America is in many ways a fantastic country. Having just returned to Europe again from one of the many journeys I have made there, I am filled with new impressions of people, gardens, roses and other plants and new ideas.
One thing I really like about being in America is the greater sun intensity. The sun intensity is so much stronger than here in Northern Europe. In fact even the Northern
US states are on latitudes low enough to give them the same sun intensity as we experience in Mediterranian areas of Europe. Chicago e.g. is on the same lattitude as Rome in Italy, and the city I live in is on the same lattitude as the Canadian Manitoba province. For gardeners there are so many climate zones and different climate conditions that present many challenges to gardeners. Also over here the climate conditions are very different. Most of the UK gets 3 times as much rain as we gets here in Denmark, and with their mild winters they can grow plants that are hardy to USDA zone 8 or even 9 in southern parts of the country. Even tropical plants that would never have fighting chance here, where winters are so much colder.
The Greater sun intensity makes most plant grow to sizes I can only dream about over here. Roses are no exceptions! Most roses are at least twice as big as roses growing here. It is not unusual to see Hybrid Teas becoming 5-6 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide in USDA zones 6. Many Austin roses become climbers - I saw a huge specimen of Abraham Darby 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide in Salt Lake City. Because of the greater sunintensity it is important to water more than we have to do over here, otherwise the plants are just going to die. Roses need water, fertilizer and love - as gardeners we can only give too much of the first 2 needs.
I always notice how different the soil are in different places of the USA. Many places have very poor soil that need plenty of ammendments with compost in order for anything to grow well. Unlike the rich black clayish soil we have in many parts of Denmark. Alkaline soil also seems common many places, where the soil over here are mostly acidic and needs addition of limestone flour every 2. or 3 year to raise the PH levels to optimal levels.
People and living conditions are also interesting to study. There is an abyss between different social classes, those who are well educated and those living on very low minimum wages. Everything seems to be regulated and in order to do many kinds of work workers need to be licensed, unlike here. We have almost free access to college education and free health care and great social welfare programs ensuring that all are treated equal, giving our society greater stabilty and greater coherence. We seem to have other priorities over here and the tax system is so different. We e.g. pay 11 dollars for a gallon of gas while most Americans I know moan and groan over the astronomical price of 3.75 dollars for a gallon of gas. Since most people in America are more religious than people over here (40 percent of Americans are regular church goers while only 2 percent go here in Denmark) - I sometimes hear "that the second coming must be near when people gas up their cars".
Religous issues have a great influence on politics in America. Many Americans considers us Europeans "Flaming Liberals" while we are appaled by American social conservatives and their special interest groups preventing America to be anyting but "land of the free and home of the brave". While we see leaders of Mega Churches declaring gays an abomination, while they visit male prostitutes and snort meth when not preaching fire and brimstone and the sanctity of marriage. The most conservative politicians tapping their feet too much in restrooms in airports ... Oh well who am I to say that people on either side of the political spectrum are better than others?
When I was in Iowa in December and January the Iowa Caucus where on, and opening the TV while I was there now would drive every one crazy watching the political frenzy and mudslinging between Obama and Mcain. Here Election campains run 2-3 weeks and we vote and move on. I also watched the financial meltdown on wallstreet. It did not take much financial insight to see this coming: In March I asked on the Hot Topics on GW forums: Is the American Economy Collapsing? In hindsight I hate to be right on the money. I have great sympathy for my American friends and what they must endure the next few weeks, while the election campaign turn really nasty. At least we gardeners are able to escape the insanity and find peace for a while in our gardens. Planting the spring flowering bulbs and new roses soon to arriwe show that we still have faith and hope for the future.
During the next weeks I will post pictures of some of the great gardens and roses I saw In Salt Lake City. It´s good to be back!
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14 comments:
It's good to see you back too, you were missed. I look forward to seeing the gardens you visited through your eyes.
Best Wishes,
Zoë
These international comparisons are always interesting, especially written by common people, not by often a bit profesionally deformed reporters. I´m already looking forward to reading your next posts from America!
Niels, it's nice to have you back. And very interesting to read your comments on the US--which many of us in the US would agree with, only the media is such that people outside the US wouldn't know it. I did recently see some political comedy shows--Colbert Report, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher--which are becoming quite big, and which address some of these issues. Also there are publications which look at events from this angle. But in mainstream "serious" news, no.
You are quite right about the religious influence in the US. It goes back to Puritan days; a lot of our legal system and social customs are based on it, so even if people aren't Christian or religious, it's still a part of the culture. I don't understand fundamentalist religious madness, I think it has to do with wanting the security of someone to tell you how to live.
It's amazing to me that this country still has a myth of being a "classless society". It's been clear to me since I was a child that that isn't so, and I think it's clear to everyone who isn't wealthy!
Very interesting also to hear your comments on US gardens v. those in Denmark. A surprise to know that Chicago is the same latitude as Rome, since the weather's very different! It is true that desert areas have alkaline soils, but much of the soil in the US is acid. It just depends where you are (and it can change very quickly from one location to another).
I'll look forward to more of your views of the US, and hopefully of your own garden, too.
Niels, I also welcomed your comments on impressions of visiting here. The US is a mystery even to the US. I sometimes recall CG Jung's very apt statement dealing with organisms in general:
"The larger the organization, the more dinosaur-like its brain".
Unfortunately, this is where we, as a people, find ourselves. Dealing with a regressive urge for times which actually never existed, we lurch around between emotions here, looking for relevance by being aggressive and then wondering why we are perceived as such a militaristic culture at the same time.
The lack of international input is the signal factor in much of our behavior, combined with our great size and fabulous resources and natural beauty. There is more than enough here to captivate the locals and the wider world simply does not appeal to everyone. The politicians can be relied on to cater to these sorts of "lowest common denominator" impulses to the world's detriment. But, of course, no one here will get that.
It can be depressing, being a thinking person in the US, the truth is. There is a crushing anti-intellectual spirit which fancies itself somehow "free" - but it does not have the intellectual power to begin with to actually achieve anything other than an after effect of the concept. As a lover of people, I combat it as often as I can, in whatever way is available. Being informed may be the single hardest task known to Americans....there is often so little incentive.
Anyway.......enough of this, lol. Let's garden!
When I saw the armies ranged on the battlefield in the movie "Cromwell" (starring Richard Harris in the title role) with the motley crew of puritans with their placards, proclaiming that the end was nigh, I thought: those crazies are the ones who settled America! And they're still here and as crazy as ever (and some are in my own family, I guess).
I was talking to my DH and I remarked how strange that the most progressive countries now are Lutheran, and he answered that in his impression a lot of the social progress in Scandinavia is because of reaction to Lutherism, rather than Lutheranism itself. I can only hope something like that will ultimately happen here.
Not that I am knocking religion, per se -- one of my favorite films is "Italian for Beginners" -- made possible by that wonderful system of adult education that you have there. Thanks Bishop Grundtvig!
We will always have roses, along with the thorns of life. -- Monarda
I look forward to seeing the Salt lake area gardens!
The city is in a magnifivent situation against the mountains.
I have enjoyed my trips to Denmark, and it is true that the light is different. I loved all the bicycles everywhere and the Kolonihaver.
Regards,
Philip
Welcome home. Missed your posts while you were traveling.
I am glad that I stumbled on your blog. I have always been interested by what people from outside of the USA have to say about our country. My ancestors came to Virginia in 1612, not for religous reasons, but for the other great American persuit - to make money, whatever way possible. I hope your visits here have shown you there are many different Americas that occasionally come together as one.
I just discovered your blog, and for what a read, I can tell we're kindred spirits in our love for roses.... is so nice meeting you. Come visit me at The House in the Roses... :)
Cielo
Travel abroad is so thought provoking. It makes you see both the good and the bad of governments. I'm sure you got to see some "real white trash," which is very prevalent here and amazingly not in Europe, aside from Gypsies. I'm not a religious person and I do not believe in the same things that the minority rulers do. In France, especially, I received almost hostile criticism of how Americans could vote for Bush, even though I think the same thing. I was shocked when he won the first time and then again worse the second time. Bush is only at 20% approval, it's time the republicans get out before there is nothing left for them to squander. BTW, the childish fighting that is the American presidential campaign drives me so crazy that I only watch the sports network now!
Glad you're home, and apparently somewhat less sad than before. I also suffered a loss recently, (a death in the family in my case) and my heart goes out to you.
Thoroughly enjoyed your comments on the US, with which I heartily agree, like most of the other Americans who commented here. I've taught first-year college students much of my life, and they're slways astonished when I tell them that this is the only first-world country that bothers with debates about evolution or even, (am I right about this one?) abortion. It's insane. In Japan, a woman can get an abortion easily, and then, if she wants to, she can hold a funeral for the foetus. I love that acceptance that feelings can be complicated, that not everything requires or deserves a simple yes/no position.
--Kate
Welcome back! Looking forward to all the nice garden pictures you have in-store for us. Sounds like you had a refreshing and interesting time.
Very interesting topic and discussion (since I'm not only interested in gardening but also politics). I've only visited the states once in my life and I noticed all those differences.
Regarding abortion the debate is still going on here in Europe too (well, it's forbidden in Ireland).
Very interesting to read about the climate too. I'm looking forward to your pics and hope that you are back soon.
Karin
Hi Niels,
It was interesting to read your impressions about the U.S. I think we don't get the perspective of others outside the U.S. enough. I have a dear Canadian friend and it's always been great to hear his take on our economy, crime, overpopulation and politics. Thanks for reporting about your trip. I hope you write more on the subject.
Enjoying your blog,
Cindy (www.cindydyer.wordpress.com)
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