Thursday, September 28, 2017

All The Rivers Run

Recalling the ended summer I want to show you small rivers that run in the woods and fields North of St. Petersburg. I like to walk along the river banks, to look at running water, reflections of trees and grasses. This area is not flat, there are many stony places. The rivers have long been laying their beds through rocks and boulders left after the melting of the glacier. Their course is often winding and boulders in the water formed dams and rapids. Water seethes running through the rapids and a lot of air bubbles can be seen on the water surface.
Here are the photos of my summer strolls.



Among the fields and deciduous forests the riverbed becomes wider and the current gets slow and calm. These are wonderful places for fishing, because the fish lives in calm and deep dams. I often notice fishing rods put on the shore.


Fishermen can even show their catch (it's a bream).


At the end of summer the leaves on the trees begin to turn yellow and the berries ripen in the forest along the river bank.
 

At the foot of the tall pines low berry bushes grow. They don't grow tall ones because of frost and snow covers them for several months. At the end of summer and autumn heavy crop ripens in the forest. Here are lingonberry and cranberry.




'All the rivers run' - it's a title of the  miniseries , 1984. It's about the people whose whole life has been gone by the river. Did you see this movie? 

Have a nice day!


 

Thursday, September 14, 2017

GBBD: September Annuals



Despite the fact that it's already the mid-September, the weather is nice. The days are still warm enough, often even sunny and rains have become rare.  Autumn pleases with warmth, the summer was cold and rainy. My annuals continue blooming, they perfectly tolerate cool nights and warm days.
Now annual Asters (Callistephus) blossom decorating beds with their colorful heads, constantly new buds appear. I think this will last until the end of September.


Since May I started planting seeds of annual flowers in small pots. At first they stood in the greenhouse and when it became warmer I moved them on the shelf in the garden. So the annuals and cuttings grew and later were planted in the soil.


I love Cineraria maritime, its silvery leaves suit well to the flowers. Therefore, I sowed the Cineraria seeds and have had seedlings on the windowsill. Then I transported the grown seedlings into the garden.


Annual dahlias from seed usually grow quickly and bloom with pleasant flowers. They can withstand a little frost so I believe that they will grow until October. Other dahlias that tubers I store in winter have a few flowers. Perhaps  it's time to finish with them.


Generally Monarda (Bee balm or Wild bergamot) is a perennial plant but it can be damaged by winter frost. I'd sown a few seeds of Monarda in spring, hopefully it survive next winter. I picked up its leaves to make bergamot tea (natural herbs)



Some asters and nasturtiums grow between hostas, nice combination.


I love the smell of nasturtium, its flowers, leaves and even the seeds smell very nicely and by the way they are edible (BBC cooking). Seeds of nasturtium rapidly germinate and usually there are no problems with plants, except snails and slugs. This year I have nasturtium of cream and orange colors.


Of course the autumn is here and it can be noticed everywhere: falling yellow birch leaves in the pond and on the lawn, faded asters and ripen fruit on the plum tree.

 
Autumnal work gets now as well. I re-made the pond bed, it's narrower and higher now. The yellow striped hostas are planted along the edge. As there is some empty spot I bought tulip and muscary bulbs and will dig them in there.


Do you like to grow annuals from seeds or do you prefer to buy seedlings in a garden center? What are your autumnal works?