GARDENING AND TREE-PLANTING 



F. BORGESEN. 



WHEN \ve look back to what is written in Ihe older literature, 

 e. g. by Laiidt^ regarding the condition of gardening in the 

 Færoes, it cannot be denied that considerable progress has been 

 made during the past century and that interest for horticuHure and 

 planting has been greatly awakened, especially in recent years. 



So late even as 1867 when Rostrup visited the islands, the 

 interest taken in gardening was hardly worth mentioning. After 

 describing the Angelica-gar(\ens in which the Færoese cultivate 

 their favourite plant, Angelica Archongelica , Rostrup continues 

 (1. c. p. 12): »It is only at a few piaces, chiefly in Thorshavn and 

 round manses, that gardens are found with other kinds of herbs and 

 also with shrubs and small trees, which however do not succeed in 

 growing higher than the sheltering stone-wall or other fence which 

 serves as protection. The trees that thrive best are various species 

 of willow (SalLv pentandra, nigricans, alba and viminalis), maple 

 (Acer pseudoplataniis) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia and hijbrida), 

 old and sturdy specimens of which were found especially in the 

 Governor's garden in Thorshavn.« 



As evidence of what care and attention can do in the way of 

 horticulture, Rostrup speaks further of the garden laid out by the 

 catholic priest Bauer outside Thorshavn, in which a wealth of 

 small trees and shrubs etc. was found. 



As mentioned, however, considerable interest for gardening 

 has begun to show itself in later years and several pretty, small 

 gardens can now be found round the houses in most of the villages. 



^ Landt, Jørgen, Forsøg til en Beskrivelse over Færøerne, Kjobenhavn 

 1800. On p. 328 he writes as follows: »Gardening is quite neglected in the Færoes, 

 it is really only the Thorshavn people who stimulated b}' the example of the ma- 

 gistrate and commandant, have become prominent for their ever increasing gardens 

 especially in recent years. In the country, on the other band, a kitchen or vege- 

 table garden is seldoni seen, e.xcept some belonging to clergymen.« 



Botany of tlie Færoes. 66 



