a great Sunday!

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    1. Clematis is a beautiful liana, Manolo. I have some different species, hardy for my climate.
      Happy week!

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  2. I’d love the long summer days but I’m not sure that I would be as keen to have long winter nights. Ours are long enough.

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    1. You're right Sue, I do not love short grey days and cold nights in winter. But in June light nights gladden.

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  3. I could tolerate 24 hrs of daylight but 24 hrs of darkness would be hard to handle.

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    1. David, fortunately we here have no 24 hrs of darkness because St. Petersburg isn't so close to North pole. But in winter time the darkness is about 14 hrs, that I hate. The light nights are more twilight then a daylight, as you see on the photos.

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  4. Надежда,ни разу не попадала на белые ночи в Питер.Верю,что это необычно и красиво.
    Рододендроны прекрасны!!!

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    1. Наверно, Надежда у вас еще все впереди, белые ночи случаются каждый год :-)

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  5. It must be amazing to have light nights but I think I can miss the darkness of winter. So every part of the world is different, so no need to get bored. We also had a hot and dry month of May, but gladly got some rain the last few days. I love your Rhododendrons, so you have acid soil, like I have.
    Have a nice Sunday Nadezda,
    Janneke

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    1. Janneke, I do have acid soil that is suitable for rhododendrons and not good for other plants. Finally we have had rain and I hope not to have problems with watering.

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  6. Bom dia, lindas fotos da noite branca e das flores, estas são de enorme beleza.
    Feliz domingo e semana,
    AG

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    1. Si, Antonio, las noches blancas son bellas y inusuales.
      Buena semana!

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  7. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos.
    The world is amazing with all its diversity, I would like one day to observe the "white nights" of the northern countries.
    Many greetings
    Maria
    Divagar Sobre Tudo um Pouco

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    1. I agree Maria, our world is different in all parts. Sure you would see 'Light nights' one day.

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  8. Te deseo un maravilloso junio. Las flores son preciosas. Besos.

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  9. Hi Nadezda! rhododendron and azaleas are very delightful flowers. Greetings

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  10. 24 hours of daylight! It is hard to understand for a person like me. The plants must react to this overdose of light. And maybe the people as well! Never thought this was in Russia too. Love your rhododendron collection. The colours are alway so cheerful. Whilst typing I am listening to your nightingale. It is summer I can hear it! Groetjes Hetty

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    1. Yes, Hetty plants react to long light day. veggies start to flower as radish and spinach, grass and weeds grow as mad. I usually close dense curtains at the evening.
      Glad you love listening a nightingale song, it's astonising.

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  11. Oh, it must be amazing to have 24 hours of daylight! The nearest I have seen that is when I was in Northern Scotland in midsummer and I woke up one morning and I found to my surprise that I could read (with some difficulty) and it was only 2.30 AM. But it was not proper daylight. This is a nice joyful post and with such lovely photos! Rhododendrons really are beautiful bushes, thank you for pictures of so many varieties!

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    1. Jenny, you've been to Scotland and know about light night, great! 19th century Russian poet Pushkin wrote about 'White nights': 'I sit reading, without the lamp', as you did.
      Happy week!

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  12. Such a sweet song of the Nightingale, I have not heard before. I don't think I would go to sleep at all with light through the night! I remember in England the summer light lasted until about 10.30pm. Here in summer it lasts 'til about 8.30pm and winter time, dark by 6.00pm.
    Your Rhododendrons and Clematis are beautiful. Enjoy it all Nadezda.
    Happy days.
    Betty

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    1. Dear Betty, I can sleep at white night, because I get tired after garden work :-) and more I usually draw the curtains at the evening :-). Glad you liked my plants, hugs!

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  13. Hello dear Nadezda!
    White nights are very interesting to see!
    Only in the Netherlands the sun goes down at night,11 o’clock !
    Like your rhododendrons blooms and your clematis are so pretty!
    I had heard the nightingale sing when i was visiting some relatives up on the mountains!
    Thank you for sharing! Wishing you a lovely day and a happy week!
    Dimi...

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    1. You're welcome Dimi. I haven't known that even in the Netherlands the sunset is at 11 pm. Interesting!
      I love the nightingale song as well, I hear it every night.
      Happy week!

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  14. Aivan ihanat kuvat.
    Mukavaa alkanutta viikkoa sinulle.

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  15. White nights should be fascinating, Nadezda. I would like to experience them.
    Good week!

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    1. Perhaps one day, Tania you will be able to see this interesting natural phenomenon in Northern area.
      Hugs!

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  16. Beautiful photos, Nadezda! I love your rhododendron ♡
    We have the same light i northern parts of Norway too.
    Happy new week!

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    1. Sure you know well about white nights, Marit.
      Have a nice week!

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  17. I like the name 'White Nights", really beautiful. Amazing photos, nature is the best model. hehe Very pleasant post. Have a charming week, lots of hugs. :)

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    1. The name is a bit strange, you're right, Aga. But this time of the year is amazing.
      Happy week!

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  18. Hola querida Nadezda, espectaculares fotos. Feliz semana. Besos.

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  19. Hello Nadezda, your rhododendrons look gorgeous. (They have many more blooms than mine. :))
    This spring has, once more, been peculiar. I have needed to water even lupins, and probably also the rhododendrons, planted many years ago, would have appreciated more watering. Fortunately some rain has come now!
    Happy summer days to you!
    PS My travel to London will happen in July.
    xx

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    1. Oh, we have had rain today, Sara. The barrels are half- full. I think all plants will appreciated to watering. I hope your rhododendrons are in blossom soon.
      Hugs!

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  20. It's a wonderful time to be in your garden. How I miss those "white nights" of the north. Your blooms are gorgeous!

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    1. I am sure you remember 'white nights' when you lived in Alaska, Peter. I'm glad you liked the bloom of my plants.
      Have a nice week!

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  21. Your Rhodies are gorgeous Nadezda. If I were you I would love this time of year. I have been in Alaska in June. It is amazing how different the light is. I will never forget people out planting flowers at 10pm and children playing basketball at midnight.

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    1. Lisa, I don't doubt it was unforgettable experience for you, watching people doing their duties at light night. So do I, love outing at 11pm looking at the twilight sky.

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  22. Hi Ndezda,
    I wish you a very happy weekend
    Many greetings
    Maria from
    Divagar Sobre Tudo um Pouco

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  23. I love the white Rhododendron!

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    1. So do I, Jason. This is 'Peter Tigerstedt'

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  24. What an interesting post, Nadezda. I can't imagine what it would be like having 24 hours of light. I think I would be tempted to garden instead of sleeping! Beautiful flowers. And the insects - how do they cope with 24 hours light? I supposed if they live up north they must get used to it.

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    1. Dear catmint,
      insects sleep as birds, animals and people do when the sun sets. But the "white nights" are only twilight, they are not bright time of the day.

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  25. Hello, dear Nadiezda!

    Oh what a great post. Very beautiful photos.
    I dreamed to see the White Nights in St. Petersburg.
    Unfortunately, the Travel Agency did not have anyone willing to go on a trip.
    I hope that next year I will visit one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
    Kisses and greetings.
    Lucja

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    1. Dear Lucja, if one day you decide to visit St. Petersburg, write me and I'll help you to find where to stay and to see.
      Happy new week!

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  26. Nadezda, your Summer days are even longer than those in Scotland. Those Rhododendrons are very beautiful. Ending with a Nightingale singing, what more could we wish for.

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    1. Yes, you're right, Alistair, the days here are longer than those in Scotland because we're closer to North. I'm glad you liked a Nightingale singing.

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  27. Hello there Nadezda girl .. sorry I haven't been here in a while, blog reading has suffered a great deal this past year.
    I love the white nights photography .. BEAUTIFUL ! .. dusk has always been my favorite and you have captured sone stunning pictures of this atmosphere.
    The plants are simply gorgeous too :-) and I can imagine (even though the coloured plants are so pretty) that the white plants stand out wonderfully in the "evenings"
    I played the bird song and wow ! .. my cat Sophie jumped off here pillow and came right over to the computer to see what that was all about.
    Thanks for clearing up the brunnera name as well .. I was thinking is this a brunnera I missed some how ? LOL
    Joy : )

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    1. Hi, Joy!
      Yes, you haven't been here a year, I think, ha ha.You're right, the white plants look wonderful in twilight nights.
      Your Sophie is a curious cat, isn't she? I love nightingale songs as well.
      Brunnera original name is Jack frost, of course :-)

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  28. Hi Nadezda,
    What beautiful photos of white night!!! I've heard of white night, but I cannot imagine that you can see the sun at night. I want to visit your country in this season and experience the white night, someday! Thank you for sharing! Have a nice weekend:)

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    1. You're welcome, Keity! Sure one day you can experience this nice season.
      Hugs!

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  29. Good morning dear Nadezda,
    What a fantastic photo´s you´ve made. Must be a wonderful experience.
    Have a wonderful day
    Rosehugs Marijke

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