SPRINGTIME GARDENING IN STOCKHOLM

On friday the 13 April, I was lucky all day, I went to the garden show in Stockholm "Nordiska Trädgårdar".   In international terms not a big show, but very pleasant and inspiring. A mix of showgardens, smaller exhibition and trade stand with full trade! Above, very small gardens where the exhibiting gardener had to use the same furniture. "Egen täppa"

Another version of "Egen täppa" a bit more sophisticated and classic.

"Egen täppa" again, here mixed with vintage and recycled furniture and very traditional and classic Swedish Geranium "Mårbacka", everyones favourite in Sweden.

Jan Rundgren famous for building lovely showstands and exhibitions and also a very keen gardener and clothes designer launches his and his partner Lars Rings new book about their beloved alotment that they turned into a real showgarden! "Växtriket" is publishes by www.bonniers.com.

Ladders are not only very popular as propping in fashion displays and windows but also like here with flowers and vintage furniture. The "in"-look at the moment.

One of Stockholms best known garden centers is Zeta. Their Show Garden was a mix of Japan, Southers States of Amerika and the Mediterranian. Low fruit trees, narcissus and white anenomies with a calming terrace where to look over your growing garden.

Recycled furniture and pine bushes in Zetas Showgarden.

Mosaik layed path, note the ivy growing across it. Poetic!

Bird bath or....Decorative bath tub and sweet colours in the magazine group Allas stand.

 

 Since it was raining and snowing outside it was like spring inside. Above from the balcony exhibitions, note the reused ironing board! Grow your own vegetables on the balcony, here pumpkins and tomatoes and herbs. Nice!

 

Small sized gardens was another theme for a small exhibitions here with reused and colourful items and perhaps not what you would expect to find in the garden. By Lena Linderholm and friends. Lena is a famous Swedish artists, here you can see some of her work on the cushions and the china.

 

Tage Andersen is a very famous gardener and flower artist from Denmark, now with his own big garden in the south of Sweden. He is famous for his sculptural and "warn" designs what we today calls "vintage" something he has been working with for over 20 years! This installation was just to give a feel for what his garden looks like. 

In the middle aisle of the exhibition hall there were show gardens. Some by superprofessionals and some by schools. This one was created by the a college "Skillebyholms Yrkeshögskola" Move the garden into your livingroom was the theme here, imaginative and fun but perhaps not to realistic. Not sure what it would be like sitting on these chairs but it sure looks good!

 

How about your own vegetable garden in the livingroom. It might upset your landlord or your neighbours if you have any.

Ikea, look here. Your bookshelf "Expedit" has turned into a food storage unit. Mixed with book etc. Inspiring.

Or how about using your old handbags as flowerpots!

Store your cabbages and leaks in the bookshelves or grow some herbs in an old handbag.

Reuse old books, how about growing parsnips in them?

More storage and growing  solutions for veg, use your chest of drawers.

And how about growing grass in your flip flops. As we say in Sweden, "My name is grass, I grew up here" Ha, ha, ha....

Another small garden or terrace where recycled furniture and rugs has been used. Cosy and very feminine.

Who said that your hoose needs to be green or yellow. Make your garden more trendy with pink, white, black etc

This fairs "Geranium of the Year" was a pale and subtle yellow variety. Lovely.

Showgarden by Jan Rundgren and Lars Ring but also to launch their new book "Växtriket" which tells the story about how they turned their alotment into a "Royal Garden". A mix of modern garden designs and vintage items.

More vintage and recycling with grass, pink and stones. Reuse and Amuse, another of the inspirations gardens for small gardens and terraces. Girly!

One of the big interior- and gardens magazines in Sweden, Hus & Hem, was offering professional garden advice for free during the fair!

The Drottningsholm Slottsträdgårdar, which is surrounding the home of the Swedish King, had their own show garden built like a cirkus with a tentlike canapé and ornamental plants.

Also from the Drottningholms Slottsträdgårdar, colourful Geraniums on a white backdrop.

Reuse and Amuse again. With herbs and vegetables growing in big ots, an old rag rug on the trellis and cupcakes to match! Sweet.

This is the balcony of Gudrun 86 with traditional "Mårbacka" Geraniums and ferns and she has put her favourit sofa out there!

Gudrun again with her Zimmerframe handy and the right tools and storage units for her balcony gardening. Full of good ideas.

Indoor outdoors. Modern balcony for relaxation and amusement. By the housingassociation Svenska Hem.

Eating plants. Humouristicly called "Brutal flowers" by these hiker boys. Fun but they were very serious about their plants! And they will finish my garden tour of today. See you again soon with more fashion, gardening, food etc. All things happy and glamourus.