The Garden Wishlist

Purple Flower Garden

1. The Flower Garden

Blue and purple room - photo House Beautiful

Purple.  That is the colour that is number 1 on my wishlist.  The plot in front of the house is where I would like to put a lush purple and royal blue flower garden.  I was never a fan of purple until a few years ago when I saw a picture of a purple garden in a French publication and fell in love.  We already have the lilacs so that will be a canopy of sorts for the flower garden.  I just hope that Sweden has the variety of plants to make this really work.
(Good chance this will happen)

Wishlist Coal Grill

 2. Coal Grill BBQ

We have a gas BBQ in the front of the house, which works perfectly for brunch and lunch, when the sun is strongest there.  In the late afternoons and evenings of the long Swedish summer days, the sun moves to the back of the house.  I would love a slower cooking BBQ in the back, off the kitchen, where everyone can relax and enjoy the summer evenings.
(Not likely I'll be granted this wishlist item)

3. Berry Bushes

Blueberries

In addition to the flower and vegetable gardens, we have cleared a small spot at the front where we plan to put in some blueberries for all the little cousins to enjoy.  The bushes are low and sprawling and will therefore not interrupt the view of the pond.
The kids are generally inclined to play at the front of the house.  I thought it would be a good idea to plant raspberries in the backyard to lure the kids to the back in the evening so the adults can keep an eye on them while drinking wine making dinner. 
(Chances are good...if they can withstand the attacks from overeager kids)

 

4. Vegetable Garden

 

Mystery Sprouts

This plot is not yet clear and it'll be the biggest challenge yet.  I did grow some sprouts from seeds my sister-in-law brought over at easter. I didn't label them properly so it will be a "your guess is as good as mine" type of garden until the plants show their identities.  Next year I think I will go with the pre-sprouted option.  I'm not that skilled, or dedicated to a major sprouting project.
(Again, it's the clearing of the plot that will decide the fate of this wishlist item - chances are good)

Granite Cobblestone - stonefarmliving.com

5. Paths Around the House

 

It seems to me that Sweden is made of granite.  The gravel they put on the country roads is granite.  So,  I would like some granite paths around the house and a granite driveway (I'll settle for the gravel version for the driveway).
(Simply? Not going to happen but this is a wishlist so...)

CAD Drawing of Property with the Wishlist Items' Locations

Spring is Here! (?)

We have a little pocket of the Swedish countryside.  There is a traditional farmhouse, a snickarbod* and a pond, complete with stream.  These are the adventures of a gardening enthusiast who, while completely unqualified, doesn't mind (read loves) getting her hands dirty.

snickarbod*  This is a small building used as a workshop situated on the property of a farmhouse. 

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Swedish Countryside Spring Thaw

Swedes are very anxious for the arrival of spring.  After the long, dark winter, the promise of warm weather and bright nights, seems the answer for everything.  And I think I have to agree.  Recently we have had short blasts of spring only to be squashed by a snow/hail storm or a dip in the already miniscule increase in temperature.  I think things are finally going to thaw and these will be one of the last crisp nights, foggy with the condensation of the last of the winter snow.

Side Path After Removal of Thick Grass Cover

Much of the property has been overtaken by plants, grass and bushes. Over the past couple of weeks we have been working on clearing the overgrowth of grass from the side path which faces the road.  The many lilac bushes have been trimmed, as have the apple trees. Before anything can be planted there are a couple of plots that need to be turned.  One will be a flower garden and the other a vegetable garden.  Over the next few weeks the hard labour will be done before the planting can begin, after the last frost.

Bauhaus

There are four Bauhaus warehouses in the Stockholm area. This is Sweden's answer to what North Americans call Home Depot. You will find tools, screws and nails etc., hinges, plumbing, electrical, flooring, wood planks, trim and moulding, plants, lighting, lawn maintenance machines, paint and accessories.  I love these types of stores - big, unpretentious and full of stuff! This is not the place to look for designer originals but it gets the job done, so to speak, and you may find a gem or two.  In fact, I found the greatest beveled tile for a kitchen backsplash at a fantastic price.

Bromma
Bryggerivägen 12 D
16867 Bromma, Stockholm
Telefon: 08- 517 080 00

Barkarby
Enköpingsvägen 41
17738 Järfälla, Stockholm
(Barkarby)
Telefon: 08-5191 91 00

Länna
Gamla Nynäsvägen 600
14251 Länna, Skogås, Stockholm
Telefon: 08-519 19 800

Botkyrka
Segersbyvägen 26
14563 Norsborg, Stockholm
(Botkyrka)
Telefon: 08-534 704 00

Ikea

When talking about Swedish décor shopping it is inevitable that Ikea should come up, so I'll make a small mention here. There are two Ikea locations in the Stockholm area, Barkarby and Kungens Kurva. I have only been to the store at Kungens Kurva, which is apparently the largest Ikea in the world, yet I can tell you, feels like the smallest. It is a circular plan spanning over 4 levels. Aside from the (more) confusing layout, the Kungens Kurva Ikea has everything you expect from Ikea. North Americans may find the restaurant a little surprising. Of course, Ikea caters to local food tradition at their restaurants but the selection in Swedish Ikea is much smaller than that of the North American counterparts. Another interesting discovery for me was that the Ikea grocery store, "The Swedish Food Market" (usually found near the exit), is called "The Swedish Food Market" even in Sweden. So there will be overhead messages about the grocery section in Swedish with the name of the section in English ... are you following me?  Kind of made my head spin a bit at first.

You can take the Ikea shuttle bus from Central Station at Vasagatan 18 every hour on the hour starting at 10am - 7pm - Monday to Friday.  On the way home the bus leaves every hour starting at 10:30am - 7:30pm and makes a few stops along the way in Hornstull, Friedhemsplan, Kungsholms and back to Vasagatan 18 near Central Station.  And it's free.

Ikea Kungens Kurva
 Modulvagen 1
141 08 Kungens Kurva

Ikea Barkarby
Folkungavagen 50
177 35 Jarfalla

Ikea.se

Wallpaper Origami Crane Mobile

Let's not beat around the bush, babies are expensive little things. The baby-wear market is huge and growing, everyone wants to cash in. I have a problem spending money on things that I'll only have for a short time and I don't like exposing my children to the marketing of the corporate entertainment giants. This DIY project allows you to make a beautiful mobile with minimal cost and resources. When you're done with it you can simply recycle the paper and send the sticks back to the backyard (or park, or wherever you got them).

What you'll need:

A drill
5 squares of wallpaper scraps or Japanese paper (colour of your choice)
Needle and thread
2 meters ribbon (width and colour up to you)
2 sticks (minimum width 1 cm)
2 eyelet hooks and 1 nut
Carpenter's glue (for good measure)

Step 1 - Collect Your Sticks

As mentioned above the sticks should be wide enough that you can drill a small hole through the centre and either end. One stick should be longer than the other so that your hanging cranes don't get tangled. Clear the sticks of bark, the drier the stick the easier it will be to remove the bark.

Step 2 - Drill Holes

The hole has to be big enough for the hook to clear. The size of the hook will be indicated on the package and you use that same measurement for the drill bit. The holes on either end can be smaller as you will be threading a needle through those. Feed the hook through the centre holes of the sticks making sure that the longer stick is on top.

Step 3 - Fold Origami Cranes

Unless you've been lucky enough to get one-on-one training with origami, the instructions can seem very complicated  Click here for a pretty comprehensive tutorial.

Step 4 - Attach Cranes

Now you can attach the cranes to the outer edges of the sticks by threading through holes. Wrap around many times to make it extra secure and safe for baby.  They should dangle but always keep in mind the total height of mobile. You want it to hang over crib but never be low enough that baby can reach it once they are able to stand. The fifth crane will be threaded through the nut, which will then be attached to the bottom of the hook, thereby securing the sticks. You can further strengthen everything by dabbing some carpenter's glue (or white craft glue) to the bolt and the edges where the thread meets the sticks.

Step 5 - Attach Ribbon

Attach the ribbon to both hooks. Triple check your height and adjust ribbon length accordingly. Once you have decided the length, you can further secure the knots at either end by sewing them. I wrapped the screws with ribbon to soften the look, this is optional.

Now screw top hook to ceiling.