Pithari - a new centrepiece for the garden.

This post "Passiflora" was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Last week I paid a visit to one best garden centres we have here in Stockholm - Slottsträdgården Ulriksdal. My Garden-budget is limited at the moment so I had to choose carefully where to put my money. After carefully looking around for an hour or so I made my decision… I must say that I got home with some really nice things. One old fashioned Geranium in pale pink ‘Prince Nicolai’ and this Passiflora- Passion flower, isn’t just wonderful? I don’t know why but I think of aliens when I look at it.

I also found a new centrepiece for my yard - A handmade antique traditional terracotta jar from Cyprus, now this one really blow the budget but I just could leave without it. Placed in the stone yard just outside the greenhouse door it has now found its new home and every morning when I enter the garden I smile - it is to beautiful !

PITHARI - Like a jewel in the yard.

 My "new" eye-catcher... an antique, handmade, earthenware jar from Cyprus. 

Happy Gardening!

I wish you all a lovely weekend/ Tyra 

Easter Cactus "in Floribus"

ICE...Brrrr

Sadly but true, and oh-so-common in April we get this setback in nature. Cold winds have given us really cold nights with many degrees below zero. Every morning I find a thick layer with ice in my wooden water barrels. But during the day we have had sunny but still a bit nippy gorgeous April weather. I spend a lot of time in the greenhouse where there is 23 degrees C. (74F) and no wind whatsoever, that’s the way I like it.

Today Ester start and I wish you all a wonderful Easter Holiday! / xoxo Tyra

Let my tell you about the birds and the bees!

This post "Let my tell you about the birds and the bees!" was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyra's Garden

Spring has Sprung and the birds and the bees are in full action. I heard the characteristic bird vocalization of the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), also known as the Peewit, Green Plover down by the fields. When I hear them than I know it is spring! The small and pretty crocuses also got some visitors; it is the bumble bees and common bees that are buzzing around us. They are two of my benificial and most welcome friends in the kitchen garden. 

At this time of the year I treat myself with a lot of Pansies. They are so pretty and durable. If you plant them in a generous pot they usually they last all through the summer. And they are edible!

Amaranth - a Gem in My Potager

This post "Amaranth - a gem in my potager" was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in th blog Tyra's Garden

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hopi Red Dye'

Other names are Red Amaranth, Purple Amaranth and Prince’s Feather

Amaranthus cruentus ‘Hopi Red Dye’ this amazing purple-red leaved plant is one of the gems I have in my potager I grow it for the leaves but it also yields the nutritious amaranth grain.

 This Amaranthus cruentus is one of three Amaranthus species cultivated around the world as a grain source. The other two being Amaranthus hypochondriacus and Amaranthus caudatus. This season I will also grow Amaranthus caudatus ‘Red Garnet’ and Amaranthus tricolor ‘Calaloo’.

The whole plant (leaves and grain) is highly nutritious and healthy. The Amaranth contains loads of protein, vitamins and valuable minerals and it says that this plant has been used as a food source since as early as 4000 BC

Today I will plant my three Amaranth species and I'll show you later on how they are doing. In the end of the summer I hope they will have grown to the same height as me!

Fat-Tuesday / Fettisdagen = Semla

This post Fat-Tuesday was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyra's Garden

Finally it is here! The day I'm been longing for, Fat-Tuesday or Fettisdagen as we say in my native to tongue.

This is the day we eat "Semla" This wonderful bun made of wheat flour and flavoured with cardamom. After it is baked and cool, you cut the top of the bun and fill it with soft almond paste. Now you whip some delicious cream and add it nicely on top of the bun, gently put back the lid you cut off earlier and dust over some icing sugar. Voilà - a SEMLA!

You can eat it just as it is together with your coffee or tea…or even better perhaps with a cup of hot chocolate. We however, usually, on this day anyway, eat it on a plate this hot milk. Then it is called “Hetvägg” translated to your lingo, it would be something like “Hot Wall” A bit odd, but there you go, this is a very old tradition…I’m sure it there is a good explanation somewhere. 

Swedish Semla - more than just a bun

 Fat Tuesday...Mardi Gras...well that is a completely different thing, we do not party at all on this day.

Fieldfare - Björktrast, Turdus pilaris

This post "Fieldfare - Björktrast, Turdus pilaris" was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgråd/ Tyra's Garden

Every morning I find him there sitting 'en Guard' with his apples. At first he sits on top of his apples and I think he is warming them up. I mean it has been frightfully cold here for the last week and all his food is deep-frozen. The only way he could possibly get some bits and pieces off the apple is to get it warm first. Clever guy! We usually have a lot of blackbirds  Turdus merula here around the bird-tree but not as long as the bossy Fieldfare is there, no one has got a chance then he’s there. 

and now somthing in my native tongue...

Jag hittade det här receptet på Svensk Jakts sida

äta Turdus pilaris...det hade jag ingen aning om att man kunde göra.

Tja det låter inte så dumt  - men då var det ju det där att man måste först fånga en, döda den, plocka den...och det verkar inte vara så hemskt mycket kött på en sådan där lite rackare.

Sallad på björktrast med grillad sparris och rödvinsmörsås

4 personer

4–6 trastar
8 sparris
1 rödlök
2 dl rödvin
50 g smör
sallad och brödkrutonger
salt, peppar

Plocka fåglarna och stek dem i ugnen i 200 grader i sju minuter.
Låt dem svalna under fuktat smörpapper.
Skala och koka sparrisen i 3–5 minuter, kallspola eller lägg den i isvatten.
Hacka rödlöken och stek den i lite smör, häll på rödvin och reducera till hälften återstår.
Vispa in resterande smör lite i taget och smaksätt med salt och peppar.
Skär upp fåglarna, grilla sparrisen och servera med sallad, brödkrutonger och rödvinssås.

RECEPT: Staffan Lindström

Early morning i the month of February - Tidigt en morgon i februari månad

Hippeastrum - Amaryllis 'Sweet Nymph'

This post Hippeastrum - Amaryllis 'Sweet Nymph' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/Tyra's Garden

'Sweet Nymph'

Soon January is coming to its end and so it is for all my dear Hippeastrums (Amaryllis). I have had six different varieties this year and they sure have given my so much joy. This is one of the last, the stunning 'Sweet Nymph'

'Sweet Echo, sweetest nymph, that liv'st unseen

Within thy airy shell

By slow Meander's margent green,

And in the violet-embroidered vale

Where the lovelorn nightingale

Nightly to thee her sad song mourneth well:

Canst thou not tell me of a gentle pair

That likest thy Narcissus are?'

John Milton (1608-1674), 'Comus'

 John William Waterhouse - Echo and Narcissus

'Aphrodite'- Goddess of LOVE, Beauty and Pleasure

This post  'Aphrodite'- Goddess of LOVE, Beauty and Pleasure was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyra's Garden



Still hibernating...zzz

I have a Goddess in bloom on my window-sill. It is the stunning Hippeastrum Amaryllis 'Aphrodite', named after the Greek goddess of love, beauty and pleasure. This magnificent amaryllis has been 'in floribus' for some days now and I just cannot take my eyes from it. Double pale pink almost white flowers with accentuated edges. Thank you 'Aphrodite' for brighten up even the darkest of days in January.

And now some in my native tongue.

Dagarna börjar nu bli längre och ljuset lite starkare men det här med trädgård och odling känns som det är oändligt långt borta. Men nu har i alla fall halva januari gått och det känns skönt. Jag tycker att januari är den tyngsta av vintermånaderna. Ingen riktig vinter har vi fått än heller och det tackar jag för. Vi har ett par minusgrader har vi här idag och ett par cm snö...det är lagom tycker jag. Och tänk så mycket pengar man tjänar när det är så här milt, elräkningen var på flera tusen kronor billigare den här perioden jämfört med samma förra året, thank you!

Don't be a stranger my friend - Communicate ;D
Love to hear from You.

TYRA

Today's Flower

'Exotic Star' - Amaryllis, Hippeastrum

This post 'Exotic Star' - Amaryllis, Hippeastrum was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/Tyra's Garden

Winter flowers - My January blooms on the windowsills are all the different Amaryllises or should I call them by their botanical name, Hippeastrums

This one is called Exotic Star  (Gracilis Amayllis - Hippeastrum) and it sure looks very Exotic, don't you agree? I planted this bulb in late October and just before Christmas the first flower opened and revealed it's Exotic beauty. It is now the 2nd of January and it is still 'in floribus'

"For many years there was confusion amongst botanists over the generic names Amaryllis and Hippeastrum, one result of which is that the common name "amaryllis" is mainly used for cultivars of this genus, which are widely used as indoor flowering bulbs. The generic name Amaryllis applies to bulbs from South Africa, usually grown outdoors." Wikipedia

Amaryllis Planting and Care

Don't be a stranger my friend ~ do write something/ Tyra

OH... There are so many ways to say it. Here are some from how to say it in Afrikaan to how the Yoruba people says it. Yorùbá? I had to look it up!

Afrikaans	Gesëende Kersfees
Afrikander	Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja	Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian	Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic:	Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Argentine:	Feliz Navidad
Armenian:	Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri:	Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia:	Selamat Hari Natal
Basque:	Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali:	Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian:	Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian:	Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Breton:	Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian:	Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan:	Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile:	Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese)	Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin)	Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw:	Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia:	Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish:	Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian:	Pace e salute
Crazanian:	Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree:	Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian:	Sretan Bozic
Czech:	Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish:	Glædelig Jul
Duri:	Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch:	Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English:	Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik)	Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto:	Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian:	Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Faeroese:	Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi:	Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish:	Hyvaa joulua
Flemish:	Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French:	Joyeux Noel
Frisian:	Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician:	Bo Nada
Gaelic:	Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German:	Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek:	Kala Christouyenna!
Hausa:	Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian:	Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew:	Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi:	Shub Naya Baras
Hausa:	Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian:	Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian:	Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic:	Gledileg Jol
Indonesian:	Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi:	Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish:	Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois:	Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian:	Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese:	Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish:	Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean:	Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latin:	Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian:	Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:	Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish:	Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian:	Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon:	Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Macedonian:	Sreken Bozhik
Maltese:	IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx:	Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori:	Meri Kirihimete
Marathi:	Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo:	Merry Keshmish
Norwegian:	God Jul or Gledelig Jul
Occitan:	Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento:	Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea:	Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German:	En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru:	Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines:	Maligayan Pasko!
Polish:	Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:	Feliz Natal
Pushto:	Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island):	Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian:	Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche (sursilvan dialect):	Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian:	Sarbatori vesele
Russian:	Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami:	Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan:	La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian:	Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian:	Hristos se rodi
Slovakian:	Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami:	Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan:	La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic:	Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian:	Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Serbian:	Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese:	Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak:	Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene:	Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
Spanish:	Feliz Navidad
Swedish:	God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog:	Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami:	Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese:	(Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai:	Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish:	Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian:	Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu:	Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese:	Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh:	Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian:	Cestitamo Bozic
Yoruba:	E ku odun, e ku iye'dun! From Christmas World