Third Czech International Rock Garden Conference -May 2017

[Maritfri]

So many great memories!



Now the first of two posts are posted on my blog.

Marit

Look at all these happy people!  Does my heart good to see them!

[Maggi Young]

Great blogs and fantastic photos, Marit - just as I expect from you!
 In your blog photo of " UN, Cliff og Susan B, Ian Y and Julia C " - the unknown is  Adrian Young (no relation) the Saxifraga expert from England.

 In the photo of your blog, and also here in the forum,  with  "Matt, Ian and…?"   the third man is the American crevice garden builder, Kenton Seth. 

[Matt T]

Wonderful photos, Marit! They bring back many happy memories of a great time we all shared. Looking forward to your visit this summer.

I have finally managed to sort through my snaps too and will post a few here.

[Matt T]

I'm slow coming to this party, but was only back for a few short days before a family holiday to Devon and didn't have time to revisit these few happy days. I'm delighted that I decided to attend the 3rd Czech conference. Yes, the organisation, lectures, garden visits, weather and catering were all superb, but what really made it a special occasion was the people - meetings with friends old and new from all over the world for a thoroughly enjoyable, and occasionally riotous few days will stay with me forever.

As folk have said, the conference venue, Hotel Floret is right next to the Průhonice Park with it's acres of landscapes grounds, including a 1km long rock garden. We were treated to two visits to the park.

1. Assembled delegates admire a small rock garden planting on a natural rock outcrop within the castle courtyard.
2. L to R: obscured (may be Iain Wright), Oron Peri, Lionel Clarkson, Celia Wright.
3. Delosperma nubigena steals the show.
4. The ornate and well maintained castle.
5. Martin Hajman (former gardener at Pruhonice, now at Tromsø) tells delegates about the development of the rock gardens.

[Matt T]

6. View of the castle across the lake from within the park.
7. Asplenium septrionale.
8. Vibrant colour was everywhere, and delegates (L to R: Rick Lambert, our own Ian Y and Diane Clement) were allowed onto pathways normally closed to the public.
9. Rock gardening on a grand scale! Descending the path, L to R: Rick Lambert, Caroline Seymour, Ian Y and Diane Clement.
10. More Delosperma growing through Opuntia on a sheltered rock exposure home to many permanent cacti and succulent plantings.

[Matt T]

Day 2 in Průhonice Park:

1. Plenty more colour, including some lovely Iris.
2. An eye-opener for me were the Phlox - easily grown, readily and cheaply available, but super colour and flower power.
3. Teamed with Gentians and Armeria.
4. Massed as great carpets.
5. Some in more subtle shades - wish I had a name for this pretty one.

[Matt T]

The Park also hosts a Botanic Garden with a number of collections, including Iris, Roses and Peonies.

6. One of the more floriferous Iris beds.
7. Delegates shelter from a brief shower by the Peony beds - Carole Bainbridge in the red coat.

The plant sale was held after our second tour of the Park:

8. As usual, mayhem ensued so I was happy to stand back and watch (note Jiri (the alpine parrot) at far right holding his head in his hands!).
9. Here we can see: Anton Edwards, Christine Boulby, Olga Bondareva, Adrian Young, Marit Friberg, Kenton Seth, Kaj and Minna Andersen amongst others.
10. Much interest at the stall of Karel Lang, the rabble includes Herman Laporte (far left), Ian and Carole Bainbridge, Karel Lang himself (to R of Carole) and Zdenek Zvolanek (far R) - I did mop up a handful of the leftovers.

[Matt T]

We boarded three buses for the garden tours, each visiting the gardens to a different schedule so they were not overwhelmed by too many trampling feet at one time. First up on the white bus was the varied garden of Vojtech Holubec packed with interesting plants.

1. The rock garden is made from hugs blocks of stone.
2. Vojtech talks to visitors, L to R: Ian and Carole Bainbridge, Liz Mills, Vojtech, Pat Watson (partly hidden) and Sue Booker.
3. Rhododendron flourish in the cool shade of the house.
4. Rhamnus sp. featured in many of the gardens we visited. Is this R. pumilus?
5. Gorgeous colour on a tree peony.

[Matt T]

6. Angela Townsley and Ian Y have a blether.
7. View from the back of the rock garden towards the house.
8. The step up to the front door were lined with troughs.
9. A wall was lined with peat blocks, providing home to ericaceous plants including some nice Shortia.
10. The sunlight falling on the rock garden demonstrates the ingenuity in a well-designed scheme, giving both shady and sunny niches for plants with differing requirements.

[Matt T]

The second garden we visited was that of Petr Divis (and Marika of the fabulous Marika Singers). I think opinion was divided amongst a few of the visitors. There are some nice small crevices neatly tucked into the front and side gardens at this house. However, the main event is a new crevice garden on a north facing slope at the back of the garden, next to a new extension on the house. Much of the rock used is recycled kerbstones, with additional rock sourced direct from the quarry. Some people were not so keen on the regular, square-cut blocks, but I think overall the design works well and once the plants (only planted a few short months ago) have grown the effect will be softened.

1. A crevice at the front of the garden.
2. An outcrop at the side passage.
3. The bold new crevice garden - here the section made with recycled kerbstones.
4. The section made with new stone from the quarry.
5. An overview of the whole garden, with the block walls yet to be finished - on top of the garden, L to R: Cliff Booker, Caroline Seymour, Celia Wright. At ground level, R: Iain Wright with David Rankin just visible behind him.

[Matt T]

Our next stop was just a short walk away, a garden containing features that will be familiar to Forumists, that of Jiri Papousek. What a treat!

1. Jiri sporting a SRGC sweatshirt and Gardens North cap.
2. Visitors admire the well-established rock garden, note the fabulous Daphne in foreground! - we can see, L to R: Richard Green, Liz Mills (back to us), unknown, Carole Bainbridge taking a snap, unknown (headless person bending over behind Carole), Diane Clement at back, Iain Wright, Pat Watson turned away from us behind Ian Bainbridge.
3. Another view of the rock garden, and L to R: Kenton Seth, Philip Duplock, Celia Wright, Pat Watson and Liz Mills, Richard Green.
4. Jiri's incredible tufa tunnel that has been shown here on the Forum. Wonderful to see this in real life, with so many healthy plants thriving in the protection of the tunnel. Admiring it are, R to L: Ian Young (yellow t shirt) with Jiri behind him, Anton Edwards, David Rankin, Rick Lambert, Margaret Edwards and Julia Corden.
5. Some plants are also growing well in tufa outside without protection.

[Matt T]

6. Ramonda looking superb in tufa outside.
7, 8 & 9. Overview of plantings in tufa under cover.
10. Choice plants needing more cosseting are grown in Jiri's comfortable alpine house.

[Matt T]

11. Overview of the rock garden from a different direction - folk clustered to the right are gathered around Jiri's nursery and include Chris Boulby, Maggie Duguid, Angela Townsley, Julia Corden, David Rankin and Philip Duplock. Admiring the rock garden are, R to L: Ian Young, Kenton Seth, Carole Bainbridge and Cliff Booker.
12, 13 & 14. Exquisite crevice work provides a home for so many gorgeous plants.
15. Lionel, Maggie and Chris enjoy a shady rest.

[Matt T]

Our last visit on the first day was the garden of Stanislav Cepicka - a huge construction of limestone and tufa on a site that slopes approximately south east(?) above the house - all materials were brought up several flights of steps by hand! The rock work has been arranged to provide different aspects and niches for different plants. At the top of the garden were beds for bulbs including Onco irises.

1. Erigeron scopulorum.
2. Asperula boissieri(?) A. arcadiensis was also here.
3. Stanislav pointing out some treasures - we can also see, L to R: Cliff Booker behind Stanislav, I think it's Lionel hidden at the back, Roma Smith under Stanislav's arm then Liz Mills. I should know who the seated lady is.
4. Edraianthus spp. in great variety and profusion were the stars here.
5. Orostachys spinosa in tufa.

[Matt T]

6. Edraianthus niveus - what a treasure! A fleet-footed friend was able to bag me a plant from the sales stock at one of the gardens.
7 & 8. Overview of the tufa outcrops, which rise up to about waist height with different aspects and planting opportunities for plants requiring different conditions.
9. Bellevalia(dubia?) sp. in the bulb beds.
10. A view up the garden from the back of the house. Folk we can see are, L to R: Celia Wright (backpack), unknown (check shirt), Anton Edwards, Paul Cumbleton, unknown, unknown (back to us taking a photo) and Kenton Seth (blue t-shirt).