The garden is certainly coming to life. The sun is shining. The birds are singing and we haven’t had any significant rain for a while. Though Monday looks like it’s going to be wet.
Jacaranda tree
The jacaranda hasn’t lost its leaves. Which is a bit of a ‘b’ as we have been waiting to cut it back. It’s too big for where it is. Gorgeous blue flowers. Lovely seed heads/pods. Is it one or the other!
iJasmine buds and flowers
There is jasmine everywhere. The yellow jasmine has been flowering for a while. Pretty but no scent. This one is about to follow by the door and a window. Will get a lovely smell in the sunshine wafting indoors. We have another – jasmine Azoricum which is fab and for me has the best scent.
Freesia
More scented bulbs. I grew freséis last year and they were a great success. Bulbs bought from Peter Nyssen and they have come back as big and as strong this year. Long sturdy stems with gorgeous bejewelled colours. Just as well I have planted a load more.
Citron Buddha hand
The fruit of the citron buddhas hand is looking a bit sad. I need to pick it and use the zest. Good for nothing else. Hardly any fruit or pith. But a definite talking point in the garden. There are a number of flower buds waiting to burst open.
Clivia
I love Clivia but In the uk used it as a house plant. Last year when I visited the Malaga botanical gardens I saw whole beds of them in shade. So the back end of July I bought some for the garden. Yey they are flowering in year 2 again.
A nest of processionary caterpillar!
Not all pretty pretty. I have found two processionary caterpillar nests in the garden. Up in the pine trees. So Monday will be a visit to a man that can.
They need to be removed and I’m not the man for the job.
I love this Agave. We have three in the garden. This one is on the ground and we have two in pots.
The Níspero/loquats are setting. Gorgeous big fat leaves. The fruit don’t travel well and bruise easily. I’m hoping to jam these this year. If I get enough.
I so love the Strelitzia Reginae. This plant is in a pot on the terrace. It has flowered pretty consistently all year. Currently there are seven spikes to flower. Seems to flower better than the ones planted in the ground.
I was first introduced to Clivia by a Blue Peter Gardener as a house plant when in Somerset. I’m now lucky to be growing them in the garden encouraged by seeing them in the Botanical garden in Malaga. The buds just starting to poke through the glossy leaves.
We have a lot of these agaves around the banks and in the garden. These are the largest in a piece of ground we don’t garden and are a pretty decent size.
The Euphorbia Candelabrum is a decent heigh and is planted in a pot. I have had to tie it to railings because it gets blown over in the wind. It’s doing well. Unlike its partner who had its top blown off in the wind.
It’s nearly two years now since we viewed the garden. Sorry. I mean viewed La Casa. Bit of a slip of the tongue there. My second January in the garden. I can’t quite believe how quickly the time has gone but I put it down to losing that hour every time I return to the UK.
What is good is the ability now to look back on last years posts and see where we are now to where we were then. Some things are further ahead. Some are way behind. The Orange blossom is later. It’s only now starting to bud. This time last year it was out.
One or two losses. A couple of mistakes.
We had rains in October and November in 2018 but none in the same period in 2017. The major rain in 2018 was in the Spring.
The one thing that the autumn rain did ( other than a welcome filling of the reservoirs ) was to make bulb planting easier! Last year I needed a pick axe to plant my bulbs. No. I’m serous the ground was that solid. I realised why there was a pick axe in the garage.
But the alliums are all planted. I lie. There are a few I forgot and I’m going to plant them anyway. As they say in Spain. Mañana.
So I’m back a la Casa and there’s work to be done. The weeds won’t weed themselves. The terrace won’t sweep itself and I need to check on what’s doing well. What I need to move and replace. Hopefully not a lot as getting my motivation going at the moment is like kick starting a jumbo jet.
But there will be lists. Ian’s lists for me to do. My lists for me to do. Lists to remind me of the lists.
Casa Verano Eterno
One of the joys of this time of year is the Australian wisteria climbing over the garden entrance. It’s such a fabulous colour and is in full flower now. A pretty vigorous grower, loved by bees and is a welcome sight to greet you as you arrive.
Hardenbergia
I’m going to try one in the garden in London. Typically a conservatory plant in the UK, our garden is quite sheltered and has a bit of a micro climate. So I can but try.
Dodonea
I think I am also going to try and get a dodonea for London as well. Pretty insignificant spring flowers but the leaf colouring is great. Self seeds quite a bit but I’ve had no luck in transplanting them when they have grown big enough to move. But I think worth growing for the colour. Not sure how it will do in a pot. But. Nothing ventured. Nothing gained. It will give some great colour to the garden. Now to find a supplier in the UK.
Almond blossom
I’ve had severe almond blossom envy. Wherever you drive in the campo here you see glorious displays of almond blossom. Masses of gorgeous blossom which has survived the recent high winds. It seems glued on.
There is the white blossom. And the pink one. Now don’t ask me the difference as I don’t know. Other than the colour obviously. Ours is the less showey kind. But still lovely. Still a bit jealous of the neighbours trees though as they have the gorgeous white.
Last year the almond crop was pants. Not a huge crop and it’s a faff to extract the nut and then dry them. But it is worth it to get fresh almonds from the garden. Next job is to crack them open.
Bougainvillea
I have a love/hate relationship with bougainvillea. I love the one my neighbour has in their garden. Draping itself seductively over the wall. I hate ours. Not all the time. This visit there is one lovely flower display. So I look at it and think. Lovely colour. Lovely flower. Yep. You have been let off. You can stay.
But this ones not a great show off of a plant. Which is what I want it to be against the white of the garage wall. We will see. It’s reprieved for now. I have looked at a similar picture for last year. Taken a week earlier and cried. It was better last year.
Golden Mimosa
Talking of envy this golden mimosa is growing in our neighbours garden. We have a couple of mimosa trees on the bank of the florist type. You know the type Small round flower heads full of pollen. A hay fever sufferers nightmare. Last year I thought there was a fire on the bank. Clouds of smoke every now and again wafting in the air. I then realised it was pollen off the mimosa in the wind.
Ours is later than this one but should be flowering in about two to three weeks and is currently full of buds. The trees are tall and spindly and could do with a cut back. So cut back they will after flowering. And after I get a chance to pick some to bring indoors.
Freesia
Two years ago when we were looking for a house here we stayed at a fab B&B. Out walking on the second day we passed a house which had freesias growing in the garden. My parents had a few pots back in the 80’s and I loved the perfume of them.
Every time we walked past these it threw back memories of my parents garden. So I knew I had to have some if we bought a place in Spain. So I did. I planted them for the spring of 2018 and they were amazing. Long stems. Colourful flowers. Amazing scent . What more could you ask for? How about asking for more for 2019 spring. So at the moment I have last years flowering again. Whilst this years are running away with themselves so I will have the scent of them for a while yet.
Colcososia mojito
The leaves may look a bit scraggy but let me tell you. They are amazing. Colocasia mojito. Soft silky leaves. Large leaves. So far so good. I have ordered colocasia black magic for the same bed. That looks gorgeous too.
Foxtail Agave
I love this agave. Foxtail agave – whose flower is said to look like a fox’s tail when it flowers. It was here when we bought the house and as it’s in a pot it’s easy to move around to different places on the terrace. I haven’t told Ian but there’s a massive one down at the garden centre.
Would look great on our terrace. I might have to drop by with him when he arrives next week.
Prickly pear
I have wittered on about this prickly pear all of last year as I was trying to save it. One of two in the garden that I am trying to save from the cochineal fly. The others on the bank are ravaged but I have noticed one today that I may try and keep going.
We have a wood burner here which is unlike any other I have seen. Let alone used. Fitted in the wall all you see is the glass front. Easy to light. It has a built in electric fan run and also heats the main bedroom via a warm air vent. And it works. Very well indeed. We were running out of wood so we had a delivery on Wednesday afternoon. I say we but mean Me as I am here solo for a week. I’m never happier than when we are fully stocked up on logs.
I can now get snowed in ( unlikely) and be warm. But first I had to tidy the garage and beat a path to the log store. Which I did and then opened the window. I have to explain that the window is rarely opened, and I never stand and stare out of the window. But I should. The view up the garden to the terrace is great. Even if I say so myself. Down wind isn’t so shabby either.
No. It’s not rain. This path later in the year will get stained from the jacaranda flowers.Gorgeous blue flowers. When on the tree. A nightmare on the floor. This time of the year it’s bird poo. I can’t remember as many birds in the garden last year. But there are plenty of visitors though largely unseen but you can hear them. Their chatter. And the rustle in the bushes. Well I hope it’s the birds. The horrible tree rat lives in another part of the garden. His favourite past time is chewing the irrigation system.
We have three pine trees on the bank at the side of the house. Gorgeous trees. Great providers of pine cones for starting the wood burner. But at this time of year I’m extra vigilant for the nest of the processionary caterpillars. Nasty little blighters and there is no way I will deal with them. So I find a man that can. And will. And does. For a price.
Strelitzia Reginae
Sometimes there are things that can get boring. Me and strelitzia is one. Every time I come back to la Casa after being away for a few weeks I’m straight out and counting the flower spikes.
The bigger excitement is the sight of flowers on the strelitzia Nicolai. We have two plants in the garden. One has flowers. The other doesn’t. I say flowers plural. Last year there were two but boy they are so lovely. Fingers crossed for this year.
Oh. There are 10 spikes on the various Strelitzia Reginae . In case you wanted to know.
The yellow tree is jacaranda. It’s too big and needs cutting back but the leaves haven’t dropped which is surprising. Usually at this time of year it’s bare so I think it will be another year before we can prune. Last years seeds are everywhere, funny looking things. Almost alien.
Now this may not excite you as much as it does me. But excited I am. The stirrings of the wild orchids on the bank. Not many. But a few and it’s great seeing then coming back again. My neighbour has gorgeous bee orchids. Jealous. Me. Never.
This cape honeysuckle has flowered all year but it is at the back of la Casa and is rarely seen. It’s supposed to be a scrambling plant but where it is it has nothing to scramble over. But it’s healthy and flowering albeit randomly . So if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and it’s attractive to bees and butterflies. So as I don’t have anywhere to move it too and it’s doing no harm it can stay.
It’s been a few days of moving things about to warmer spots. The citron buddhas hand has been moved from a windy corner. Again in a pot it’s easy to move around. It has flowered well. Started to set fruit but then the fruits have gone brown. So I head to my citrus book for answers.
My surprise purchase at the garden centre this week. Hollyhocks. Small plants but I’ve been wanted some since buying the house. Why? There are some lovely plants with gorgeous flowers growing on the road to the house. Which surprised me. One massive plant at the garden centre which grows every year. So I will plant them and see how they do.
I first saw Melianthus major at an open garden in Clapham. Then I saw it in the little gardens I walk through to the station in Peckham. So last year when I saw it for sale here I bought one. I’m pleased to say its doing great.
So I have a few days in the garden before Ian arrives. The irrigation to fix. Stuff I’ve cut back to move. I was cutting back the oleander last night as the sun went down. I always have my phone with me. Especially if I’m working on the bank. So I was lucky to get a snap of the colours of the pine needles on the bank as the sun went down. The needles look like they were on fire.
Oh. I’ve just remembered. I have a couple of plants to go in before Ian arrives! Best get on.
So here we are. About to head off to take our Christmas break. I know I know. Life is one long break for me. But some breaks are special. This is two weeks at La Casa Verano Eterno together. No guests. Christmas day with good friends, a few days in Malaga to see the lights and back up the wiggly road to catch up with more Spanish friends.
Oh. I suspect there will be gardening too. There always is for me. Am I complaining? Hell no.
The decision to have a house in Spain is up there with the best we have ever made along with early retirement.
I’m black and blue from pinching myself. We both love it which is a bonus!
So as we plan for 2019 I’ve had a bit of a reflect on this year. I can’t believe where the year has gone but here I am another year older. Wiser. Heavier.
This has been our first full year in Spain. Full as in 12 months and full as in full on. We have had friends visit, some for the second and third time. Those are the ones who have said it would make sense to leave my toiletries in the cupboard – don’t you think? Which suggests and I hope that there will be more. Visits. Not toiletries.
Not so many trips to the Alhambra this year though, Shame. I think we only went 6 times last year. This years destination of choice was Ronda. Ronda is stunning. The bridge takes your breath away. Well. It does if you walk to halfway down and past the ‘do not pass beyond this point. Or you’ll die ‘. Everyone passed the sign. I didn’t die then but nearly did on the walk back up.
There is a great tapas bar recommended by a friend in Somerset. Fantastic tapas. She said ‘oh you have to go visit the toilet’.
Tapas in Ronda
Now when I was in Paris decades ago I visited a new and popular cafe. I went to the loo. I washed my hands. That part was obvious. The loo was resplendent. Opulent. But I still couldn’t figure it out. Until someone came in and used what I had thought was a water feature. Water cascading down the wall. Well. It wasn’t obvious. This loo had nothing on that. Think airplane loo. Only narrower. Smaller. So tight the door scraped your bottom as you slid the door behind you. Room for you. And you alone. No turning round. Oh. And politically correct. Not – No ladies.
I’d recommend the tapas. But find a toilet before you go. Especially if your female. And breathe in if yur male
Katherine from Oz
With Ooh AlloMrs WebbThe boy’sJohn and Moira
HelenThe Dream teamNewbery & Pullen – what a shocker
There has been Poohgate. Don’t ask. But it’s gone and never to be repeated. I don’t know where we would be without Sergio Fernandes and Victor Ramon.
No not a Spanish flamenco duo but our invaluable Estate agent and plumber who are great friends too. And who got me out of this mess. I wasn’t under there though at times it felt like I was! But I smelt sweeter. Just.
Oh s**t
We did a fantastic road trip through Cordoba, Casares, Toledo, and Salamanca.
We have been in Spain for some major festivals – Semana Santa being pretty spectatcular. a bit spooky but the traditions upheld through the generations and like all Spanish festivals so very family orientated. The daily processions are each and every one different. Different colours. Different traditions. Who doesn’t love a bit of music, marching, costumes and the smell of incense. Oh add tapas paella and vino and it makes for a happy time.
For Noche del Vino – a big event in Cómpeta, although we have missed both the 2017 & 2018 Ferrias.
Semana Santa SalamancaPalm Sunday Salamanca
The amazing World Heritage site of Casares with the beautifully maintained ancient buildings.
Toledo was fascinating and we stayed in the house once owned by the famous flamenco Guitarist Paco De Luca. Of course I had heard of him and his music, hadn’t I? Um. Sorry no. But I have since downloaded a couple of his albums. I can now be found in the kitchen throwing a few shapes. But only if no one is looking.
Spanish flamenco guitarToledo
We saw the magnificent mosque cathedral in Cordoba. The words stunning and awesome are often over used. But sorry. This was awesome and stunning all wrapped up into one. Or two actually as within the building was a cathedral as well. As decorative as the mosque was simple. As bling as the mosque was understated. Symmetrical.
We saw the fabulous patio gardens of Cordoba where they have an annual competition. We were too early for that but we did get a flavour of what they were like. I’m hoping for a visit in 2019 for the patio festival.
Patio Gardens Cordoba
We saw the gardens of the Alcazar which were pretty magnificent. The use of water and the rills as lovely as they are in any of these beautifully maintained gardens. Oh. And entry into the historical sites is so reasonably priced. Suitably so that you don’t mind missing some things as you know that you will be back.
Less to see than at the Alhambra in terms of size and palaces but it’s a definite just for the gardens.
The garden has been a delight. Not so my water bill. But as I once said. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink and I don’t go out with women. So my money goes on my garden. It’s been a huge learning curve for me this Mediterranean garden lark. New plants. New conditions. Watering issues. Tree rats eating the irrigation pipes. Last month making sure I shut the gates around the house. We think we had a wild boar sniffling under the almond trees. I don’t want to wake up and find a boar in the pool. Oh says Ian ‘ there’s often an old bore in there’ thanks Ian. Your humour knows no bounds.
I am yet to see the boar – thou there are signs he/she/they have been visitors to our neighbours too. Somerset was badgers and plenty of water. . Spain is boar and for the most part a distinct lack of it.
The Spanish continues to improve. I’m now allowed to order chicken at the restaurants and not have Ian cringing or the staff laughing at me. Pronunciation is as bad as my SM spelling. I think I’m ordering chicken but a skip of the tongue and I’m ordering a part of the male anatomy. Funny once. Embarrassing thereafter.
In reality we could just stay in the pueblo blanco. It has everything we need. Friends. Restaurants. Cafes. Shopping. Sunshine and for those that follow me on Twitter know i witter about the sunsets. Because they are simply spectacular.
So I head off to spend quality time with Ian, to relax and reflect and plan for 2019. More adventures.
Two nights in Malaga to see the Christmas lights. Malaga is a hidden gem of a place so we can explore as tourists for a few days
Remember Christmas can be stressful. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to be expensive. There is so much pressure to perform. To have the best food. The best presents. Ian and I gave up giving each other Christmas presents 20 years ago. We tend to see things and think Ian/Andrew would like that and buy it. There and then.
The best gift we can all give is the gift of our time. Time to spend with each other. With friends. That costs nothing and the memories that you make are forever. The memories of the continuing Spanish adventure will continue.
Last year we had little or no rain right through Autumn and most of Winter. Until the heavens opened in March. Boy did it rain. But it filled the reservoirs.
We are still in October as I start to write this and the heavens have opened already. For more days than I’d like. Yes. We need rain. For the garden. For the reservoirs. To enable me to plant. Which I have. A lot. But give us a break. It’s been running down the streets. Towns have been flooded. Oh. So has Venice!
The path from the gate
At least the garden looks lush and green. There’s a second flush of some of the flowers. Everything smells fresh and lovely. The birds are singing. So am I. But badly.
After a log hot summer and a dry one it’s wonderful to see the colours again. It’s amazing how quickly things recover.
Second flush of colours
I think that I may need to fleece the banana. Just in case. Usually we don’t get a frost even though we are 650m above sea level. What’s a bigger problem is the wind. It shreds the huge leaves of the strelitzia – but they are huge.
When we first saw the house I loved the lavender path. A curved path leading from the gate to the house and the terrace. The scent and the buzz of the bees sold me the house. Literally. Ian said ‘ you don’t even need to see the house do you?’ You know what. He was pretty much right. But the lavender was a bit woody in parts and I decided to replant at some stage and nearly 18 months later it’s done. 28 new lavender plants. Ordered. Delivered and planted.
Lavender lavender lavender
The planting along the path
The replanted lavender path
As I was having the plants, compost and some feed delivered I was tempted to buy a decent sized cyclad. So I did. Convinced myself that it could form part of Ian’s birthday present. So it’s planted. I didn’t make the silly mistake I made when we first bought the house and ask if the pot was frost proof!
New cyclad
There continues to be colour dotted around the garden with the Lantana which there are three different colours. This one I hacked back as it was ‘if it grows it grows’ If not it’s goodbye. It’s grown.
Lantana
The nispero /loquat is in flower. I thought it was early but I checked with last years photos and it’s roughly a similar time. Nispero are a bit of a messy fruit. Doesn’t travel or store well and this years crop was pretty rubbish.
Nispero
This has been my favourite flower this year. By far. I’d almost given up as they started to flower as I left for two weeks. But they were still flowering when I arrived back and continued through the next three weeks. I suspect they will be over when I get back.
I’m going to order more. The only downside is that the flowers hang down and you don’t easily see the flowers beauty. But boy are they beautiful.
Bessera Elegans – coral drops
The border on the bankI love this border. It’s at the base of the steep slope and is a real mix. Rosemary sits with bottle brush and lantana. With succulents my favourite agave. The foxtail agave. The rosemary is getting woody. Maybe time for replanting but not just yet. Agapanthus seed heads
I bought 10 new agapanthus in the sale at the end of July and have finally planted them. Five in pots to go along the white wall of la Casa. The other five – the white ones planted in a border. I’ll add some alliums to that border. Which reminds me to put it on my list. Bulb planting. Now we have had copious amounts of rain the ground is more workable. Plus we are having some top soil delivered this week. The soil is thin in parts. And poor. I’d like to be thin in parts too. Butbulb planting isn’t my favourite thing to do.
Strelitzia Reginae
I have been staggered at the number of flower spikes the potted strelitzia has given us. It continues with the Autumn flush. There are another 4 spikes growing which will keep us with flowers until beyond Xmas. The ones planted in the garden don’t do so well. There are flower spikes but not as prolific as this one. I have replanted two into a pot. Let’s see how they perform.
I just wish the black/blue and white strelitzia Nicolai would have a second coming. I’ve been told to divide the two we have in the garden. I’m a bit nervous of doing that. I also need to see where they can be planted if I do.
Seed heads of the jacaranda
These seed heads are gorgeous. But the tree is massive and will feature in the pruning exercise to be undertaken in January 2019. It May mean less flowers in 2019 but needs must. It’s just too tall next to the house.
Salvia Leucantha
Pineapple guava fruit
The pineapple guava are getting bigger. Will be some to eat when I return. I’ll let you know if I still like them.
Yes. It’s a citrus. A lemon. Citrus Buddha’s hand. Pretty rubbish for the kitchen if you want juice. As there isn’t any. No pulp either. But a fragrant fruit – a lavender scent with a lemon taste, the pith is used for cooking for drinks and the white pith isn’t bitter. So you can just cut off the fingers and use them in salads. That’s a whole new take on finger food.
A present for us from a friend who was staying for the week. A bit of a talking point already. Not her staying but the plant as you walk into the garden.
Citrus Buddha’s hand
I only went into the garden centre to pick up a couple more lavender to fill in some gaps. Lucky for me there had been a delivery of plants. Come and have a look at what we have says Lorraine Cavannagh the owner. So I did. Delivery no 2 then.
This Colocasia ‘mojito’ was sat there. Waving it’s big silky leaves at me. So I had to. Didn’t I? It’s a beaut and I had the perfect place for it.
Colocasia ‘Mojito’Elephants ears
Busy bee
So I return this week after two weeks in London. There has been rain. Sun. Rain. Colder days and nights. More sun. So it will be interesting to see how the garden has fared.
A new purchase. Citron Buddhas hand. A spooky little lemon! No pulp. No juice. Seedless. But a very fragrant pith. The white pith isn’t bitter so you can just cut it and use it in drinks. Salads. And is traditionally used for candied peel. Smells of violets. Tastes of lemons.
Salvia Leucantha
With a little bit of rain – well a huge amount there is a second flush of flowers in the garden. The Salvia Leucantha is Hibiscus moscheutis flowering again and is a lovely colour. Looks a bit like a caterpillar. Even better with a bee on it.
Colocasia Mojito
I couldn’t resist this at the garden centre this week. Colocasia Mojito elephants ears. The leaves are fantastic. And feel a bit silky. I have found a place in the garden for it already.
Feijoa Pineapple Guava
The pineapple guava are getting bigger. Will be ready to eat next month. A good crop on two small trees.
Hibiscus moscheutis.
The changing colours of the the Hibiscus moscheutis. The flowers were huge this summer. The leaves slowly falling.
Cycad
A new addition to the garden. A new cycad. A bit prickly to pot. Slow growing but a great architectural plant.
Another trip over. Another flight back to old London Town with a visit to Somerset thrown in. So as the song says ‘I’m leaving on a jet plane’. But unlike Peter Paul and Mary. I do know when I will be back again. And next time. Mary will be with me.
My bags are packed and I’m ready to go. Well almost. Tomorrow morning will do. I’ve packed. Honey. Home made fig and ginger jam. Almonds from the trees in the garden. Thin pickings this year. But fresh almonds all the same. A bottle of local sweet wine. A hat. A scarf and socks. With long trousers. I’ve heard it’s a bit of a chilly one back home. No doubt the heating will be on. Despite it not being October.
So. I’ll wind my way down the wiggly road to the airport. Only to return in 14 days time to do it all again. That’s if my case doesn’t get stopped. A few months ago Ian was travelling here from London City airport. . Checked in. Early. He likes to be there about a week before. Sat having breakfast when he hears his name called on the tannoy. Would he return to check in. Well he couldn’t. He was airside. So security had to help. Took him to the desks via the back stairs. They had scanned his case. Could he explain what was in there. Yes. Amongst other things. A large solid glass vase. Tea bags. And solar lights for the garden. Security had been concerned about an abundance of wires. A heavy solid mass and organic matter. So. I hope my honey and almonds go through ok.
As usual I digress. We’ve had some pretty heavy rain here in Spain. Which has meant a second flush of flowers. And helped some continue flowering as they have done all summer. And Summer. It’s been a pretty hot and dry one here.
Bessera Elegans
Back in the summer I heard about these little beauties. I was wittering on twitter and I have no idea how they came up in conversation. Or a picture. But they did. And I wanted them. Yes. Wanted. Not like. Wanted. Could I find them anywhere. Nope. Finally I found some bulbs on Amazon. Not my usual go to place for anything Plant or bulb related. But I did. Ordered some Bessara Elegans. And elegans they are. For weeks I’ve been looking at thin strands growing. And whilst plenty of growth. N flowers. . Then suddenly this happened. Pretty flower buds on fishing rods. Swaying in the wind but two weeks and they haven’t opened. But they will. In the next 14 I’m away. But there will be some when I return. I’ve been reliably informed by one who knows. And the one who pointed me in their direction.
Big Agave
You’ve got to love an agave. Haven’t you? These aren’t technically mine. The first ones line the drive to the house. As you leave the main (?) Road. The second is part of a row opposite the drive up to the house. Pretty big eh? Massive. And spikey.
I have been trying to identify this plant for ages. I think we finally have it cracked. Sesbania punicea. It has a gorgeous pea like flower and the most amazing seed heads. I have seeds and some small Self seeded plants. Bonus. It does get a bit straggly tho. Another one to try on the the dry bank. I’ll not plough the fields but scatter when I’m back.
Gorgeous seed pods
I moved the foxtail agave off the terrace and close to the pool. We inherited it with the house so it is staying put. I love the shape of the leaves. We have two more. One a small one in a Pot for now. Number 2 is much larger and planted at the rear of the house and is looking mighty fine. I’m often to be found hosing it down to clear the debris that sits in the leaves.
The path from the gate is looking fab at the moment The yucca has gone crazy so my October visit will see me cutting away at the trunks and moving the off shoots to the bank. I’ve shaped the Brazilian sky flower which is in its second flush of flower. I’ve fed the bananas. I’m considering wrapping them this winter, not because of frost but wind. We are pretty high up the mountain! The strelitzia Nicolai gets its leaves shredded in the wind and I suspect that the bananas are a bit small to worry about. But I still will.
Well we knew we would get grapes but not as many as we did this year. I have picked some and made some grape and rosemary jelly. Disaster of sorts. It’s not set properly but if you don’t mind it sliding off a piece of cheese then it’s fine. Or in a favourite broccoli and feta recipe. Tasted great though. I am sure I will find other uses for it too.
Lantana
This Lantana is growing horizontally across the terrace. There are three in the garden and all are different colours. A long flowering plant with berries after flowering which takes a hard cut back.
This has only been in a month or two but is well on its way. Ian was unimpressed with the speed of growth on the other two bananas I had planted and when this one was in the sale at the garden centre and he wasn’t with me I decided that I would plant and see if he noticed when he was here. He did. Straight away. And loves it.
Durante Repens
The Brazilian Sky flower is such a pretty plant. The colour of the flowers remind me a bit like the indoor African violets that sat on the windowsill of my parents house. This is the second flush of flower. But like a lot of the plants this year the flowering has been a bit haphazard. I’m not sure if it was the heavy spring rain which was welcome on a number of levels. Or the unusually cold snap that lasted a little too long but the flowering on some plants hasn’t been great. Good. But not great. I have shaped the larger of the two to reduce a bit of height and to get some flowers lower down. something needed on the Oleander too.
Pineapple Guava – Feijoa sellowiana
I had never heard of pineapple guava let alone seen or tasted one before we had this garden. A gorgeous flower starts the process and I would grow them just for the flower alone. They are so pretty. The fruits take a while to ripen and will be ready when they drop off the tree. Ive said it before but one friend who was here last year likened the taste to germolene. I don’t agree. I don’t love them but will eat them,
Swiss Cheese Plant
Listening to Andrew O’Brien’s new podcast got me in a a conversation with him regarding the Swiss Cheese plant. Now I have to admit. I’m not a lover of indoor plants. The cats have a love hate relationship with any that I have had and Ians love of a tropically heated house has not worked with them either. So we generally don’t have any. But we do have a Swiss cheese plant in the garden here in Spain. Do I like it? Not a lot but it’s healthy and I will see how it goes.
There are also two what we called “money plants” dotted in the border. I don’t know what the horticultural name is but then again I am still calling coleus coleus and monbretia monbretia.
The Botanical gardens in Malaga have some whoppers growing there along with some glorious beds of Clivia.
The strelitzia is starting to have a second flush of flowers. The ones planted in the garden don’t do as well as the ones in the pot so my mission is to move some into pots for the terrace and see if they flower better. I have yet to tell Ian we need more pots. The hibiscus has been such a fabulous colour and has had more and more flower buds on it as I left.
The weather is cooling over the next few weeks so the need for irrigation and watering reduces. Thankfully in terms of time and cost. Water is a precious commodity, over the summer we regularly have the water shut downs but thankfully we have a huge water deposit to fall back on. One day I’ll understand how it all works.
Seed pods of the Stephanotis
There’s been an explosion. The seed pod on the stephanotis is pretty amazing. An explosion of cotton wool like matter. I’d tell you if it felt like cotton wool but I’m cotton wool phobic. I have to ask Ian to take it out of pill bottles. I can’t stand the feeling. We only get one seed pod each year on the stephanotis which is outside and has flowered for months. I think it needs a good feed and a larger pot for next year. Oh. Another pot to add to the list.
It’s not been all gardening. To be honest and I don’t know why but I have struggled in the garden in September. Yes its been hot. Yes I have been lazy. But the main reason is that I have been bitten to death. It’s no fun gardening in 30* heat in jogging bottoms long sleeved thick t shirts and a hat. And still they bite me. At least i know I’m attractive to something.
So I have been out and about in the Pueblo Blanco.
I head back next week for a longer trip. I have arranged to have the almond trees pruned. I have picked the slim pickings this year and I have brought them home with the intention of honey roasting them. Local Competa honey to add to it.
I have also arranged for someone to look at the general cutting back for January and for some cutting back of the large jacaranda. I have a friend coming to stay in November and I am yet to tell him about a delivery of top soil which will need to be wheelbarrowed from the drive and put over the garden.
Oh. I have also ordered two dozen large lavender plants to replace the lavender path. I have tried cutting back and shaping but I think its time for new. I was going to do one side this year one next, But I have bitten the bullet and decided that its best to do both sides and try and get it even now. The next few months are good to plant to get the plants established ready for the heat and the drought that will inevitably come next year.
But back in the UK I will be planning tulip pots which should arrive when I’m back!
Can there be too much of a good thing where flowers are concerned? Can you suffer from dahlia overload?
It may seem like that this summer for me. I love them. But sadly through the beast of the east and two seasons of neglect in our Somerset garden I had none of my own. Previously I had a lot which I boldly left in the ground. Year on year. But this year the weather and my inability to manage the garden beat me. I then beat myself for the neglect. But a new project and a new house and garden has been all consuming. But you already know that.
I have therefore had to rely on the generosity of other peoples gardens for my dahlia fix. Oh. And what a fix it has been. There have been open gardens – Jack Wallington and Alex and Joe ( The Gardening guys ). There has been Common Farm. And Instagram and twitter. A quiet start to the dahlia season and then. Boom. They were everywhere.
Well not everywhere obviously because there weren’t any in my garden. At all. Some people also struggled. Later blooms. Smaller flowers.
Yet look at his one. A big fat dinner plate dahlia as big as my head. Taken at Jack Wallington and Christopher Anderson’s open garden last weekend. Emory Paul. A dahlia I recall seeing at RHS Chatsworth last year and thinking. Blinky blonky blimey. Look at the size of that. Which I did and thought I want – no says Ian I think you mean you would like. Which I do and I will next year. Even if its just the one in a big pot on the terrace in Spain. It’s magnificent. But truth be told its never just the one. Never just the one plant. Never just the one trip. Never just the one bar of chocolate.
Jack and Chris opened their Clapham garden twice this year for London NGS, and I was pleased that I could make one of the two. Jack likes a dahlia or two. Or thirty three and grows most on his allotment and had picked a lot of the dahlias from there. ( Hint. Maybe an open allotment day next year!) I say picked but I think he stripped the allotment of all the blooms.
A bright blue sky always helps a photograph look better.
The varieties and colours were fabulous and not only did he fill a room with single stem dahlias he and Chris erected a dahlia arch over the front door, so there was no escaping what house was having an open garden day as you turned the corner.
Having watched an insta story the night before of Jack trying to put the arch up I wasn’t that hopeful to be honest. Sorry Guys! You had even turned the sound down so we couldn’t hear the angst. But patience is a virtue and it was brilliant.
Don’t ever go on that telebox programme Through the keyhole” guys. This room would give you away when they say ‘ who lives in a house like this’ Um. Must be Jack and Chris. I loved it but boy I was nervous. I stood at the edge and admired and took photographs. Too nervous to put my size nines anywhere near the flowers. I still wonder how Rumbles – the cat , not their nickname , doesn’t just go in and paw each single stem. Fred our cat would. One by one. I loved the dark red/black dahlias in the brown bottles. Recycling at its best there!
But just look at them. Gorgeous.
It wasn’t all about dahlias at their open garden – in the garden were Rincus, Jacks fern wall, coleus (sorry guys I am old and they are coleus to me), salvia, great seed heads on the clematis, shadows on the leaves of the banana and great foliage plants. But this is about dahlias. Just dahlias. There are more pictures of the other plants on my Instagram feed and Jack has a blog on the foliage plants on his feed.
Oh and course there was cake.
Another dahlia fest for me this summer were my days at Common Fam Flowers. A working flower farm. With rows of dahlias. Dahlias for picking. Dahlias for bouquets. Dahlias for weddings. Not just dahlias of course.
The thing about going there in the summer is that you are guaranteed a dahlia or two. To be honest it was Georgie who made me realise that I did actually like a dahlia. I ordered some flowers from her early on in our friendship and the bouquet included dahlias. I was hooked. Much more interesting shapes colours and styles than grown in my parents garden decades before.
Growing up my parents grew some. Not many. Pretty dull ordinary dahlias. Yes there are such a thing. I hated them. Always full of earwigs. Which fell out as you picked them. It put me off for years. I was sent to pick them to bring indoors. Which my parents always did – had flowers indoors – there was none of ‘ flowers are just for the garden’. That’s where i got my gardening habits from. Amongst other habits. Like talking constantly like my mother. Her deadheading obsession.
I digress. The dahlias of Common Farm Flowers never cease to amaze me. This year the Cafe Au Lait were and are stunning. Another one for my one pot dahlia on the terrace in Spain. Spectacular in arrangements or in a brides bouquet or equally gorgeous in a single vase. Such beautifully formed petals.
Now please dont think of asking me the names of all the dahlias. I know the names of three. The rest are either pretty dahlias, pink ones, pom-poms or cactus.
This one took my eye when we were preparing the flowers for a big wedding. 85 jam jar posies. 8 large arrangements for the table centres. Pew ends. A huge ball to hang from the ceiling. Garlanding. Buttonholes. Included in all but the buttonholes were dahlias. All colours. All sizes.
This is American Dream. And it is. A definite Dreamy dahlia. Sat quietly in a bucket I zoomed straight in on it. The flower was in the bucket. Not me. That would have been silly. And required a large bucket.
The petals shape size and form on Cafe au lait are just fabulous. I don’t mind that its not my usual big loud blousy colour choice. It’s just beautiful in its simplicity.
I was given a jam jar posie from Georgie when I called in last week which included dahlias. And a big fat Cafe au lait included. Not one. But two, lucky lucky. Worth a stop on my way to the cottage.
Here’s a few, just a few of this years delights. None of which I can take credit for – though the photographs are mine.
I think I maybe all dahlia’d out for this year. Is that a thing? I need to move on. I have.
To the bulb catalogues for tulips and alliums. For Canna and agapanthus. Tulips and alliums ordered already.
But I have one more wedding at Common Farm to help out with at the beginning of October and I am sure that there will still be blooming lovely dahlias about then. In the meantime I have made a list of what I would like to try in Spain next year. It has to be a short list. A very short list. But don’t tell Ian.
iJasmine buds and flowers
Gardens. Travel. Life. 