Tag Archives: red

flower, gardening

Tove Jansson

Every now and then a plant arrives in the garden that immediately draws attention. This summer, that honour belongs to Rosa pimpinellifolia ‘Tove Jansson’. I planted it this spring, and although it is still settling into its new home, it has already made a memorable impression.


The flowers are unlike anything else among my roses. The colour combination is remarkably bright and cheerful, with vivid yellow petals edged and blended with brilliant shades of red. The contrast is striking, especially on sunny days when the blooms seem to glow in the light. Even from a distance, the flowers catch the eye and bring a welcome burst of colour to the garden.


There is one small disappointment. Each flower lasts only a day before fading. Just as you begin to admire a newly opened bloom, it is already nearing the end of its brief performance. Yet perhaps that fleeting beauty is part of its charm. The flowers are not meant to linger. Instead, they encourage you to appreciate them while they are at their best. Thankfully, the shrub continues to produce new blooms, ensuring that there is always something fresh to enjoy.


Roses are not always easy plants in my garden. The soil is not especially rich, and some varieties would certainly prefer better growing conditions. Fortunately, Rosa pimpinellifolia ‘Tove Jansson’ is known for being less demanding than many modern roses. It seems content enough where it is planted, and so far it has shown healthy growth despite the limitations of the site.


One of the reasons I chose this rose was its reputation for hardiness. In northern gardens, winter survival is always an important consideration. While it is still too early to judge how it will perform after a full winter, I am feeling optimistic. The plant appears vigorous and well adapted, and I am hopeful that it will return next year stronger than ever.


This year’s Midsummer has been bright and beautiful, and the rose has fitted perfectly into the season. Its fiery flowers seem to capture the warmth and light of the longest days of the year. Even though each bloom lasts only a short time, the overall display has been both memorable and uplifting.


As with any new addition to the garden, there is still much to learn. For now, I am simply enjoying the colours and watching how the plant develops. If it continues to thrive and comes through the winter as expected, I suspect Tove Jansson may become one of the most distinctive roses in my collection. It has certainly made an impressive start.

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flower, gardening

Russell Red

This summer, one of the flowers quietly catching my attention by the lake is the Russell Red lupin. The colour is slightly different from what I expected. It is not just red, but more of a mixture of red and pink, changing a little depending on the light. Sometimes it feels soft, almost faded, and at other times it shows a deeper, warmer tone.


I haven’t really had this colour before, and that is probably why it stands out. Still, it fits naturally into the surroundings. It does not feel too bright or too strong, just somewhere in between.


The Russell varieties are something I have come to appreciate over time. There is something reliable about them. They grow steadily, form their tall spikes, and then bloom in a way that feels generous. Even this red–pink shade, which is new to me, has that same calm presence.


These lupins belong to the Russell group, usually classified as Lupinus × regalis, hybrids originally developed from Lupinus polyphyllus. They are known for their strong vertical growth and wide range of colours, which is probably why every plant feels slightly different.


One thing I like especially is how easy they are. Here in the north, that matters. You cannot expect every plant to survive without some thought. You have to plan where they go. If the place is wrong, they slowly disappear. But when they are happy, they manage well on their own.
This one started blooming early in the season and continues steadily. The flowers open from the bottom upwards, which keeps them going for a long time. Even when I am not here every day, I know they will manage without much attention.


I am still waiting for the others to bloom. With these lupins, there is always a bit of uncertainty. You never fully know what colours will come.
For now, this red and pink mix is enough. It brings a quiet variation to the garden and works beautifully with the open space by the lake. Not perfect, not planned too much—just growing as it happens.

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flower, gardening

Petunia

It’s still a little early for petunias (petunia) here, and I know it. The nights can surprise you, and one cold snap is enough to undo all the enthusiasm of a warm afternoon. But after a few genuinely sunny days, I’ve decided to take the risk this year. Sometimes it just feels right to get started.

I spent part of the weekend visiting my mum in the town centre for Mother’s Day. We had a quiet, lovely visit — a walk through familiar streets and, of course, a stop at a flower shop. It’s become a bit of a habit this time of year. I don’t really plan what I’ll buy, but I always seem to come home with something. And more often than not, it’s petunias.

There’s something reassuring about them. With so many plants, I find myself hesitating — will they cope if I’m not there every day, will they need more care than I can give? But petunias are different. They’re reliable in a way that fits perfectly with summer cottage life. When the weather turns warm and dry, they don’t give up easily. They keep flowering, even if watering is a bit irregular.

That’s probably why I return to them year after year. I might try something new each season, but petunias are always part of the mix. They fill the pots quickly, soften the edges of planters, and bring just enough colour without feeling too demanding. And once they settle in, they seem to take care of themselves surprisingly well.

So here I am, a bit ahead of the season, with a few pots already planted. I’ll keep an eye on the forecast and be ready to move them if needed, but I’m choosing not to wait this time. After a long winter, it feels good to start.

And if nothing else, seeing those first petunia blooms outside — even a little too early — is a reminder that summer is on its way.

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flower, gardening

Helmar

The tulip season is now starting up here in the north. The warm weather has made the early varieties to open up their blooms.

Helmar (Tulipa ‘Helmar’) is one of the early bloomers I bought few years ago and it is still doing well.

I almost wish cooler days so that the blooming season would last longer, almost. But I guess in the end it I will manage to enjoy this warm and sunny weather we are having.

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flower, gardening

Autumn Joy

Finally managed to spend a weekend in the summer cottage. We have already had the first frosts during the nights and it is time to prepare for the winter.

Not many flowers left but the Autumn Joy (Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’) is still blooming.

It is one of those plants that do not require any care and is at its best in the autumn.

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Prunotto

Prunotto (Lilium ‘Prunotto’) is the variety that has done best up here in the north for the past few years.

It is blooming beautifully and just love the bright red color it has.

The Scarlet Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) has given me headaches during the past few years. Luckily I do not yet have it in the summer cottage but it has managed to destroy half of the lilies in my mom’s garden

A beautiful beetle but so hard to get rid of and very harmful for the lilies.

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Verbena

I am getting more and more fond of Common Garden Verbenas (Verbena hortensis). They have so many colors available in the stores nowadays.

The flower is extremely drought tolerant and therefore very suitable for the summer cottage since I am not always there to water.

I planted this individual to the driest and sunniest spot and it still made it blooming beautifully.

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Origami Red and White

Another good year for the Origami Red and White (Aquilegia caerulea ‘Origami Red and White’).

For some reason the variety seems to like to grow up here in the north.

This year the blooming season for the columbines will be short. After a long period of cool weather a two week heatwave hit us and made the flowers to bloom quickly.

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flower, gardening

Bordeaux Barlow

The aquilegia season is here. Most of the varieties are at their best and blooming beautifully.

It took me several years to grow the Bordeaux Barlow (Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Bordeaux Barlow’) from the seeds but now I have many of them.

Up here in the north it usually takes three years before this variety starts to bloom. Most of the other varieties already bloom during the second season.

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Helmar

Last autumn I ordered tulips from the Netherlands. Helmar (Tulipa ‘Helmar’) was one of those varieties.

Helmar is a very distinctive Triumph tulip with wine red flames on a yellow base resembling the historic tulips painted during the golden age and that is why the group is also known as the Rembrandt tulips.

The bulbs overwintered well and are now starting their show. Was able to spend the weekend in the summer cottage to see the start but unfortunately will miss the end of the show this year.

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