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Last update
20th of Sep 2000

Pot-plant growing indoors

My first pot-plant was a Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans) I bought many years ago. It is still alive and growing fast, although it nearly died because I didn't realize how much water it needs in a large crock. I think that was the spark that gave birth to my pot-plant hobby when I started to wonder what's wrong with it.

The picture on the left shows a group of plants which grow under an artificial light.

Today I have already nearly 40 plants. I would like to have even more of them, but my home does not have any space left and sufficient light is always a problem.

As a hobby I regard growing pot-plants as a very challenging and rewarding way to try your nursing skills.

Gardening outdoors

A few years ago I didn't care much about outdoor gardening. But thanks to my neighbours, I started to rehabilitate my garden five summers ago. It was dark and unpractical. First I cut about 10 trees down to get more light. Then I reformed the abrupt slope into two embankments, built stone stairs and piled up two flat stone walls. I also added about 20 cubic meters of mould and soil.

Four years ago I started to plant some perennials to the beds we made a year before. I didn't have to buy many plants because my friends provided me lots of perennials. Three years ago I made even more beds for perennials and added more species. Now there more than 70 species growing in my garden. Instead of a general view I like to show you some highlights. The pictures of Primulas and Crocuses photographed in spring 1997 in my garden. The white little dots in the ground are limestone granules.

Experimental and future projects

My great interest in succulents and desert plants have raised an idea to grow them outside. On the other hand I have already now many desert plants growing outside, but they are all well-known ordinary perennials. A few cacti would be very extraordinary at these altitudes. By providing them a dry and sheltered place, growing them should be possible. Freezing is not the major problem, since there are many species surviving at -30C. In the future, I will add more species, as my current garden is too small and dark for these sun-worshippers.

Dixie Dringman sent me some pads of O. polyachanta X fragilis in the summer 1999. They are very moisture and cold resistant plants. After being one month in a dark package they arrived here in Finland. They were in quite bad shape. However, they started to grow roots quite soon. But they still looked very shrunken after a few weeks. Last winter they were outside without any protection, mostly covered by snow in a raised bed. All pads which managed to grow roots last summer survived very well. I took the rest of pads inside and rooted them. Now they are also outside and thriving well.

Japanese garden

Japanese gardens consist of three elements: plants, rocks and water. That's what make them so interesting. They don't look like gardens at all, but more like a fantasy forest. Japanese gardens are also very difficult to raise and maintain. However, I will try that after I have got more garden area. Before that I will acquire more information and experience by growing suitable plants, like azaleas.

Garden railroad

For 20 years I have wanted to build a permanent railroad. But always there have been too little space for that. I don't know why, but just recently I realized that I could build the railroad in my garden. I bought a starter set from a high end brand, LGB, and started to design a track layout. Now the project is finished. I will open the dedicated pages when I get more photos to show.