November 20, 2018

Volunteering Day at FDDS, Warsaw, Poland

In June the design was completed. And now, in October, which is earlier than anybody expected, we are starting the implementation phase. And all this thanks to people of good will who decided to devote some of their time and energy.

On October 4, 2018, a group of over 40 people appeared at 8.30 a.m. at the FDDS therapeutic center to begin the first step of starting the garden.


We started the day with a short presentation about what the foundation (FDDS - Foundation We Give Children the Strength) basically does. When we hear that they "provide comprehensive help to abused children" it sounds so generic that it does not always makes us comprehend the size of the abuse. But when we hear that in every ten children in the classroom, three of them are abused at home, it starts to sound a little different.

I guess the biggest impression on me was made by the information that the telephone helpline 116 116 for kids is calling nonstop and the line itself is supported by eighty consultants. Eighty. It stimulates the imagination.


The second part was my few words about the project.


Everyone, in a great physical condition and in motivated spirit, with a certain dose of shyness began to inspect the square of work. As you can see the garden bed is beautifully overgrown with weeds. It was cleared, we removed weeds, stones, debris, enriching the dirt with natural fertilizer, to prepare it for spring plantings.

I decided to cover the entire bed with a pinebark chips, to protect it against the overgrowth of the weeds by spring, improve the water conditions and enrich the soil a little while it will decompose slowly during winter.


Tools are waiting...


The gals from Foundation did their best to lead their groups bravely. In the picture from the left Magda and Iza, but apart from them there was also Ula and Kasia, which were not in the picture and an unknown group of heroes of the background, whose names I had no opportunity to learn. And on the right, my humble person.


The work is on. I must admit that before the start I was a little afraid if we would be able to do everything, because at the end we were still planting 40 plants. However it was enough to look at the  spirit and motivation of working volunteers. The work was burning in her hands! And it became obvious that we can do everything...


Less and less weeds, more and more exposed soil and still a lot of work in painstaking cleaning of the earth.


Discussion about what with what, how and where ....


It seems that the stage of scattering the bark on the rebate was the nicest, or at least the merriest occupation, because as you can see the competition started in whoever lifts the most bags. In the picture above, the winner seems to be ...


The bark comes and slowly gets nicer.


This was the final result of the work of 40 people for 4 hours. Beautiful!

It was a really merry and beautiful day. Everyone worked together in a good spirit, with a smile and a willingness to help each other. Although it was not easy, because it is one of the hardest work in the garden, requiring good physical condition. We were very happy with the good weather blesssing - it did not rain, it got sunny and warm.

Thank you so much for this wonderful day, which shows what strength we have when we unite in a common goal!

I hope to see the same group in the spring when the planting comes.

I greet everyone cordially!

October 12, 2018

Colorful Perennials - New Garden Design

I am very happy to show you today the colorful perennials garden located in Poland that I have designed 3 years ago.
You see it in almost autumnal version. The main idea was to make it interesting all year round and make it flowering from early spring till late autumn.


















 Nothing tastes better than organic home grown tomatoes. Thank you Ania!

June 2, 2018

Urban forest - the essence of man's love for plants....

Urban forest - the essence of man's love for plants ... I went to the car diagnostic station and my jaw drops ...

Potted flowers usually grow at homes and offices and this is fine. Standard. We are used to this. But this !!!??? It's like getting to another planet, where there are still cars or other vehicles and car workshops or other vehicles.

Something amazing.

Mr Zbyszek sent me to the diagnostic station, because it was the time. I will not tell you the reason and I will not admit whether or not I accidentally was driving around without a valid technical tests.

Anyway, I am arriving ... I open the door, go in and my jaw drops .... I do not believe my eyes ... The industrial hall is about 10 m high and as far as my eyes can reach I see potted plants there. Mostly creepers, but not only ... potted flowers in a different form .... I can not help staring up like a tourist who comes to New York for the first time .... I slowly move towards the cashier, trying to grasp this phenomenon ...

- Good morning ... and these plants here is whose hobby? - I ask, in my humble opinion with admiration in my voice and in hope for interesting conversation.

- Good morning - he says dryly, probably suspecting that I want to drive away my attention from the car, so that I get the approval stamp in my car's registration document without a problem. But what he doesn’t know and I know, there will be no problem, because the car under the care of Mr. Zbyszek is in such a state that the “fly does not sit down” – as we say.

- All of us – he says and I see that there will be no interesting conversation on this topic... at least for now.

- But so specifically - I drill dangerously - who is watering it all?

- Each of us - he says - in particular, there is one, but if he is away, then each of us ... Please, get me a registration document. Wait a moment, I'll just finish…

I waited and I could not stop taking pictures. When it was over, he called me back:

- PLN 99, please. I handed him 100 PLN banknote. - I'm sorry, but I do not have a zloty ...

- No problem. Can I for this one zloty get a piece of hoya, because mine died and I would like to have it again.

- You may "steal" lady, but do not tell anyone, because it is known that stolen is best growing. Do you know that all those hoyas grew all from one plant? And when they bloom, that smell here I s heavenly... Come over soon ....

I will definitely come back.











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