Ideas and Travelling

         The Burtseva Gora (Burtsev’s Upland, The Earth Bank) is situated in the centre of modern Roslavl on the right bank of the river Stanovka. The height above the river achieves 15-18 metres in the north and it decreases till 10 metres high in the south. The area on the hill is oval; it occupies 160 metres long from north to south and 110-120 metres from east to west. An 8-metre ditch surrounds the upland in the north, west and south. The hill is fortified by a bank of earth which is 6,5 metres high.    In the year of 1137 Knyaz Rostislav Mstislavich Smolensky founded Roslavl (the original name was Rostislavl), the upland served to be the best place for a future fortification where the knyaz had a residence.   As a result, the place became one of the centres of power and money. The Town Earth Bank of XII-XVI centuries represented a boundary fortress of Smolensk princedom; later on it was already a fortress of the Russian Empire. At first there were only wooden buildin

Travelling around Central Russia you may unconsciously notice that more and more beautiful orchids are stood out on the windows-sills of Russian dwellers.   Is it a new trend of home horticulture? If it is so, let’s decide whether it is easy enough to be a gardener growing Phalaenopsis at home. After a few lovely long talks with devoted housewives I came to conclusion that “Phals” are ‘easy’ to handle. Just follow a few basic requirements and these gorgeous flowers will reward you with nearly 6 months of blooming. “Easy” WATERING The best time for watering is in the morning. If your orchid is potted in bark, water it once a week. If it is potted in moss, then water it when the top feels dry. However, if it grows in a transparent plastic pot, you can easily immerse it into a bigger bowl with water till the roots become green. It is also should be done weekly. Mind the temperature of the water you use. It should be neither too hot, nor too cold. Right, it m