Sweden has a very short growing season, but you'd never know it from a visit to Rosendals Trädgård in central Stockholm, an organic public garden where the vegetables are flourishing, the flowers are beautiful, and as Garrison Keillor might put it, the gift shop items are all above average.

Rare plants, including specimens of every type of tree that grows in Sweden, are on display in central Stockholm's Rosendal's Garden; once the home of a king, it has since the 1700s boasted one of the country's most varied collections of unusual plants. The coffee in the cafe is pretty good too:

Above: Cold frames outside a greenhouse give seedlings a fighting chance in a northern climate. Image by Fundera Gront, via Flickriver.

Above: Translation: "shop." Image by Tilmannf, via Flickr.

Above: Inside the garden's shop, colorful glass bud vases. Image by Irene, via Flickr.

Above In the garden's gift shop, seeds for sale, including peas; instructions included. Image by Maurice Flower, via Flickr.

Above: The harvest from the garden's organic vegetable beds is for sale, as well. image by Markus Renstrom, via Flickr.

Above: Seasonal bounty. Image by Danny, via Flickr.

Above: Tiny topiaries and birdhouses. Image by Karin Eriksson, via Flickr.

Above: The cafe's menu changes seasonally, with the harvest. Image by Tessarian, via Flickr.

Above: Image by Tracing the Flow, via Flickr.

Above: Image by Tracing the Flow, via Flickr.

Above: Beds of cutting flowers. Image by Antoine Belaieff, via Flickr.