Winter Aconytes in the Pastorietuin Easterein.

Nice dense vegetation of Winter Aconites in the Pastorietuin Easterein.

The temperature was quite low last week, there were still some snow drifts and hail, but also sun. The development of the bloom has therefore been relatively slow.

Snowdrops meander through the Stinze Stiens garden.

Snowdrops meander through the Stinze Stiens garden. In the background the tower from beginning 15th century of the St. Vitus church.

The snowdrops are in full bloom and are getting closer to the peak. The color becomes more intense white and with a little bit of sun it looks splendid.

Winter Aconytes and Snowdrops at the St. Vitus churchyard in Stiens.

Winter Aconites in full bloom glow in the sun at the St. Vitus churchyard in Stiens. Nice with tufts of Snowdrops and here and there the purple of the Dutch Crocus.

The Winter Aconites are partly at their peak and in other places close to full bloom but at the St. Vitus Church in Stiens they are at their optimum and it is possibly the last week to see them really shine. In the sun the flowers are full open, but unfortunately it is still too cold for the bees and bumblebees. If this continues, there will probably be little seed produced this year.

Snowflakes near the brook at Hackfort.

Snowflakes near the brook at Hackfort.

Tomasini’s crocus defights the cold wind near the Schierstins.

Tomasini’s crocus defights the cold wind near the Schierstins.

The Snow Flakes are already in bloom, but except at Hackfort not yet fully and certainly not at their peak. The Tomasini’s crocus suffers from the cold, and also from the wind as the Schierstins reports. The Dutch crocus has less problems with the colder weather. The flowering of the Dutch crocus starts here and there, but for the most part flowering has not started yet. This species waits quietly until it gets warmer, which increases the chance of fertilisation by insects.

Hackfort reports: ‘The snowdrops are in the winter sun in full bloom, producing a beautiful white carpet.’

It is also nice to look at the young plants that are the result of sowing. Dekema State describes it like this: ‘Adjacent in the grass next to the canal you can see that sown clusters begin to bloom like a gossamerly haze over the lawn.’

Snowdrops at Jongemastate.

Snowdrops at Jongemastate.

Chicken in the front yard of Dekema State between the Snowdrops.

Chicken in the front yard of Dekema State between the Snowdrops.

Jongemastate says that it is not only beautiful because of the flowering of the stinzenplanten but that: ‘… the forest is also beautiful if the rime has formed on branches and leaves and everything turns white, then the Raerder Bosk looks like a fairytale forest.’

Grosser Garten Dresden (Germany), Winter Aconytes along the main alley to the castle.

Grosser Garten Dresden (Germany), Winter Aconites along the main alley to the castle.

We were this week in the park forest of the park of the Grosser Garten in Dresden. In a small part of this very large park forest along the main alley that leads to the originally 18th century palace there is a massive undergrowth of Winter Aconites and partly also Tomasin’s crocus. It looks fantastic on photos. Because of the cold, the Winter Aconites were not yet at their peak and there are some disturbing visual elements in the area. Still good to have had the opportunity to see this. In a strip of about two meters along the path there are no flowering plants, very likely as a result of people who want to photograph all this beauty up close. It is a challenge to prevent this from happening.

Winter Aconytes multiplied by sowing and replanting at Stinze Stiens.

Winter Aconites multiplied by sowing and replanting next to the Caucasian Wingnut at Stinze Stiens.

At Stinze Stiens, a large patch with a monoculture of Bears Garlic, has in a few years been transformed into an area with Snowdrops and Winter Aconites. The result already looks natural and not artificial. This result has been achieved by removing as much as possible the bulbs with the fork and the rest by regularly picking the leafs, to prevent the plant from thriving and flowering. Snowdrops and Winter Aconites have been transplanted from elsewhere in the terrain while they were in bloom. Winter Aconite seed has been collected and scattered. The transplanted plants are already multiplying quite quickly. The leaves of young plants that have been sown are already clearly visible. If the conditions are favourable and the soil is suitable, these plants can expand relatively quickly.

Calendar 2018 week 7
SnowdropWinter AconiteDutch CrocusSnowflakeSquillWhite ButterburJapanese ButterburCommon Lungwort
Dekema State
Hackfort
Jongemastate
Martenastate
Martenatuin
Pastorietuin Easterein
Philippusfenne
Schierstins
St. Vituskerk
Stinze Stiens

Flowering: start full peak decreasing
Present: here and there regular massive

Stinzenflora-monitor Calendar 2018 week 7. Scroll horizontally to view all plants. Learn more about a terrain or stinzenplant? Click on the name in the table.

Events *:

The participants in the Stinzenflora-monitor organize various activities during the Stinzenflora season.
The events that are now known are listed below.
‘Open gardens’ with private garden owners are often mentioned shortly before in this calendar and on the websites of the participants. Opening up depends on the flowering of the Stinzenplants and the weather.
For possibilities of (group) visits you can contact the relevant participant.

Data: see ESTATES

For your agenda *:

Events February: 

Pastorietuin Easterein.  Sunday 18 en 25 February the garden is open from 12 to 5 pm. Entrance these Sundays: € 2,50 p.p.  The greenhouse (with coffee/tea) is only open 10-11 March, see below.
Groups at least 8 pers. by appointment. Entrance € 4,50 www.facebook.com/pastorietuineasterein
Tsjerkebourren 1, Easterein. Enrance at Stittenserleane.
Members Nederlandse Tuinenstichting free entry when the membership card is shown.
The Rectory itself is not open for public. N.B. No restrooms available.

Events March:

Pastorietuin Easterein. The weekend 10-11 March the garden and the greenhouse are open from 12 to 5 17 pm. Entrance € 4,50 p.p. incl coffee/tea and cake.
Sunday 4 March the garden is open from 12 to 5 pm. Entrance this Sunday: € 2,50 p.p.  The greenhouse (with coffee/tea) is only open in March, see below.
Groups at least 8 pers. by appointment. Entrance € 4,50 www.facebook.com/pastorietuineasterein
Tsjerkebourren 1, Easterein. Enrance at Stittenserleane.
Members Nederlandse Tuinenstichting free entry when the membership card is shown.
The Rectory itself is not open for public. N.B. No restrooms available.

Events April:

Dekema State Jelsum. Museum weekend 14 and 15 April. Spring Fair 28 April: with a Stinzenplants search map you make a tour during these events. For prices, opening times and activities see the website. www.dekemastate.nl

Martenastate Koarnjum. Freely accessible. (www.martenastate.nl) Activities in the context of Leeuwarden-Fryslân 2018: Grien Festival, start Easter Monday 2 April, will last until 15 April. And further: excursions and courses Nature Photography Stinzenflora. For dates, prices and registration see the website http://www.martenastate.nl and It Fryske Gea. http://www.itfryskegea.nl/eropuit

Schierstins Feanwâlden. Museum weekend 14 en 15 April. Tours in the garden and the building. For prices, opening times and activities see the website. www.schierstins.nl 

Frisian horse-drawn tram in front of Stinze Stiens.

Frisian horse-drawn tram in front of Stinze Stiens.

Stinze Stiens, Martenastate (Koarnjum), Dekema State (Jelsum).  7 April 2018 ‘StinzenFloraTour’ with the Frisian horse-drawn tram in a fully arranged experience package.
Program:
A warm welcome with coffee and ‘Frisian orange cake’ at Pakhûs SOLO in Stiens. Here begins the StinzenFloraTour with a ‘chat’ about the cultural-historical background of the Stinzenplants and information about the garden at the Doctors house designed by the 19th century garden architect Gerrit Vlaskamp, followed by a walk through the garden. The journey continues with the horse tram to the Martenastate estate in Koarnjum where a walk through the park,  richly filled with Stinzenflora, with an expert guide. At the Túnmanswente a Frysian lunch is ready. At Dekema State in Jelsum, a centuries-old ‘State’ with beautiful garden and forest, the garden manager will be the tour guide. Tea/coffee at the tea house in the end. The horse-drawn tram will take you back to the starting location in Stiens in the afternoon. Costs all included: € 49.50 per person.

Reservations are necessary and can be done up to April 4 via https://stinze-stiens.nl/agenda/

Announcements:

New tourist brochure 'Stinzenflora in Friesland'

New tourist brochure ‘Stinzenflora in Friesland’

Tourist brochure ‘Stinzenflora in Friesland’: For everyone who wants to go out in the spring, a new handy brochure ‘Stinzenflora in Friesland’ is also available at the tourist centers and affiliated organizations (VVV’s and TIP’s). It was developed in cooperation of the participants in the Stinzenflora-monitor and the tourist organizations Uytland / Destination Noardwest and the regions De Greidhoeke and Noardlike Fryske Wâlden. The folder provides information in Dutch and English and shows which locations are real thriving hotspots in Friesland.

App Stinzenflora (only for Android):The organization Nature2U has independently developed an app (only for Android) with information about Stinzenflora. In this Stinzenflora app all Dutch Stinzenplants and companions are described with country of origin and details. The app is composed with Stinzenplant specialist Heilien Tonckens and nature photographer Wil Leurs, supplemented with some photos of waarneming.nl . The plants are easy to find with flower color and shape or for florists by family classifying. In addition, there are also overviews of the Stinzenflora of the Vecht region and Friesland.
More information via www.nature2U.nl

The Pastorietuin ‘De Weem’ in Warffum (Groningen) wrote a ‘blog’ on this website last year in the MANAGEMENT section. De Weem reports us: Snowdrops open garden: 10-11 March 12.00 – 5.00 pm., Free access. Address: Grietha and Mijnard Scheers, Pastorieweg 24, 9989 BM Warffum (province of Groningen). g.e.scheers@hetnet.nl. (+31 0595 42 23 63)

For centuries, many varieties of Stinzenplants have been growing in this garden of 7,000 square meters: Winter akonite, Snowdrop, Bulbous Corydalis, Bird in a Bush, Squills, various types of Lords-and-Ladies, Salomon’s seal, Wild tulip and Star-of-Bethlehem. Due to the massive growth of the Stinzenplants, only the shell paths are used.

* Subject to change. Always consult the websites of the participants for the latest information.