Long meadow uk

Longmeadow — Monty Don

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Creating Longmeadow

History

When we bought this house in October 1991, the garden consisted of a 2 acre abandoned field out the back and a much smaller area in the front covered in builder’s rubble. That was it. There was one tree - the hazel in what is now the Spring Garden – and everything else was rough grass, nettles and brambles.

I spent the next spring and summer just cutting the rough grass and clearing the rubbish. I raked every inch three times, got to know the lay of this land intimately. All the time I was planning, dreaming and drawing.

I learned that the wind howled in from three sides, so when I began to lay out the garden in the autumn of 1992 I knew the first thing I needed were windbreaks. I bought a hundred 6ft chestnut stakes and quartered them (chestnut cleaves beautifully down the grain) to make 400. I also bought 2,000 bean sticks and wove these between the stakes to make solid fences. The young hedging plants were then planted in the lee of the fences and grew much faster as a result.

The planting began in earnest in Spring ’93 and has never really ceased since. The changes have been dramatic and may seem astonishing to some. But in my mind that early field with its pattern of woven fences protecting the little plants, so small yet filled with dreams, still remains beneath the skin, is still there beneath all the years.

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The Garden plan

1. The Cottage Garden

The Cottage garden spent the first 20 years of its existence as a dedicated vegetable garden, conveniently near the kitchen and supplying the family with all our fresh produce. But over the past ten years it has slowly evolved into a traditional, but essentially floral, cottage garden, filled with blowsy, soft colours but also containing fruit trees, rhubarb, gooseberries and some herbs all mingled in together.

In summer it is dominated by over 50 different kinds of old-fashioned shrub roses. In winter the structure is marked out by box hedging and 8 large Irish Yews – that all fitted in the boot of car when we first planted them in 1994!

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2. The Jewel Garden

The Jewel Garden is the physical and spiritual centre of the entire garden. Everything revolves around it. It was made as a celebration of all the good things relating to our jewellery business in the 1980’s and all the colours are jewellery or metallic in some way and the tone just like the 1980’s - brash, extravagant and high maintenance! This means that it is rich and intense and that is intensified by the extraordinary vigorous growth of plants in our wonderful Herefordshire loam. In spring it is the home for all our most intense tulips and in Summer tender plants such as dahlias, gingers, bananas, cannas, tithonias, zinnias and sunflowers are grown on and added as soon as the risk of frost has passed. Then, as autumn begins to bite, the Jewel Garden is cut back, tender plants lifted and it hibernates until quite late in Spring to resume its season of blazing glory.

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3. The Paradise Garden

In 2017 I visited many countries to see their gardens, all of which shared the same basic adherence to Koranic ideals. The result was a two part series ‘Paradise Gardens for the BBC and a book, with Derry Moore, with the same title.

A greenhouse had fallen down after 20 odd years in one part of the garden so when we cleared it away and found we had a new and empty part of the garden I decided to make my own Paradise Garden based upon the influences I had seen across the Islamic world.

The result is not a copy but a loose inspiration. It is based upon four symmetrical beds arranged in the square charbagh pattern centred upon a water feature that bubbles gently in the centre. A simple pavilion is at the far end that is shaded from the sun but looks out over the whole garden and down through the Orchard beds. Planting both acknowledges the koranic dictates of fruit with pomegranate, olive and citrus trees but also very British crab apples. The planting is modern and based upon a matrix of the soft grass stipa tenuissima with the tulip acuminata, with its long ottoman-like petals in spring and tulbaghia and verbena bonariensis flowering in summer. Roses and Lilies add the essential element of fragrance. What began as an act of homage, almost an academic exercise, has become an important and much loved part of the garden.

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4. The Vegetable Garden

I have grown vegetables since I was a small child and growing our own vegetables, herbs and fruit has always been an essential ingredient in the lives of Sarah and I. We do so as much as cooks and lovers of good food as gardeners, always striving for good taste and health over appearance or size. The luxury of strolling out into the garden with a basket to ‘market’ it, selecting whatever is most appetising and ready for consumption and then quickly converting these delicious ingredients into a simple meal is one of life’s great pleasures. Across two sites separated by a hedged path we have a mixture of raised beds, larger beds and some surrounded by low woven fences that are halfway between the two. Our goal is to always have a supply of a good choice of vegetables that we enjoy eating on every single day of the year. This means that we eat seasonally as well as use the greenhouse and cloches to protect plants and also plan our succession very carefully so that as one crop comes to an end there are young plants already growing strongly to replace them, either of the same variety or an alternative type according to the season.

Our fundamental horticultural belief is that you should never force or cajole a plant of any kind, edible or decorative, if it doesn’t want to be there. So we choose vegetables and varieties that we like and which like to grow in our garden.

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Spring

Spring comes slowly to the garden. This is a very wet, cold place and the soil takes a while to warm up. Yet from early January the signs are there with snowdrops and aconites appearing and the catkins on the hazels yellow with pollen.

By March there is no going back. The weather can still be very wintry but the garden is committed to Spring. The Spring garden was made to relish every possibility of the season and wave after wave of flower push forward culminating in mid May with the earliest species roses and the cow parsley which then takes over completely.

The various areas of long grass and wild flowers are rich with crocuses that are soon followed by narcissi, fritillaries and camassias. The hedges start to prickle with new green leaves and the orchard trees billow with blossom. The final hurrah and dramatic colour comes from the radiant display of alliums and tulips in May.

Summer

There are two summer seasons in this garden. The first starts at the end of May and continues to mid July and then there is a noticeable shift as the light changes slightly and the whole garden heats up until September.

Throughout June the days are at their longest, the light at its brightest and all the deciduous foliage, be it of an aquilegia or oak tree, is full but still fresh. Roses are at their best, large-flowered clematis are glorious and plants like Iris, foxgloves, alliums and lupins crown the borders. There is a a real sense of the garden coming magnificently into being but still rich with the promise of more to come.

The Jewel garden really hits its stride in August and September despite the shortening days because the nights are warm and dahlias, bananas, zinnias, tithonia, sunflowers, helianthus, nicotiana and cosmos are flowering exuberantly. this is when the falling light levels coupled with heat make the rich colours like plum, caramel, purple and ruby red glow richly.

Autumn

By mid September the garden is gently beginning to become wraith-like and withdrawn. It is as though the garden is disappearing somewhere where I cannot follow.

But the lemon light of September is both radiant and wistful, touched simultaneously with glory and regret.

It is also the season of fruitfulness with the orchard providing over 50 different varieties of apples and the vegetable garden offering its final rich summer harvest.

Another autumnal harvest we treasure are the falling leaves. Every one is gathered and stored to make leaf-mould which rots down to become an essential component of our home-made potting compost and a perfect mulch for woodland plants.

Winter

We always hope for a cold, dry winter although with climate change a very wet, rather mild one is becoming all too common. Seasonably cold with temperatures somewhere between -10 and + 5 centigrade, is healthy for the garden and makes life easier for us gardeners. But when it is wet for weeks and we do not see the sun at all for days on end then it is miserable and gardening dribbles to a soggy halt. We do our best to ready the garden for winter by the end of November, protecting tender plants and clearing the decks and then hunker down in December and January before work begins again in earnest in February and the gardening year swings around again.

Tour Monty Don's Garden In Herefordshire – Monty Don Longmeadow

BBC/Glenn Dearing/Geffrye Museum

Monty Don's beautiful garden at his Herefordshire home — which was previously voted one of the UK's most popular gardens on Instagram — is a glorious space.

Known as Longmeadow garden, there's plenty to admire, including an abundance of beautiful plants providing year-round colour, symmetrical beds centred upon a water feature, an orchard providing over 50 different varieties of apples, and topiary of his golden retriever Nigel.

Loyal BBC Gardeners' World viewers will be very familiar with Monty's garden too. As lead presenter of the gardening show, Monty has been presenting from his own garden since 2011.

But it didn't always look like this. Back in October 1991, Monty and his wife Sarah purchased the countryside property with high hopes to restore the garden. 'The garden consisted of a 2 acre abandoned field out the back and a much smaller area in the front covered in builder’s rubble,' Monty describes on his blog, adding that there was just one tree.

With a lot of planning, TLC and hard work, Monty transformed Longmeadow garden into a peaceful haven filled with his favourite plants and flowers. The main areas are: The Cottage Garden, The Paradise Garden, The Vegetable Garden and The Jewel Garden, the latter of which Monty says is 'the physical and spiritual centre of the entire garden'. Think of them as huge garden rooms; they all feel like separate spaces but together they perfectly complement one another.

Take a tour of Monty's garden below...

The Cottage Garden

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Corner of the Cottage Garden
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on May 6, 2020 at 1:31am PDT

Monty Don's cottage garden was first used as a vegetable patch, but, over the years, the gardener has transformed it into a traditional space filled with soft colours, fruit trees and over 50 kinds of old-fashioned shrub roses.

The Long Walk

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The Long Walk
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Apr 23, 2020 at 3:21am PDT

Imagine walking along this path and just embracing nature and the great outdoors? It's defined by perfectly maintained hedges and bordered by tulips.

The vegetable garden

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Veg garden
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Apr 16, 2020 at 12:39pm PDT

Monty has been growing vegetables since he was a small child. At Longmeadow, Monty grows vegetables across two sites, all arranged into different raised beds.

READ MORE: 7 fast-growing vegetables you can harvest in no time

Grow Your Own

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Lots of tips and advice on growing your own veg on today’s updated website. I shall be adding to this weekly through April to cover all veg, herbs and fruit. https://www.montydon.com/tips-and-advice/april
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Mar 31, 2020 at 11:14pm PDT

When it comes to growing produce, Monty said on his blog that his and Sarah's goal 'is to always have a supply of a good choice of vegetables that we enjoy eating on every single day of the year'.

Chicken house

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Hens are happy- but not laying yet. But when they do, Light Sussex are good layers with 180-230 eggs a year each.
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Apr 24, 2020 at 1:29am PDT

The chicken house is situated in the orchard with chestnut paling fencing.

The greenhouse

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The first batch of January sown tomatoes (“Merveilles des Marches”) are now potted up and ready to kick on in the top greenhouse.
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on May 1, 2020 at 7:50am PDT

Monty's impressive glass greenhouse is packed with containers for optimum growing. The presenter often gives a glimpse into what's growing next.

Jewel Garden

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Jewel Garden
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on May 6, 2020 at 1:28am PDT

The jewel garden is rich in colour and texture. It was inspired by Monty's jewellery business in the 1980s, so is packed with extravagance and character. Some of the plants growing here include dahlias, gingers, bananas, tulips, cannas, tithonias, zinnias and sunflowers, too. We can only imagine how vibrant it must look in the height of summer.

Jewel Garden

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The Jewel Garden
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Apr 26, 2020 at 1:55am PDT

Here's another view of the glorious Jewel Garden, which Monty says really hits its stride in August and September.

Wildlife-Friendly Flowers

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Bumble bee and muscari
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Apr 3, 2020 at 12:10pm PDT

Monty's garden is a haven for wildlife, thanks to nectar-rich colourful flowers. There are Erythronium californium flowers, tulips, snakeshead fritillaries, muscari perennials and Erythronium 'Pagoda', too.

Paradise Garden

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Blackbird claiming Paradise as his territory
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on May 5, 2020 at 11:33am PDT

Monty's paradise garden is as lovely as it sounds. This space has a water feature, a simple pavilion, pomegranate and olive and citrus trees. Roses and lilies add beautiful fragrance to the garden, while bright petals add punches of colour.

READ MORE: Top 5 trees for small gardens

Herb Garden

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Herb garden from upstairs.
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Jun 19, 2019 at 1:21pm PDT

Another scene-stealing feature is the impressive maze-like herb garden, which features a lovely bistro dining set in the centre. We couldn't imagine sitting anywhere better to soak up the afternoon sun.

Top Bar Beehive

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Our bees having their pre winter check today. This is the top bar hive. All in excellent order, packed with healthy bees and honey- all of which stays with them for winter feed.
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Oct 3, 2019 at 5:19am PDT

Monty installed a colony of bees in a top bar hive in his garden in 2016.

Wildlife Pond

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The wildlife pond.
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Apr 16, 2020 at 3:46am PDT

The pond is a great habitat for wildlife to thrive and a place to embrace the simple sounds of nature.

Orchard

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More changes: Orchard evolution
A post shared by Monty Don (@themontydon) on Mar 30, 2020 at 3:21am PDT

You'll also discover apple trees growing in the orchard. In this post, Monty shares with his followers the evolution of the orchard across the years.

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Lisa Joyner Senior Digital Writer, House Beautiful and Country Living Lisa Joyner is the Senior Digital Writer at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market.

Rishi Sunak granted British citizenship to all Indian citizens

23 Nov. 2022, 20:00
Anton Mickeliunas
Politics

The Prime Minister of Great Britain has signed a personal decree on the gradual granting of British citizenship to all residents of the former colonies of the United Kingdom. From November 1, all citizens of India will be able to obtain a British passport.

British citizenship will be available to residents of all former colonies - a total of more than three billion people. The program is designed for 30 years, first of all, the opportunity to become citizens of the United Kingdom will be provided to residents of India, as the most affected during the colonial period. nine0003
“We have a collective responsibility for the colonial period, the time has come to atone for the British in Africa, Asia and other regions. The benefits that we have are largely built on the values taken from the colonies by our ancestors,” Sunak said on the air of the BBC TV channel.

From 1 January 2028 citizens of Nigeria, Congo and Sri Lanka will be able to become British. Pakistanis will be the last to obtain British passports, and they will have such an opportunity only in 2051. nine0003
Comments

Ivan Rusachkov
Nov 23
2022, 20:01

Sunak revives the Great Empire on which the sun never set! Collector of English lands!

Reply

Semenov Vitaly

24 Nov. 2022, 20:33

Not lands, but people...

Reply

Nurshat
Nov 23
2022, 20:02

What a great guy! We need to expand the program to Bangladesh and Pakistan. To secure leadership. nine0003
Reply

23 Nov. 2022 20:02

Comment has been deleted

Calmarius
Nov 24
2022 01:24 pm

tickle you

Reply

Layout
Nov 23
2022 20:07

Has the hamburger ban been announced already?)

Reply

World President
Nov 23
2022, 20:22

The next minister will be removed

Reply

23 Nov. 2022 8:25 pm

Sunak will take over Charles' duties while the latter is on paid annual leave

Reply

2022 20:28

Comment has been deleted

Jewish Bolshevik ...
Nov 23
2022 20:31

Comment has been deleted

23 Nov. 2022 20:37

Comment has been deleted

Vadim Kruglik
Nov 24
2022, 07:07

In the era of globalism, it is strange to think like that. "Panorama" knows no boundaries!

Reply

Vadim Kruglik
Nov 24
2022 07:05

Of course! The neighbors have a comedian president. They are very funny now! (for C C similar I explain - this is my message - banter)

Reply

Maua Charus

23 Nov. 2022, 20:30

I hope Mongolia will also atone for its guilt before the Russian Land for the 1242-1486 yoke. And grant us all citizenship. nine0003
Reply

Semenov Vitaly

24 Nov. 2022, 20:34

What exactly is Mongolia? The one with the Yuan Dynasty?

Reply

23 Nov. 2022, 20:33

Englishwoman shitting again... will have to wash boots in the Indian Ocean

Reply

Nov 23, 2022 2022 20:38

Comment has been deleted

Nikita
Nov 23
2022 22:13

Comment has been deleted nine0003
Sergey K.
Nov 23
2022 22:13

Comment has been deleted

Nikita
Nov 23
2022 22:14

Comment has been deleted

vasiliev yuri
Nov 25
2022 06:34

Comment has been deleted

Nikita
Nov 25
2022 06:51

Comment has been deleted

vasiliev yuri
Nov 25
2022 07:01

Comment has been deleted

Geraklion Beta
Nov 25
2022 08:13

do we use a lamp?

Reply

vasiliev yuri
Nov 25
2022, 09:33

Smersh's young school assistants? In our harsh time, everything must be used: iron, soldering iron, nails ...

Reply

Geraklion Beta
Nov 25
2022, 09:36

please! GOID!

Reply

27 Nov. 2022 20:46

Are you in trouble? Such an obsession is scary🫢

Reply

Maxim Bmv
Nov 23
2022, 20:42

Since they are citizens now, will there be a referendum on India joining the British Empire soon?

Reply

Hansalies
Nov 23
2022 23:30

Britain to India

Reply

SWINKA PEPPA
Nov 24
2022 02:19

Conversely, the British Empire towards India

Reply

vasiliev yuri
Nov 25
2022, 06:27

And why not Britain to India?

Reply

Yamy Ukraine
Nov 25
06:29 AM 2022

because there are no fools there

Reply

Maxim Bmv
Nov 25
2022 08:35

The empire was British, not Indian:) in this case, the emphasis is on imperial resentment.

Reply

vasiliev yuri
Nov 25
2022, 09:36

Now, in a strange, incomprehensible time, I would not be surprised if the Indians held a referendum and annexed England to themselves.

Reply

Sergey Latyshev
Nov 23
2022, 21:22

What, and the lower castes too?

Reply

Nov 23 2022 21:33

Comment has been deleted

Oops Lyapsus
Nov 23
2022 21:37

Comment has been deleted

23 Nov. 2022 21:45

Comment has been deleted

Oops Lyapsus
Nov 23
2022 23:24

Well, if you insist... Sit back and listen. It's a long story. - A young cowboy and an old one are riding across the Texas steppe. They drive for a long time, they are silent. Shit stinks around, a common thing in Texas. The young cowboy broke the silence: - Listen, old cowboy, why does it stink like shit? - oh… it's a long story. - the way is long. -listen. There lived a young cowboy in Texas. He loved the girl. He once drove a herd of cows into the mountains to lush meadows. And he returned six months later, his girlfriend got mixed up with some kind of lawyer. He was a hot cowboy, took out a gun, killed a lawyer, a girl and shot himself .... nine0003
Reply

Oops Lyapsus
Nov 23
2022, 23:26

Well, if you insist... Sit back and listen. It's a long story. - A young cowboy and an old one are riding across the Texas steppe. They drive for a long time, they are silent. Shit stinks around, a common thing in Texas. The young cowboy broke the silence: - Listen, old cowboy, why does it stink like shit? - oh… it's a long story. - the way is long. -listen. There lived a young cowboy in Texas. He loved the girl. He once drove a herd of cows into the mountains to lush meadows. And he returned six months later, his girlfriend got mixed up with some kind of lawyer. He was a hot cowboy, took out a gun, killed a lawyer, a girl and shot himself .... And they drive on in silence. Half an hour later, the young cowboy still asked: -So why does it smell like shit? -Yes, hell knows, someone gave a shit and it stinks. nine0003
Reply

Nikita
Nov 23
2022, 22:12

So India is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. This is the real UK. The island is just the United Kingdom

Reply

23 Nov. 2022 22:27

Comment has been deleted

Elena Kryuchkova
Nov 23
2022, 23:41

So can you go already?😉

Reply

Nov 24 2022, 07:13

In this case, it turns out that a Chinese who lives in Russia, but does not know Russian, is "his own" for you (after all, you live on the same territory with him) And a Russian who speaks and thinks in Russian, but lives, for example, in Kazakhstan, is a "stranger".

Reply

23 Nov. 2022, 22:54

What are the discussions in the comments distracting from India? Has the turnout failed?

Reply

Vladimir
Nov 24
2022 00:54

Poor Anglo-Saxons)))

Reply

Miron Maksimov
Nov 24
2022, 03:47

What is this Indian showdown?🤔

Reply

Rayman
Nov 26
2022, 08:24

the series is being filmed, don't interfere

Reply

Shaso Shovah
Nov 24
2022, 04:29

Now the British will join the charms of Bollywood, the classic Miss Marple, Purely English Murder will get new director's versions. nine0003
Reply

October Riot
Nov 24
2022 06:43

Dancing Miss Marple: "Now he will sing to me"!

Reply

Shaso Shovah
Nov 24
2022 06:46

The murderous butler resurrects his master, who turns out to be his lost brother in infancy, or, well, the mistress, who turns out to be his transgender brother lost in infancy. And then everyone sings and dances. nine0003
Reply

Alexander Sergeevich
Nov 24
2022, 10:52

Angles, even fake ones, should never repeat the past steps of the Franks, up to 😀 deprivation of positions, regalia, citizenship

Reply

Filippova T.G.
Nov 24
2022, 11:27

A funny thread about who and where, who is Russian, who is not Russian. I remembered the immortal Zhvanetsky: But the Georgian did not know that he was Georgian. - Did they not tell him? - The Georgian knew, but not exactly😂

Reply

In the city of Zh
Nov 24
2022 3:11 pm

“We have a collective responsibility for the colonial period, the time has come for the UK to redeem itself to the people of Africa, Asia and beyond. The benefits that we have are largely built on the values taken from the colonies by our ancestors,” Sunak said on the air of the BBC TV channel. From January 1, 2028, citizens of Nigeria, Congo and Sri Lanka will be able to become British. Pakistanis will be the last to obtain British passports, and they will have such an opportunity only in 2051. Moved Pakistan means. nine0003
Reply

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"Meadow from seven ailments". About the benefits and records of agriculture

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"Meadow from seven ailments". On the benefits and records of agriculture

"Meadow from seven ailments". On the benefits and records of agriculture - RIA Novosti, 04/29/2011

"Meadow from seven ailments." On the benefits and records of agriculture

The long-awaited "long" weekend is approaching - the May holidays. The Russians will rush to summer cottages and vegetable gardens. The roads will be filled with traffic jams, the air with the smell of barbecue. So... RIA Novosti, 29.04.2011

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The long-awaited "long" weekend - the May holidays - is approaching. The Russians will rush to summer cottages and vegetable gardens. The roads will be filled with traffic jams, the air with the smell of barbecue. So why are we so drawn to the earth?

Garden vs TV

For the vast majority of Russians, working in the dacha is one of their favorite activities. British scientists have proved that working on the ground is not only interesting, but also useful. They conducted a study in which 1,000 people took part, and came to the conclusion that 70% of the population considers gardening or gardening an important component that positively affects the quality of life. People admitted that they would much rather spend their time caring for plants than watching TV or shopping. nine0003
Working in the garden improves the well-being, both physical and mental, scientists say. Work on the land can benefit anyone, regardless of age, position in society or personal circumstances, experts have proven. In addition, the researchers believe that children should know more about growing plants. According to the survey, about 80% of people believe that gardening lessons are necessary at school.

"In our time, it has become essential to find a time and place to relax and unwind. And there is no better place than a small garden or park where we can reconnect with nature and refresh our weary spirits. I strongly believe that that all people should be able to rest on their own land," said one of the researchers. nine0003
For body and soul

Working in the country in the fresh air not only improves our health, but also improves our mood, improves our general morale. Not only lovers of digging in the ground think so, but also psychologists. Firstly, working in the garden or in the garden maintains interest in life, helps to feel younger.

Most researchers agree that working in the summer cottage helps to maintain optimism. This is especially true for the elderly. When they are waiting for the first shoots or fruits to appear, they see the future in bright colors. Avid gardeners and gardeners are also more organized than those who do not enjoy digging in the ground. nine0003
Gardeners enjoy an active lifestyle. This has a positive effect not only on physical health, but also on the psyche. A garden or garden allows you to plan any actions, work for the future, think, hope, optimize activities.

Researchers at University College London conducted an experiment that found that even 20 minutes of work on the ground, in the garden or in the garden a week improves well-being and reduces the risk of mental disorders. People who already suffer from such diseases feel much better in a garden or vegetable garden, plants soothe them. nine0003
Researchers from two universities in Texas conducted a survey of 300 women and men over 50 years of age. Among the respondents were both gardeners and people far from such activities. As a result, it turned out that 70% of those who work in the garden are satisfied with life and do not consider themselves old, while among people who do not work on the ground, only 50% were satisfied with life.

Gardening is considered to be an excellent stress reliever. After a working day or a hard working week, digging in the ground, calm "communication" with plants can be better than any passive rest. It calms, helps to restore mental strength. Also, work on the summer cottage helps to forget about the problems, distract from the hustle and bustle. This is confirmed by the results of a study by Professor Roger Ulrik from the University of Texas. nine0003
Working on the land can make you forget about pain. This is especially true for the elderly. Often, older people are more dependent on others, while the garden allows them to be independent, to be in charge, to make decisions, to bear responsibility. Work on a summer cottage can brighten up loneliness, because plants and trees require care and careful handling. Planting care can replace communication, and besides, it is believed that if you gently talk to plants, they grow better and produce more fruits, sweet and juicy. nine0003
Farming is a way of life

Another big plus of working in your garden is the vegetables you grow yourself. It's no secret that fresh vegetables are a colossal and indispensable source of energy for the body. They contain vitamins, trace elements and nutrients: vegetable fats, vegetable protein and carbohydrates. They are a source of fiber, which is so necessary for the body. With a skillful combination of vegetables and seasonings, you can get such a charge of vitamins that no medical preparations and nutritional supplements will give you. nine0003
For some, farming is a profession, for others it is a hobby, and for others it is a lifestyle. As in any other field in gardening, there are people who strive to outdo everyone: grow the biggest potato or watermelon.

Lebanese farmer Khalil Semhat has grown the largest potato. The farmer lives in the southern city of Tyre. Imagine his surprise when one fine day he dug up a root crop weighing 11.2 kg from the ground. To pull out this miracle, the farmer had to resort to the help of friends. The potato, however, was rather ugly: larger than a human head, bizarre in shape and not very appetizing in appearance. The Lebanese claims that he did not use any special fertilizers. nine0003
The world's largest squash weighing 65 kg was grown by Australian Ken Dade. A resident of the Norfolk Islands broke the previous record from the Guinness Book of Records, surpassing its predecessor by 3 kg. It took two people to lift the miracle vegetable. But pensioner Alberto Marchetonio from the UK has grown the world's longest zucchini - its length has reached 1. 6 m. The pensioner is engaged in gardening exclusively as a hobby. He claims that he did not use any fertilizers, the giant zucchini was born from ordinary seeds, grew in a greenhouse. nine0003
A giant watermelon weighing as much as 122 kg was grown by American Lloyd Bride on his farm Hope Farm Store (Arkansas). This watermelon is far from the first - the farm has been famous for growing these giant berries since 1979. Gardeners from Louisiana - the Sistrank family - somehow became famous by growing the largest watermelon in the state - weighing 114.5 kg. Fans of giant watermelons assure that such berries are simply unusually sweet.

Almost a meter (90 cm) long cucumber was grown in the southwest of England. Farmer Alf Sobb rightfully took his place in the Guinness Book of Records. Then he was overtaken by a resident of the same "Foggy Albion". Frank Dimmock, while harvesting, discovered a cucumber 1 m long. But not so long ago, his compatriot Claire Pierce broke his record. A cucumber 1 m 20 cm long appeared in her garden. The pensioner-record holder admitted that she had never been fond of gardening before, and the giant generally grew from expired seeds. nine0003
The largest strawberry ever grown in the UK. J. Anderson grew a fruit weighing 231 g.

From the dacha to the palace

In Rus', the first dachas appeared in the era of Peter I - these were estates that the tsar gave to his entourage for services to the state. At the same time, the word "dacha" came into use - a derivative of the verb "give". Country life in a country house began to develop actively from the second half of the 19th century, and a country house became an indispensable attribute not only of the nobility, but also of less prosperous people. In the summer, all sections of the population rushed outside the city, including shopkeepers and clerks. nine0003
Departure to the dacha was fashionable and prestigious, however, dachas and country dacha houses were not widely spread across the country, mainly near large cities - Moscow and St. Petersburg. In country country houses, they did not just relax: they held balls there, opened salons, invited poets, artists and composers. That is why dachas have become an integral part of cultural life. After the revolution, well-equipped and rich dachas of wealthy owners were declared municipal property. Country country houses with electricity, water supply, and heating were used as rest homes for workers. nine0003
With the introduction of the NEP, dacha life and dacha construction have revived. Dacha settlements arose with country houses of generals and admirals, old Bolsheviks and polar explorers. Ministers, deputy ministers and other nomenklatura lived in state dachas. And after the war, the idea of a suburban country house embraced almost all segments of the urban population. In the early 1960s, the conditions for dacha development of country houses were softened, but the system for obtaining plots became more complicated. A norm was introduced for the size of a plot of six acres.
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