2026/25 - El Niño? El Mwah over here!

 After the sudden arrival of Summer during May, with the first heatwave of the year, right now we are having very unstable, too cold weather for this season. I have not been out of my sweaters for a fortnight, and that bloody wind! It tears along my balcony and makes my plants hang on for dear life.

By the way, this week I have an extra blog for you, about the Open Garden Day of historical Brielle. Enjoy it at 2006/25Extra.

Eventhough we've had a lot of rain, I had to water my balcony garden, as that wind had dried out my plants.

This morning the dark grey clouds chased the fluffy white ones so speedily I had to put on my coat just as fast as I had taken it off! But the Lathyrus, tied to the obelisk faithfully by yours truly, is hanging on and producing masses of flowers.

My Victoria rose is looking good, don't you think? She has been moping for years, but finally has started to accept her corner.

My Schneewitchen and Masquerade unfortunately, both having bloomed very well, suddenly developed black spot. I cut them back hard this morning...we'll see if it works.

My lovely garden centre is in the habit of giving away free pot roses, nameless, but I happily receive them and plant them in my gardens. Isn't this one gorgeous? By the looks of it, it is a climber! So I hastily provided it with a frame. It is a bit dwarfed by the Gaura in front of it, but I am sure it will rise above it😊

Another free rose on the right. They come in 3" pots, so repotting is always the first thing I do. In Autumn I will give it a permanent place in one of the large planters, they are full up now. 

Luckily that Clematis and Pandorea are in the lee of the balcony!

The Schneewitchen on the balcony has been blooming for a month now, and is turning from pure white to blush pink in places. This has been whipped by the wind, but it has done her best to hang on.

My veg in the greenhouse is okay. I harvested three large cucumbers, some broccoli, and the tomatoes have some green ones in between all those leaves. I finally pulled out Monster, as it had spent itself. I saved some seed though, as I thought it deserved a place in Hunky Dory next year.

And will you look at that! HAPPY!!! My Cycas is looking good, but I will absolutely take it indoors come October! Monty Don can say a lot, but my baby will get a warm, comfy Winter!

I started out with some pale pink Cranesbill Geraniums 4 years ago, and by now I have three different kinds of pink and for the first time a pure white one. This photo makes it look pinkish, but believe me, it is white. All self-seeded! This is so much fun! I love plants to do their thing, although I did pull out some massive Thistles this morning, who had moved themselves from the neglected plot next door to spots that were rather awkward in my plot. It pained me, Thistles are great for pollinators, but they pricked everyone who walked past my greenhouse.

Back from the grey rain clouds to the fluffy white ones sailing past at great speed.

They promise us proper summery temperatures for the end of this week. Can't wait!

Look up my website at Renée Grashoff Schrijft and have a great week, wherever you are.

Renée Grashoff 

2026/17 - Blooming balcony garden

 After some chilly weeks, the weather turned mild, so I could cheer up my balcony garden with some less hardy annuals.

Every year there simply has to be Lobelia, as I love both the colour blue and the shape of the flowers, Lamiaceae. But I also got some Petunia and some yellow ....Hm, I will have to look up its name. There was no label. They look like yellow Daisies. Anyway, I buy them in a small plug and they grow into a satisfying pot-full within weeks, flowering their little hearts out until late October. As long as you water them, that is. They are thirsty plants.

There they are, in the large planter, in front of the Schneewitchen Rose that is getting its leaves, and together with the Lobelia in the hanging basket.

The other two (reddish) plants in the left planter are Gaura, another favourite of mine.

My Puck is always happy when the weather turns mild enough for the sliding doors to be open all day. She wanders in and out, slobbering water from the tiny pond, and keeping an eye out for other dogs and cats to bark at. She loves a good bark, but she never barks when indoors, which is a thing to be very thankful for. It makes me laugh, for I can see the dogs three floors down in the street look around them bewildered...where is that bark coming from?

The yellow upright plant on the bench is a Daphne, covered in sweet smelling flowers and very attractive to the early bumblebees. We have had three heavy storms lately, and I got up twice in the middle of the night to make certain it would not be blown to smithereens.

Meanwhile in Hunky Dory the first Calendula are enjoying the sun, when it is out. I have sown a new batch, as last years got all eaten by my mouse. These ones next to my mound have sown themselves out from last Summer's.

I told you I had planted quite a lot of various Tulips, right? These ones I have not had before, their stems are quite short, and the flowers very spikey. Hm. I like the colour, but am not sure if I really like that shape. Their name is Tulipa 'Dolls Minuet'. 

The frog pond to the left is unrecognizable by now, almost completely swamped by vegetation. It has a leak, and basically I have given up. Even the torrential rain we've had has not managed to fill it up, it is like carrying water to the sea! So I will leave it to do what it wants to do naturally. The frogs I hoped for have never come, and the salamander that does live there will hopefully migrate to the ditch. Obviously there is a hollow there, so moisture loving plants will like the occasional wet feet. Sometimes you will have to simply give over to nature.

I'll leave you with a view of the town's ramparts near my house. Old Brielle fortress is surrounded by ramparts in a star shape, this is part of the star's leg. It is a lovely place to take a walk, especially now with the yellow Rapeseed. The waterways are the domain of feisty moorhens, blasé blue herons and huge carp, and are covered with large patches of Waterlilies in summer.

Do take a look at my monthly blog about Brielle at Renée Grashoff Schrijft and have a lovely weekend, wherever you are!

Renée Grashoff 

2026/14 - Spring blossoms and early flowers.

 I know, I know, it happens every year...But to me it never gets old! When I walk my dog I enjoy the sight of all the trees and shrubs that have sprung into Spring with abandon.

The tiny white flowers of the Amelanchier, which we call krentenboom, are always the first. The cherries have the reputation for being wonderful, but I think this blossom is just as fine.

By the way, not a blossom tree at all, but look at this Willow. It has put on its spring finery as well. The wild mallards that use this 'sloot' like to fly up to the top of this particular tree, as it has a nice bowl-shaped top, which seems to be custom made for ducks. They made their nest there some years ago.

The Rapeseed under this bank of blossoms is just about to burst into flower as well. And when the Amelanchier has turned green, the Hawthornes which also live on this bank, burst into flower alongside the Cow Parsley. This is my favourite bank near my house, by far!

In Hunky Dory there is slowly some colour creeping in...I have two Broom bushes, the ordinary yellow one, which does very well, and a much more temperamental orange kind. Last year it hardly showed any colour, such a disappointment. But look at the buds on it now! It is very promising, and I will make sure to show you it in all its glory soon.

Next to the frog pond I have planted some Grape Hyacinths I had in pots indoors. They seem happy and are slowly spreading themselves out along the path.

The Wallflowers were some of the very first plants I planted in my garden 4 years ago. I planted 3 together next to my (tiny!) 'mound', and two have given up by now. But this one is still going strong. What I adore about this one is the variation in the colour, not one flower is the same.

Totally different from the one on my balcony, which is very uniform. It was sold to me as Erysimum yellow, well...It is very large, and has taken over the entire trellis planter; but the Clematis that is also in there takes no heed and simply climbs up from behind it.

Talking about the balcony, this Brunnera macr 'White Zebra' is showing her pretty leaves in between the Maroccan Mint. I thought I had lost it to the invasive Mint, but no, thankfully here it is.

And remember this plant? And me moaning about it, how I had lost all the seedlings of it three years in a row? It seems my Erigeron Profusion (Mexcian Fleabane) has taken a shine to this pot, for here it is, her third year in there and wow, covered in new flowers. Mind you, I made the soil in there extra gritty by mixing in sand, and then covered the base of the plant with 3" granite rocks that I stole from the boring ground cover next to my apartment. It seems to have done the trick.

The huge Grape Hyacinths never cease to amaze me. They are a bit later than their ordinary cousins, but when they do finally show colour, they look great, and they last for ages too.

I wouldn't mind this one in Hunky Dory, but my green gut tells me it will not appreciate the heavy clay and icy winds there. 

Despite near freezing temperatures and a storm, the plants I brazenly put much too early in the railing planters are doing fine. All my Pelargoniums have given up the ghost, so I had to get new plants. Oh well, I like a change from time to time. Now I simply hope my yellow Grape, which is against one of the trellis, has survived. The climbing rose Schneewitchen (the other trellis) is looking good, but the Grape looks...dead, frankly. I'll leave it for a bit though. After all it is early days yet.

Okay. Have a good weekend, take a look at my website Renée Grashoff Schrijft or subscribe to my newsletter by leaving me a message. 

Take care,

Renée Grashoff 

2026/11 - Peaceful Pruning

 Suddenly the weather has turned into practically perfect. Lovely! Everyone has started spring cleaning, my neighbourhood echoed with the sound of drills and power saws. All those boys have come out to play with their toys. So I fled to Hunky Dory for some peace and quiet, and for the pruning of my tiny orchard.

I have been brutal! Perhaps a little too brutal...we'll see what happens. The apples are so-so anyway, I cannot ruin much about those trees I inherited from the previous allotmenteer.

But it was great to be able to take off my coat and sweater, and chop for an hour. The birds were chirping away, wonderful.

I put half of the branches on my dwindling woodpile next to the frog pond, and the other half on the compost heap. I know the latter is not ideal, it will take years for those branches to disappear. But I simply have nowhere else to put them. Although...I am contemplating making a dead hedge from them. I do have space underneath my rickety wooden fence. And I know small mammals and birds love those hedges to hide in. Actually, now that I telling you my thoughts, I have decided: a dead hedge is what I will construct!

You know what a dead hedge is, right? No? It is a 'hedge' constructed from cut off branches, by ramming some stakes into the ground (my soil necessitates ramming!). And then you layer the branches in between, so you get a hedge-like structure.

Meanwhile I saw that some of the insects had woken up. A yellow butterfly danced past; they are always the first ones to appear. We  call it citroenvlinder (Gonepteryx rhamni) and for me the sight of it means yes, finally, winter is on its last legs!

But I spotted a few Ladybirds as well, a very welcome sight. I do have to be careful of their larvae though...last summer I turned out to be allergic to their bite/venom. My hand swelled up until it resembled a baseball glove.

Happy, happy. My many daffs make me very happy.

As do these primulas. They are a bit nibbled, but never mind. They brighten up this patch of border until the large swathes of daffs kick in, and the early bees love them.

I planted the tall stemmed variety next to the frog pond, but they have disappeared...You know, if I received a Euro for every plant I put in this garden which has simply disappeared, I would have no money problems anymore!

This Teucrium I took from my balcony to Hunky Dory last October, thinking hey ho, I will see what happens. And wow, not only did it survive those weeks of frost, but it is now starting to flower along with the bulbs! Absolutely fabulous!

 Oh, I do adore a blue sky!  I will have to do something about my greenhouse though...last Summer all my plants scorched in there. So either I will have to paint the windows with chalk, or I will have to put up shading nets. The latter is probably much more expensive.

It being the third day running with temperatures of 16°C yesterday (March 6th), I could not stop myself from clearing the rest of the balcony and putting the railing planters back up. So you can bin the top half of this blog post; sorry.

My wallflower backs me up! "Why wait", it is shouting, "good times are here!"

Just to put me back on my feet, today started misty with 4°C... Oh well.

Every time I look at my cheerful planters, I feel my spirit lift. Puck is happy as well, she knows that the months where she can wander onto the balcony at will are finally here again. Drinking out of the tiny pond, bliss for her, hahaha.

If you'd like to visit my website, here is the link: Renée Grashoff Schrijft

Take care, wherever you are!

Renée Grashoff 

2026/4 - Memories of gardens past.

 Most of us gardeners never forget our previous garden(s). Which is logical; you have spent hours and hours of your life tending and shaping that garden, right? Sometimes you move on to an even better garden, sometimes you reluctantly can't.

Our first garden, 1969, hugely significant, for there I fell in love with green things. Especially with the meadows, where my mother kept goats, whom I adored. And the weeping willows, where a family of screetch owls lived.

She left the upkeep to others...who all accepted my interest with indulgence (and roped me in when nails and gardening tools had to be handed up, etc.) and gave me rides in the wheelbarrow.

This first home in the Dutch countryside, miles from a village, formed me. Eventhough I enjoy visits to cities, before long I need to get out.

My first garden

In 1987 I started my very first garden, on a balcony, so life has gone full circle by now. I again have a balcony garden now, as well as an allotment.

I was very proud of my garden, and quite disappointed when folks came round for drinks and did not even notice my pretty flowers.

The first proper garden

But then! In 1993 hubby and I moved to a corner house in a council row, so we had a front, side and back garden. Oh joy of joys! Hubby threw himself into the hard landscaping, and into keeping ornamental doves, and I spent every free minute shaping my dream garden.

Sorry for the blurry photo, this was pre-computer or mobile phones. But you get the gist of the lay-out.

I am still trying to duplicate the lush greenness of this garden on my allotment, but the soil is very different there, unfortunately.

For example, those Japanese Anemones,  the shining stars of my previous  garden, simply do not do well in my present garden. I keep trying though...as I really like them.

The side garden as seen from the fence. We had just planted a plum tree.

My daughter's rabbit Honing (honey) perched on his 'mount'. He had the run of the garden, and sat for hours on that pile of roofing panes, surveying his kingdom. The dog, cats and doves all respected him, as he was quite feisty.

The greenhouse was a great addition. Finally able to grow proper tomatoes and cucumbers was wonderful.

The last addition we made to that garden was a large pond...and I have no photos of that, unfortunately. Life took an unpredictable turn and I had to leave my old life and this garden behind.

I have no regrets about leaving that house, at all, but the garden...I still dream about that garden regularly.

Present day

I am nothing if not a pragmatist, so my present garden is very different. I try to go with the flow of my allotment garden, and some things work out better than others. The one thing that has not changed, is my love of emersing myself in my plants, both on my balcony and on my plot. I feel happiest when they tower over me...it must be the willows that imprinted on my early youth.

I already have made plans for both balcony and allotment for 2026, that is the sheer fun of gardening, isn't it?

So from Puck and me, a very green, happy weekend!

Do visit my website at Renée Grashoff Schrijft

Bye!

Renée Grashoff