The Traveling Plant: Preparatory Logbook

Gabrielė Sankalaitė

Sometimes magical (yet often wet) getaway for human-indifferent plants

Vilnius, Lithuania
Curator, Unbore

Wetlands, marshes, forest floor covered in damp moss, heavy morning dew, winding riverbanks, lakes and underground springs – Lithuanian landscape is dominated by water in all its forms. As if it wasn’t enough, the land is regularly drenched by rain and snowfall, leading some to believe that the country’s name – Lietuva – derives from ‘lietus’ meaning rain. It is a lily’s paradise, but succulents and cactuses may find it challenging to stay outside unless they take a ferry to the Curonian Spit – a sand dune peninsula at the Baltic Sea.
The best time to travel is June, when you can catch a pagan midsummer celebration. Try ending up in a wreath and travelling down the river current or help search for the mythical blooming fern. If you are not too much into human rites, finding human-free peace and quiet is more than probable – the country is very scarcely inhabited. Yet, you may run into wild herbivore animals such as moose and wood bison, whose presence can be equally imposing. Very deep into the forest, you may encounter magical deities such as Ievaras, the guardian of plants, or Rūgutis, a deity of fermentation, so pay attention not to go out in bubbles!