Yesterday's batch of photos from Andrey Lysikov in Russia definitely was not enough. Luckily, he sent in a bunch more! He wrote quite a bit about the history of the garden, and then used a website to translate, so it's a bit confusing, but I've gleaned what I can. He says, "I know many garden designers and even landscape architects who don't have their own well-planned garden, and even in general a site. It is not that they are strong only in theory. No, there simply doesn't remain to time for making a garden. I had such a site. It was bought in 1968, 60 km to the South of Moscow (USDA Zone 4). And though there was no "landscaping" there, my mother for many years was fond of flowers and there were some plants she put in. Everything cardinally changed, as well as at most of our compatriots, after Perestroika. When I began to work in landscape firm and started going to different foreign gardens, I wanted to change my own site somehow. Therefore all that now it is possible to see in photos developed very gradually over 15 years or about that. Evolutionary transformation of a garden, change of the fruit and garden stylistic decision – towards landscape and eclectic, happened at rare moments upon Sunday arrivals, and without any participation of hired labor. Now there are different functional zones: there is a nice shade garden in which buzulnik and ditsentra, strausnik and kupena, podofilluma and skopoliya, astilboidesa and darmer grow. There is a quite large-scale mixed border (which, however, should be licked into shape), a system of low retaining walls which are laid out a dry masonry from hand-delivered blocks of limestone and a reservoir in the central lawn. There different pochvopokrovny plants live.
In front of a house porch a few years ago I made flat rockery, united, at last, in a whole a small stony hill and a small collection of the coniferous plants brought at different times from different places. Rock arias, by the way, appeared because I urgently needed to illustrate with photos the written brochure "Alpine hills". As a result some imprinted stages of creation of the rock aria got on pages of this book.
The pond on our site, though small, arose probably about 8 years ago. It appeared after I visited a nursery of water plants. Generally I treat ponds quite indifferently and I assumed that I would not have one on my site. But after visiting the wonderful "water world" I wanted to build a water mirror in the garden. In the next day off I stopped by on the way at some garden center, I bought a piece of a membrane, and the next day we already had own lake. As a background it is served by a quite old fir-tree, which is formed over many years in the shape of a roundish bush, sitting on the edge of a site, and also plantings of barberry, rodzhersiya, a darmer, and ferns.
Not so long ago nearby there was one more small allotment about 350 m2. This slice of the earth by efforts of my wife gradually and steadily turned into a decorative kitchen garden at several levels. Its history only begins, but contours of a new site already appear. Our garden grows and changes together with us. Of course, it not option of a garden during the season, or for two as it is accepted in landscape business. It isn't bought as "a set of the beginning gardener", didn't arise suddenly from scratch though, for certain, such way of creation of a garden is suitable for many as well as possible. But we ourselves gradually form we direct our garden, we constantly change it, and we live with it the general life." So nice, Andrey! Thank you so much for the additional photos. ***Andrey sent in some fall shots, too! I'll post those soon.***
SEND ME PICS OF YOUR GARDEN! Email me at [email protected]. Thanks! –Michelle
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Comments
Andrey I am loving that we are getting photos from Russia,I especially love all of your conifers. Are there gardens in the USA that have inspired you or do you just love design? From what I read I think you and your wife work together and you do it so well. I have looked at every inch of each photo and your layering of plants is so beautiful. What tree is the red barked one in the third from the last photo? Is it a madrone tree? I have really enjoyed your photos and I am amazed how much Russia looks like Seattle Washington. Happy gardening to you.
it just gets better and better! Andrey, i love everything about your garden and your description of it's development makes it even more special. the photos are wonderful but i'm thinking that to spend time in this garden one would find many many many gems not so readily seen in the photographs. it's just great
Well, Andrey, when it comes to these pictures of your garden, I am going to use what might be an unknown to you American slang word but here it goes...YOWZA...that means great, fantastic and all sorts of good things. Your plants are so full and lush and many look positively radiant with the beautiful backlighting of the sun. I very much appreciate your story of how your property has evolved into such a beautiful garden. I'm so glad you sent this second round of pictures and will be looking forward to the fall photos to come.
Thanks for returning with more photos and your garden story Andrey. Your garden is heartstopping and your story heartwarming. Thanks for making my day! Hope you return through the seasons with more snapshots of your garden.
Andrey, your garden is fabulous, i love it !
Wow! Another day of wonderful photos of your garden. Truly appreciated, as is your description of its' birth and evolution! I love what you have done- so inviting, so much to see and enjoy. Thank you so much for sharing!
As a professional gardener, I can tell you am in awe!
Thanks again, Andrey. So beautiful and full of great textures. Like Diane, I especially love the phlox with the dark green surroundings and the apples on the ground. Perfection in every way, and in zone 4, no less!
This sounds ignorant, but the images in my mind of Russia were not beautiful like this. Thank you so much.
I am so glad to see more pictures of your gardens! Not only are your gardens beautiful you also take gorgeous pictures! The tulips & hosta picture is magazine worthy! Would love to visit & enjoy my coffee on that bench! And then warm myself by the fire! Lovely!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your garden. Such variety of beautiful plants and such pretty organizing with pathways and so impressed with edging. Every way you turn a beautiful view of healthy plants.
beautiful
Oh, the layers and the variety. Andrey, I am completely mesmerized. I can barely take my eyes away - even hard to proceed one photo to the next. Wonderful story of development. It does take time, doesn't it, especially when you are doing it yourself? I can really appreciate that, and believe that is true gardening. It's what makes gardens our private and personalized spaces. The conifers are awesome, and I'm sure provide a sense of liveliness during the winter. I know every garden has its "enemies" but it would appear there are absolutely no pests, certainly no voles, in Russia - ha. I can't get enough of your garden. Thank you for sending in more photos.
Its been so lovely to see your gardens again! Thankyou for sharing about your development and how it evolves. It is so true our gardens are always changing! We have a wonderful life of loving plants, dirt and design. All your photos are very beautiful and inviting. I will be looking forward hoping to see more in the future! May you have a wonderful and peaceful seasons ahead!
a
Spectacular, Andrey! So much work, thought, and love has gone into your gardens over the years that the result is spectacular. Bravo!
большой замечательный
i hope "the Russian" makes sense... I just googled....
Absolutely gorgeous! I can tell that you love your profession by the fact that your own gardens are so amazing!
Straight through the seasons you've captured all the lovely details Andrey. The rotation of color and textures are very pleasing to the eye. Thank you for gifting use with your landscape talents and photography. We look forward to more pictures in the winter months, please?!
Oh, I could spend all day searching and seeking your garden! I especially love the mosses and evergreens. It's difficult to pull myself away!
великолепный!
Andrey, thank you for sending more photos
and the story of how your beautiful garden has evolved, especially how the
changing political situation allowed you to travel and learn from gardens in
other countries. You are a master of garden design and you obviously have the
passion to create and record the beauty in your own garden. You must spend
every Sunday working from morning to night, to keep this garden looking so
perfect, difficult when you don't live right there. It sounds like your wife
has the same passion for gardening. It would be lovely to see photos of
her kitchen garden as it evolves.
Thank you Andrey for sharing your wonderful story. What an inspiration you and your wife are. It seems like a beautiful and serene place to spend your weekends in. You have created an oasis of peace.
Andrey ~ Your garden photography is wonderful and your gardens are just amazing. What a beautiful job you have done mixing so many wonderful plantings into lush and radiant gardens that show you have such a passion for your work. I am truly surprised at all of the plants that I recognize from right here in the Pacific NW, Washington State. Who would have thought since you are a Zone 4 ! The Peonys are wonderful. How long is your summer in the region you live in? Thanks so much for sharing this Russia with us that we would otherwise not know existed.
Andrey has revolutionized my impression of Russia. I have always loved their literature and music, now I can add Andrey's garden to the list.
What a spectacular garden! And what a wonderful international forum this blog is! I had no concept of a garden in Russia, so delighted you shared yours with us! Do you fine your plants at local nurseries or do you shop by mail order?
Beautiful garden designs, Beautiful hardscapes, Beautiful photography. Andrey, your passion for gardening is obvious!
Love your garden! I live in North Carolina, USA. We are zone 7b. Yet my garden has many of the same plants. I love your color combinations. The artistry in your design is natural, fresh, clean. I love the backgrounds and settings for your pictures. Thank you for sharing. Gardens make good ambassadors.
I didn't have time to read the story yesterday, so came back again today to look at it. I enjoyed reading how your garden evolved over time, and trying to piece together the names of the plants---as all the plants I see in your garden are plants I know, it was kind of fun taking a guess at some of the names in your story that don't match the names I know.
For example: " here is a nice shade garden in which buzulnik and ditsentra, strausnik and kupena, podofilluma and skopoliya, astilboidesa and darmer grow. "
Buzulnik = Ligularia, Disentra = Bleeding Hears(dicentra), Strausnik = ?, Kupena = Lily of the Valley, Podofilluma = May Apple (podophyllum), Skopoliya = ? , astilboiesa = Astilbe, and Darmer = Umbrella plant. Can anyone figure out Strausnik and Skopoliya?
Andrey, thanks again for sharing your beautiful garden!
Andrey, your gardens are a joy to see. The photographs are so good, clear and bright, so that I was able to zoom in and see what you have planted between the flowers.
The pebbles and gravel are a very pretty background for the plants. Profusion without confusion. Masterful!
Thank you so much for sending these. My husband is half Russian so our family will be thrilled to visit your garden via the computer.
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