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The winter weather is mainly fair, with clear skies. Mid-December until the beginning of March
is the frosty season. We are usually in its grip for 30 days or more, but only in a very
mild way: minimum temperatures vary between -1°C and -4°C, with the occasional dip to
-9ºC. This is the ideal climate for cultivating camelias, rhododendrons, azaleas and
magnolias. The sun we miss in winter shines all the longer in summer - the slope basks in
its warmth from early morning until late evening. The plot is situated in the fork between two streams, providing a plentiful water supply and a certain romantic feel. Early on, I began outdoor cultivation of cut flowers, together with shrubs and bushes. In today`s show garden, I planted blue spruce and caucasian fir both for decoration, and for sale as christmas trees. After ten years I stopped flower-growing and began to build a tree-nursery. My solid and varied knowledge in all aspects of gardening proved essential in making the change. I have always done my own propagation - not least for financial reasons, as this was almost like starting from scratch. This was how a business got going, selling saplings of many specialities and rarities as well as sub-tropical plants. I married in 1959. My wife assisted me with great enthusiasm in my endeavour. [continue] |
