Once a wild grove a century ago, our
current property was
previously known as
apple trees, cultivated Dahlias, Lathyrus (sweet pea),
Gladiolus, Gypsophila (baby’s breath), Verbena, Asters,
vegetables etc.
When the second generation of
the late 1980’s, the garden was already turning wild.
We bought the property in 1996.
Trapped among nettles and raspberry-shrubs
we found
Anemone x hybrida, Veronica, Campanula and Paeonia
(peony).
BrittMarie’s fascination of roses developed when she was
given a copy of Cedergrens’ Rose
Catalogue by
the Kalenius Gardencenter in Arvika.
The old nursery is now developed into a
rose garden with
more than 130 species, a variety of perennials
and with
some annuals sown every year. Trees
such as
Pyrus salicifolia (willow leaf pear), Crataegus (hawthorn),
Malus (apple), Syringia (lilac), and Magnolia etc.
have been added.
The garden is surrounded by Thuja (cedar), Corylus
(hazelnut), Amelanchier (serviceberry),
Acer (maple),
Aesculus (horse chestnut),
Philadelphus (mock orange) and Picea (spruce).
The last one is standing some 10 meters west of the
house and is about 30 meters high. It
has been pruned
twice and gives life and a changing shadow to the garden.
The garden today is an attempt towards harmony and
originality by the simplest means possible,
one with nature but yet a garden.
In the center of the garden there is a
small meadow surrounded by roses,
and a larger flower bed with roses and delphiniums. In the front of the
house there is a kitchen garden with more roses
! In the Lilac arbour
Hans has hidden the solar energy panel, but the Hops pole is intact
and the arbour to the west is newly made. Some of the favourites right now,
besides the roses are Kirengeshoma koreana (yellow wax bells),
Uvularia, Penstemon-digitalis, Anemone tomentosa
(grape leaf anemone),
Hosta (misc.sp), Primula polyantha ’Gold Laced’,
as well as other Primula, Geranium (misc.sp),
several varieties of Paeonia suffruticosa,
Dianthus and let’s not forget
the wild flowers!
Gustafslund’s last nursery gardener, Börje Wilton, as a child.
The garden, troly from 1945