Category Archives: Gardening

Jun14

The Oslo Botanical Gardens

Posted on June 14, 2024 by perfectusvarrus

Wednesday, 22-May-2024

My first day in Oslo, I wandered.

My goal was the Oslo Natural History Museum, or the Naturhistorisk museum in the Norwegian parlance, but I wasn’t locked into getting there in any rush. Oslo was still new to me, and I was enjoying the opportunity to wander.

I’d had a coffee, sandwich, and smoothie earlier in the day and was feeling well fortified, so I set up directions on my phone, grabbed my satchel, and headed out the door.

Nearly to the museum, I realized that it was guarded by one of the most effective barriers in existence against a member of my family… a garden. An expansive garden, full of beautiful flowers and interesting greenhouses. Those clever devils, they knew how to distract me from my destination! How was our hero going to get past this blockade??

I mean, I wasn’t in a rush.

I got past the cleverly-placed blockade simply by walking something like 5 miles, wandering into every corner of the gardens that I could find. Through outdoor pathways, paved and gravel, I wandered and appreciated the views and the smells. Through greenhouses, I ogled massive lily pads and sweat in the heat of a simulated Arizona desert. I saw a pineapple, and the biggest pitchers I’ve ever seen on a pitcher plant.

It was awesome.

I even found a cool “Viking longship” educational sculpture!

Oct8

A late summer garden

Posted on October 8, 2023 by perfectusvarrus

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Late August and early September, 2023

Just a quick post here, but one that I’m quite proud of – the final stage of my balcony garden!

It’s been going strong all summer, growing by leaps and bounds in the hot weather and drinking up a frankly impressive amount of water throughout the heat and sun. The hops have grown crazy, and I’ve frankly kind of given up on trellising them in any meaningful semblance of order – they grow wild now, searching and clawing around the beams and each other.

It’s beautiful, though, getting to see how big they’ve all grown. The spiderplants are huge and verdant, with gloriously deep green leaves. The hanging pot is already on its second stage of growth, and some of the flowers have already bloomed, died, and are now blooming again.

I adore gardens and growing things.

Aug14

Photography, Lavender, and dogs!

Posted on August 14, 2023 by perfectusvarrus

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Saturday and Sunday – 07-July-2023 and 08-July-2023

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to do volunteer work! When Jess asked if I’d be up for helping out with a fundraiser for a dog rescue group… well, even if I’d been doing tons of volunteering, I’d be jumping at the chance to work with dogs and photographers!

Now, to be clear – I wasn’t the photographer on this event. Nor was the event for the dogs at the shelter – instead, people brought their own dogs, and paid to have portraits taken of said pups by a professional photographer.

What did I do, you ask?

Well… I manned the main booth, helped keep arrivals placated and in order, and… yeah, that was it. I mean, I also got to play with a ton of dogs and watch a professional photographer at work. I probably should have led with those. They were absolutely awesome!

Both days (Saturday and Sunday) were at the same spot – a lavender farm a bit North of my apartment, who asked that they not be named as it’s a private farm that (supposedly) was once overrun by entitled Instagrammers who kept destroying the crops.

Kind of disappointing, but also kind of unsurprising, unfortunately.

Anyways, it was awesome. We hung out, photos got taken, and dogs were played with. It was awesome – and afterward, Jess and I had awesome meals!

Both days (Saturday and Sunday) were at the same spot – a lavender farm a bit North of my apartment, who asked that they not be named as it’s a private farm that (supposedly) was once overrun by entitled Instagrammers who kept destroying the crops.

Kind of disappointing, but also kind of unsurprising, unfortunately.

Anyways, it was awesome. We hung out, photos got taken, and dogs were played with. It was awesome – and afterward, Jess and I had awesome meals!