The Pull of Sweden

Hibiscus flower from my backyard.

Image from an old postcard of the "Village Green" or now called the park in Bishop Hill, Illinois. Bishop Hill was founded as a religious commune by Swedish settlers and has retained many of the original buildings, historical significance and charm. Currently home to several hundred citizens, it is also a tourist destination worthy of visiting.

I live just a few miles from Bishop Hill. Our home has the Swedish architecture of it's builder and original owner, Edwin Hedllund. Edwin was the son of original Bishop Hill settler, Peter Hedlund. Our house was built around 1897. The barn on this property (torn down by the owner a few years ago) was a part of the tens of thousands of acres farmed by the original colony.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Formal and royal gardens in Sweden have one very distinct design element in common - they use the beautiful sea waters as a frame for their design. And although we do not have the crystal blue sea as a backdrop, we can still bring a little bit of the Swedish design to our landscape.

Many flowers that grow in North America also grow in Sweden. The best way to design a Swedish garden is to make it as open as possible, with minimal walls of hedges and flowering bushes, which the latter should be planted separately instead of together.

Below are some common flowers found in gardens growing in Sweden:

• Twinflower (Linnea): This flower is shaped like a pale pink bell and grows on delicate stems found in the woodlands. The flower is so named because two flowers grow per stem. Many of these will also appear in garden boxes of Swedish homes, along with forget-me-not, another common flower. Hardy to Zone 3.
• Hibiscus: This flower is native to the Caribbean but curiously enough will grow in colder climates. Flower colors range from red to pink, white, and yellow. Includes both annual and perennial plants, bushes and trees.
• Hoya: This plant/vine is easy to grow and has fragrant flowers shaped like stars forming clusters on a vine. These look great in baskets hanging from your front porch. Must be taken indoors in the winter in our Zone 5.
• Yellow Lady's Slipper: These flowers grow in the woods, especially swamp and bog areas that are damp year round. An Illinois native perennial, it is currently considered "endangered" in Illinois.
• Salt-marsh Sand Spurrey: Also a native flower of woodlands, this one can be found in Swedish bogs with the tiny pink flowers with yellow centers on succulent stems. Needs damp alkaline, somewhat sandy soil.
• Mountain wintergreen: This can be found in most parts of the United States, which is a low growing shrub that has small white or pink bell shaped flowers on the stems. Prefers cool damp sandy woods, especially under evergreens.
• Forget-Me-Not: Practically everyone has seen a forget-me-not, the tiny little white or soft blue star shaped flowers that grow in patches on the ground of forests and yards. These are easy to grow and will return year after year in the springtime. These will self seed for several years before needing to be replanted.

Swedish royal gardens tend to be laid out in a formal pattern with always the sea as either the backdrop or entrance point. Locally, we can add water features and clean modern statuary. Even their more casual flora are planted in a formal pattern and in groups.

Because of the intermarriages between royalty from England and Sweden, many of the garden influences from the UK are present and practiced in Sweden. The English Cottage Garden is one example. The Baroque design is another.

Swedish design is one of restrained use of both decoration and color. White is often used and an example would be an entire bed of white tulips.

Although not necessarily "Swedish Garden" design, the use of Swedish motifs would include festoons of ribbons, wreath shapes, hearts, sheaves of wheat, and scrolling designs. The diamond, circle, and oval are also frequently seen. Accessories should be kept simple and displayed in an uncluttered manner. Think spare, open, and light -- editing out anything that seems to jumble the look. Wreaths, china, candles, and flowers are important, as are traditional julbocks (straw goats) and rustic painted wooden horses.

Use of current Swedish sculpture and line will draw upon modern clean lines and less upon the country or informal look. Today's Swedish design often uses polished metal, granite or wood (often fir.)

The fact we often read much about the Swedish massage is no coincidence when it comes to design and the benefits a calm garden design can have on the stress level of those who linger or view it's evidence. Bring a little of the local Swedish design into your garden and you may find the massage isn't as important as the "lugn".