Walking to the Summer Garden where they drank vodka on the Fontanka

Chizhik-Pyzhik, where’ve you been?

I’ve been drinking vodka on the Fontanka

– Russian folk song

When you go on a canal cruise in St. Petersburg, they usually take you down the Fontanka River alongside the Summer Garden. 

And they teach you this little rhyme, related to the yellow feathers of the siskin bird that matched the colours of the uniform of the students of the School of Jurisprudence nearby who used to drink in a pub on the river:

Chizhik-Pyzhik (little bird) where’ve you been?

I’ve been drinking vodka on the Fontanka.

Our walk to the Summer Garden was very pleasant. I always like to think of the music of Frederick Delius, particularly his lovely tune, Walk to the Paradise Garden, when I am walking to any garden.

It seemed especially appropriate as we meandered through the quiet back streets of St. Petersburg on our way to the Summer Garden, built for Peter the Great in 1704.

On the way to the garden, we passed the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, a spectacular onion-domed building with some dazzling mosaics inside, depicting various biblical scenes.

We stopped for a quick look, then continued on our way to the Summer Garden.

Dutch and French landscape and architectural experts worked to design the garden, which is a simple arrangement of parterres and neatly intersecting avenues lined by clipped linden trees.

It is really just a simple woodland garden with tall trees, closely planted  to create relaxing shade.

The idea was to create a space that would provide a cool, restful place to hang out on a hot day in summer.

The garden contains a series of fountains, elegantly spaced in a line to punctuate the junctions of the slicing avenues that shoot off left and right. 

The garden also contains a beautiful lime tunnel, one of the longest green foliage tunnels I’ve ever seen, longer, I think, than even the tunnel at Hampton Court.

Statues and sculptural works, some dating back to the 18th century, add interest. Some have been tucked into niches and framed by green leaves while others have been been placed to anchor entrances to new sections with fountains. 

It’s hard to make out exactly what each statues means, although some are labelled and appear to represent virtues, such as truth and sincerity.

Puskin is said to have liked this garden and used it as the setting for scenes in his novel Eugene Onegin.

Today, the Summer Garden is regarded as one of the most romantic places in St. Petersburg.

We found it very peaceful and relaxing and a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

The garden is well maintained and safe to walk in and there are tea houses where you can enjoy a quiet break from walking as well as a pleasant time just sitting and looking out at activity on the Fontanka. 

The garden is separated from the main street by a beautiful black wrought iron fence with golden highlights.

It’s best to walk back into town along backstreets as the more direct route along the Neva is far too noisy with rushing traffic.

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