The Swedish experience continues.

Fabulous what fun you are going to gave Linda.

Goodness, what a huge undertaking! Does it involve going to stay over there?

that looks really beautiful, what a lovely place, you are going to have such a great time designing and painting and doing your arty things. Enjoy, it looks fab.

We are going out in August but work will not start until next spring. The local landowner has offered to clear an area round the ponds if he can keep the wood and he will keep cows on the meadow so that the land will be given some manure ready for a small holding for veg. He bought the thirty acres of land.........a good man to know!

I have a customer who owns a 2nd home in Sweden....no idea where but, they told me how they have hundreds of lovely Lupins growing wild in their garden.

Wow it looks beautiful

I will have to find out what to plant Paul. I will follow my own advice and see what other people grow in the area. The Lupins sound lovely. I am sure Irises would grow well round the ponds and maybe a bit of Gunnera.I have always wanted a pond and now I have two to play with.
The meadow is taken care of and the woodland, it is the immediate area round the houses and the barn I am interested in.
There is a lot of wild life and they hunt small game in fact and my son John saw an elk in the garden.
I don't want to extend the diet of the local wildlife with bought plants!!!!

No....... The Elk could, I suspect, have a feast if you plant the wrong plants.

How exciting Linda, may I ask, do the boys intend living there.

I am keen to have native wild flowers from the house area to the ponds and also in the woodland.
There are lots of beautiful trees and shrubs so I intend to keep it simple.
I was wondering if Gunnera would be able to survive a Swedish winter even if we cover it.
As from next year John will spend most of his time out there, Dawnsaunt, but flights from London to Gothenburg are about £25 return. He can easily go between both cities.

I see Linda ?. As regards the gunnera, what are the temperatures in winter? Im no expert but I can give you some advice on the gunnera and pond edge plants for a cold climate. im in the Midlands but in a frost pocket so our winters are cold

I am in Scotland and I cover my Gunnera in the winter. I'm not sure it could survive colder weather. Sweden is very similar to the uk but colder in the winter. I will get back to you as I will need all the help I can get.

I cover mine by bending over the leaves Linda, that really bad winter of 2010 was the worst ever. Thought I had lost my original one, but it bounced back after -20 temps

I do the same Dawnsaunt. That is good to know though.