Garden – Jiří Papoušek

Since the last conference in Průhonice, enormous progress has been seen in Jiří Papoušek’s garden in Roztoky u Prahy. The street front has a completed long limestone crevice garden with cutely planted narrow joints. The limestone used represents the charm of the Bohemian Karst. There are no tall rock plants, everything is proportional and well balanced. The rock garden has the right bow from the scorching sun and reed shading on the fencing. The assortment of rock plants is unusual, noble and growing with decent speed. Jiří Papoušek has the courage to start new projects all the time. At the entrance to the street, a thick travertine (tuff) covered outcrop was created, where there is a new irrigation system. A novelty is the carved watering holes, where the master of rock plants pours water into the stones with a small watering can. The outcrop is sheltered against winter and storm rains. The side of the house offers a long tunnel with a draught effect, where there are collections of hybrids of Primula allionii, small daphnes headed by Daphne petraea and Daphne malyana, buns of hybrids of the genus Saxifraga, delicacy hybrid bluebells and botanical bluebells in a well-assembled travertine rock formation. The garden behind the house offers a section with propagated rock plants for sale, a section of slate outcrops with scree-like paths dotted with pasqueflowers and other self-sowing and a higher gravel granite section. Behind it is a small shady grove with peat blocks in the walls, where the smallest shrubs such as Cassiope, Rhodothamnus, Azalea and also small Kalmia come into play.

To make matters even better, behind the house there is an alpine house with a counter for cultivars of the genus Dionysia and selected rock plants in burnt pots. The latest innovation is the construction of a circular sinkhole with walls made of peat blocks, where Japanese miniature rock plants that are demanding on air humidity could thrive. The rest of the garden is a large playground for the grandchildren and a nice swimming pool.

It is an admirable hobby blessed by his exemplary beloved wife Ludmila.