tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post5357321222670359547..comments2024-03-28T09:25:14.379+00:00Comments on Veg Plotting: OOTS: If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium *VPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-16462327732295085502009-03-24T19:29:00.000+00:002009-03-24T19:29:00.000+00:00Anne - thanks so much for coming over here and add...Anne - thanks so much for coming over here and adding your views as about your country. However, your blog and the growing number of Flemish gardening blogs shows maybe things are beginning to change a little?<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your link to Open Tuinen too - I shall enjoy having an explore...VPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-51824667783953009132009-03-24T08:07:00.000+00:002009-03-24T08:07:00.000+00:00I'm afraid that Belgium isn't a great country for ...I'm afraid that Belgium isn't a great country for garden-lovers.<BR/>There are exceptions of course, but many Belgians still seem to think that the main (or only) ingredient of an ornamental garden is a lawn.<BR/>About pollarding... Many people seem to like trees in their garden, but they do not realize that a tree is a living being, and will be growing taller than it's size in the nursery. Our neighbour is pollarding each and every tree in his front garden every year in October-November, not only the trees that seem to stand pollarding (like his lime-trees and his weepinwillow), but also the birches and the maples. (Yes, he has 10 trees at least in his front garden, so they must remain small...)<BR/><BR/>I sound like the typical exemple of the anti-chauvinistic Belgian, but there are of course exceptions. There is the Kalmthout Arboretum, that is famous worldwide for it's collection of Hamamelis), or you can visit one of the gardens 'certified' by <A HREF="http://www.open-tuinen.be/page.php?EN&index" REL="nofollow">'Open Tuinen'</A>. Those gardens are among the most beautiful you find in Belgium...<BR/><BR/>When I started blogging, there were only a few garden bloggers in Belgium. Over the last six months, several Flemish gardenblogs have been published, and it seems that the majority of them have an interest in 'ecological' and/or 'wildlife' gardening (or maybe it's only those blogs that come to my attention?), so maybe there is still hope for gardening in Belgium...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-8932856934451885772009-03-19T21:13:00.000+00:002009-03-19T21:13:00.000+00:00Oh yes, Monica he was! I think he's been in a coup...Oh yes, Monica he was! I think he's been in a couple of US series with all wrong American accents hasn't he?VPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-61330560483259355582009-03-17T14:17:00.000+00:002009-03-17T14:17:00.000+00:00Isn't Ian McShane in that movie? Lord I loved him ...Isn't Ian McShane in that movie? Lord I loved him as Lovejoy... he's going to be in some US series called Kings or summat... but he's all wrong with an American accent, I tell you!Monica the Garden Faeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06369882350990949968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-56372021784694251282009-03-17T13:01:00.000+00:002009-03-17T13:01:00.000+00:00Oh yes, Joy, those cobbles! My feet remember them ...Oh yes, Joy, those cobbles! My feet remember them in particular...VPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-80950284087834272702009-03-17T12:55:00.000+00:002009-03-17T12:55:00.000+00:00Joy - thanks for reminding me! The trees you notic...Joy - thanks for reminding me! The trees you noticed are indeed windbreaks. Belgium is such a flat country and on the edge of continental Europe so trees (usually poplars) are needed to shelter the fileds being used for crops.VPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4793702278130036246.post-88158925655234178112009-03-17T10:37:00.000+00:002009-03-17T10:37:00.000+00:00VP .. YES ! The bit about the pollarding of trees ...VP .. YES ! The bit about the pollarding of trees is BIG time there .. but there are amazing rows of tall trees used as a wind break or land mark (we never knew for sure) since it was in the country side. The pollard thing went deep in my brain so that is the technique I used on my Sumac here .. if anyone remembers my pictures they saw the unusual shape for a Sumac ..<BR/>Cobbles .. never be in a hurry to catch up with a tour with a box of chocolates and other assorted goodie bags .. you can trip and lose all those goodies with people looking at you like you are a BIG kid .. and no .. it wasn't me ! LOL<BR/>Being on the borders,living in Holland, with Belgium and Germany for four years was spectacular : )<BR/>The gardens public and private were amazing !! Thanks for the mention VP : )CanadianGardenJoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18130452541076704075noreply@blogger.com