We arrived back from 3 weeks in Mexico just as lockdown went into operation. Three weeks of walking and sightseeing. Climbing mexican pyramids, looking at art, eating and garden visits. Then back to a walk once a day, and those 20,000 daily steps soon dropped. Massively.
But we found our groove pretty early on as we pushed ourselves to go on a daily walk. Trust me. Some days it was a push. Even if it meant just a walk around the block admiring other peoples gardens. Not that I’m nosey. Not much ~ that’s why I love NGS open gardens. But after living in the area for over 30 years the walks introduced me to places I had only skirted around before.
Yes I had been to Peckkam Rye but did I know before lockdown that there was a lovely garden in the centre? Did I kow that Brockwell Park in Brixton had a magnificient walled garden? Had I heard of Russia Docks, that the walk at One Tree hill was lovely.? No.No.No.No.No.
Well I do now
Take Peckham Rye park. A good walk through the back streets to get there for us. Across the common where people are working out, where mothers are walking with their children, joggers and cyclists Across to the centre and to the garden A garden with a lovely wisteria walk. A Japanese garden. The Sexby garden. A lake – who knew? Everyone I suspect excepy me.
Brockwell park
I drive past the park often on our way to friends or on our way to Somerset I lived close to, the park in 1982 and have been in a few times since. To the Lambeth Show, to Pride celebrations. But why hadn’t I ventured further into the park and found the walled gardem. In lockdown we have all been looking for that extra something. In my case it was often four and yeast but also stretched to new gardens and parks to be able to wander and get that fresh air.
Beckenham place park
This is one that simply wasn’t on my radar. Not a clue until a friend mentioned she had been there in an instagram post so I looked it up, About 7 miles from us it was once a golf course and now a new municipal park. Helped with a £6M lottery grant the 96 hectare site has been remodeeled into a recreational and natural park boasting a 45m wide wild swimming lake and you can still see the bunkers. Not in the lake obviously.
The grounds include a georgian mansion built around 1773 and which is currently being run to hold arts events, yoga classes with a bar in the basemet but all on hold at present because of COVID 19.
Add a pretty garden and outbuildings housing a cafe and you have a fabulous walking place and with 96 hectares you don’t feel that it is busy.
Russia Dock Woodland
Another one off our radar. Russia docks was a working dock in Surrey Quays and was used to import soft wood from Sweden and Russia. The docks were closed in the 1970;s and were planted as a woodland of 34 acres in 1980. It is a lovely woodland park which also includes the Stave Hill Ecological Park.
There are areas of wildflowers and a lake along with the lovely woodland walks.
Horniman Museum Gardens
Another one we had driven past as we winded our way through East Dulwich and beyond. We have walked through the gardens a nuber of times in lockdown and they like most gardens change on a daily basis. With 16 acres and a stunning view over London the gardens were some of the most colourful during lockdown and are educational as well as visibly gorgeous.
There have been others. One Tree Hill. Burgess Park and Greenwich Park. A walk over Tower Bridge and through St Katherines Dock. A walk along the Thames to view the floating gardens as the Downings Road Moorings or GardenBarge Square, thegardens can be viewed from the shore at anytime but for a close-up view, you’ll need to visit on a NGS open day.
As gardens have opened we have been to RHS Hyde Hall. To Nymans National Trust. Lockdown has had some benefits. We have found and re found local parks and gardens. Hats off to Southwark Lambeth and Lewisham councils.
What a difference a week makes. One week we were in Mexico City slightly (me hugely) worrying if we would get home. Normally I wouldn’t have minded being delayed for a month in Mexico. But not in the current climate! I had visions of being locked down there unable to get back. Other guests at the fabulous b&b from Canada had been advised to return. Airports were closing. Flights cancelled. Choices limited. But thankfully our flight was fine and we arrived back to London with a week or so to spare before we went into lockdown. Phew.
Had we had time we would have decamped to the cottage in Somerset. But in reality and in retrospect staying put has been the best decision. We can and do walk to the local shops. We have a brilliant butcher. Greengrocer. Pharmacy. All within 10 mins walk. We also have Kings hospital close by in case of emergencies.
I so wanted to start the dance from The Full monty in this queue on Saturday. Could you imagine Ian’s face? Especially as one of the debit card transactions was declined. You know the ones. They decline. Send a text to check and say you have to confirm in 2 mins. You don’t get the text until 10 later. Worse thing was I’d left my wallet at home and was using Ians card. I was in the shop. He was outside.
I’ve used deliveries from our local farm shop in Somerset. From our local coffee roasters in Bruton. We haven’t wanted for anything. Well that’s not quite true. The occasional bag of flour. And a week on my own (there I’ve said it). Whilst waiting at the airport to fly home I ordered bags of flour online and I will continue to use them post lockdown. However that may be. I will also at the end of lockdown have that week on my own.
The major benefit of lockdown is that we have been in one place for longer than I have been in the last 5 years. The opportunity to spend some time in the tiny garden here. Rather than there. Or there. It is tiny but I’m so glad to have some outside space. The other benefit has been seeing the tulips slowly open. Then boom. An explosion and a riot of colour. Normally we would have been away at this time of year for Easter. Easter is huge in Spain with the Semana Santa celebrations in every Pueblo Blanco and town and it’s amazing to be part of the community for these festivals. Oh. And I love our little pueblo blanco.
I have filled my Instagram timeline with tulips. More tulips. And even more tulips. I make no excuses as they have been amazing this year. My brother told me ‘ at least you’ll soon move onto agapanthus’. I will but I will be missing the allium segment, and the explosion of wild flowers on the roundabout which isn’t a roundabout in Spain.
I get my tulips from Peter Nyssen where Karen is one of the most helpful people you can find. Last year we saw this tulip at Phillipa Burrough’s open day for the NGS. Phillipa is an inspiration and I love her garden both at tulip time and for the summer explosion of planting. This tulip ~ not this actual one obviously ~ was in a pot by the greenhouse. I fell in love with it. Tall. Big. Bonkers. I knew I wanted to try it in pots for the front garden here and in the cottage pots. I also planted a few in Spain which flowered, but tulips never flower as well there. We don’t get that cold snap in the Autumn.
I added Tulip Uncle Tom to the pots which is another one I hadn’t grown before. Turns out it’s one I will grow again. A lovely peony type with a shiny looking petal in deep red. Opens up beautifully.
Tulip Uncle Tom
I also used it in the window boxes and the colour selection has been great. I’d like
To say it was a considered and measured plan. To be honest the tulips sat in their box in a spare bedroom and I planted late again. So come planting I first took the box to Somerset and planted the pots and brought what was left back to London.
I haven’t grown Angelique for a few years as I found it had lost a bit of its charm but I decided to give it a go again. Sometimes you grow the same one as you know it works. It’s been a corker in the window boxes but is now going over. One for next year but not for the window box. I have to change them year on year.
Tulip Angelique
The window box combination are all of a peony type which I particularly like. When they open fully they are all big, blousy and a bit of a show off. Belle Époque, Uncle Tom, Angelique and Copper Image. In lockdown and because we have been here more and on the front garden the comments have been brilliant. Except the comment by one passing couple. Lovely roses he said as he continued walking. I didn’t get the chance to correct him.
Tulips hocus pocus opened slightly later than the others and has lasted slightly longer. It needs sun to open fully but when it does it’s pretty large.
Tulip Hocus PocusLondon tulip pots
As well as planting here in London I plant tulips outside the cottage in Pitcombe. I planted in late November and December and the last time I was there, just before we left for Mexico, they were growing but not open or anywhere near it. Sadly with lockdown there was no way we were going to see them. But worry not. Our neighbour has watered them. Our friends when out walking and passing the cottage watered them ~ we are lucky that we have a fresh water spring called Jacks Shute for them to get water. So there has been socially distancing watering!
As well as the generosity of friends and neighbours we have been so fortunate to be sent photographs. To have Instagram posts. E mails and what’s app messages. It has brought us such joy in seeing them in the photographs even though we couldn’t see them in person. You can’t beat good neighbours and friends.
The cottage tulips.
Pitcombe tulip pots
Now all I need to do on the tulip front is to decide on the tulip colours and combinations for next year. I have made a start on my list with new colours and new tulips recommended to me by various friends and gardeners but no doubt I will change my mind. Just the once or twice before during and after ordering.
Back in London Ian said at the start of the lockdown ‘at least you won’t spend as much’ But at the end of the first week he muttered. ‘How many more deliveries are you expecting’ Today he said is that the last of the orders. No. I said. We have one more tomorrow. Then remembered the herb order for next week. What he doesn’t know is that as soon as we get to go to Somerset we will be starting all over again.
It’s been an opportunity of being in one place to do the things that have been on the “to do list” for a while. So paint was ordered. Floor paint. Paint for the window sills. Paint was delivered. Week 6 it’s still unopened. I need to move the window boxes after the tulips have finished and before the summer ones are planted. I have no excuse for the floors. Except diversion tactics. I’d rather be in the garden.
Plants have been delivered. Gaura from Burncose. Herbs from Pepperpot. Perennials from Todds Botanics. Hardenbergia from Fibrex. That’s it I told him. No more. Then a 4ft tree fern arrived from Todds.
4ft tree fern log from Todds Botanics
The one delivery he didn’t comment on. But the one thing he’s got involved in and had me moving half the pots around the garden to accommodate ‘his’ tree fern. We have yet to plant it. But he’s decided where it’s going which meant moving two others around in the bargain. I have said no more.
The garden is tiny but is packed with pots. A large oblong planter of narcissi. Much later than usual and only now going over. Quite what I’ll put in there under lockdown though is yet to be determined. But will depend on what I can get Ooh. I’ve just remembered. I have another plant delivery. Salvias from Middletons.
I will move the tulips and narcissi to the Somerset garden which needs some TLC. It looks like we may be spending the summer there. We have a lot of work to do but needs must and if we are unable to travel then we will make the most of the time.
We have one single climbing rose in the garden in a pot which blooms like crazy. The jasmine was planted in a small pot and is now 25ft up the down-pipe. The scent from it is stunning on a warm evening. This will be followed on with jasmine clotted cream and then traechospermum with its gentle star like flowers.
But it’s not been all gardening. We have lurched from one meal to another. Breakfast merging into lunch then into supper. With snacks all the way through. The builders are on notice to widen the doors after lockdown. Here and there. There and here. I’ve gone through three stages of clothes. Fat fatter and enormous. There has been cooking. A lot of cooking. And eating. Menu planning. Shopping.
I think Ian and I invented social distancing. We have been practicing it for years. On our walks for sure. We have taken it to another level with Continental social distancing. One of us in the Uk. One in Spain.
The cats are confused. Why are you still here? Any chance you can go out for more of an hour a day. Go away for a week or two. All this attention is a bit much. Your getting under our feet.
I’m missing the garden in Spain as well as our Spanish framily, but we keep in touch with face time. Messenger. What’s app. It was three years ago this week that we signed the documents to start a new adventure and it seems like only yesterday. So much has happened in those three years. Visitors. Friendships. Gardening.
Our friends and neighbours in Spain have had it harder under lockdown. Much harsher. Not allowed out for exercise at all. One person to go shopping. Fined. Military patrolling the Pueblo blancos.
But they now have a plan. This weekend they were allowed out to walk – restricted to 1km to their home – no driving to a spot then walking ~ and the restrictions will be progressively lifted over three phases. Quite when we will be back is uncertain. But the certainty is we will in whatever way is allowable.
I’d planted a lot of new things in the garden. Things I won’t see this year. The new gaura as part of the lavender path. New alliums. New salvias. I have had photos and a video sent. I’ve heard the elusive black and white bird of paradise Is about to flower ; last year it didn’t. This is it in 2018.
But. We’ve have stayed at home. We’ve social distanced. We’ve clapped on a Thursday. We have washed hands. Smothered ourselves in sanitiser. Social distanced. Followed the rules. If we have to do that for a few more weeks then so be it. We are lucky. We are here. We are healthy.
The only question is. Which one of us will go mad first. The jury is out.
Peter Paul and Mary once sang ‘ Leaving on a jet plane , don’t know when I’ll nee back again.’ Well this time I wasn’t. And I did. No jet plane for us on the journey North to Guanajuato. And. I knew when we would be back again. In roughly 10 days time via Oaxaca.
Yes. Ian had said that the journey would be better by bus. 5,5 hours. By bus. He’d done his research and decreed that the best bus to travel on was ETN. So we went and booked days in advance. Asked for the best seats which were upstairs and at the front. I also did my research and asked if they used the toll roads. Why? I’d heard you were less likely to be held up,if you used the toll roads. See. My paranoia was still there. But. The journey was easy. Comfortable and the bus was quiet and added to that we got to see the countryside. When I wasn’t snoring.
I’d never heard of Guanajuato. I’d looked it up and read a bit but Ian had said I’d like it. Great photo opportunities he said. So I did what we all do theses days. Hashtag Guanajuato.
Guanajuato was a wealthy city in Mexico famous for its silver mines and at one point accounted for two-thirds of the world’s silver production at the height of its production.
Ian had booked the accommodation either with Airbnb or Home Away. Not Home and Away ~ that’s totally different. It had all been done months before and I had forgotten what was where. Oh boy. Did he hit the jackpot with this accommodation.
Entrance to the house
The entrance hall from the street lead up to the first floor. Filled with tall columns. A skull. And an atrium full of plants. I mean full. A lovely house overlooking the plaza.
The roof terraceGarden ideas
But for me the piece de resistance was the terrace. Boy. What a terrace. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I couldn’t remember seeing this on the itinerary. Filled with plants. In pots. On top of Columns. So many ideas to take away with me on and if I ever left the house.
Breakfast
Perfectly situated to go to the bakery for bread and pastries for breakfast and for fruit. But. There were things to see. Places to go.
Guanajuato City built its wealth on mining and silver in particular. Getting into the centre is an interesting experience. After being dropped off at the airport you have to get a taxi into the centre. But to do that you have to enter via the underground tunnels which are too low for buses and it’s one way in and one way out.
It’s a colourful city with narrow one way streets and small roads with a lot of steps and small alleys. We stayed on Plaza San Fernando where cars weren’t allowed. ‘Queue Abba song lyrics’
Colourful houses
The houses are definitely colourful and so opposite to the Pueblo Blanco’s in Spain. Guanajuato is a world heritage site and apparently it’s illegal to paint the houses in any other colour. I cant find why they were painted in the first place but maybe to identify them. But colourful they certainly are. Viewed from El Pipila after taking the funicular they are an abundance of colour shape and size with an obvious view of no planning controls.
El Pipila is the nickname of a local hero and was famous for his heroism at the beginning of the Mexican war of Independence in 1810. The base of the statue is where us tourists go to get the best pictures of the city. You can climb the steep steps instead of using the funicular. Guess what. We didn’t.
The streets of Guanajuato
Like Mexico City the streets and squares had trees. I particularly loved the way that many of the trees were cut and shaped to provide shade for the benches below.
Shade topiary
What a great use of topiary.
Bus porn
I’ve never been a bus nerd. But these buses were amazing. Classic. Old fashioned and plentiful. I say that like we used them. We didn’t. But I loved the shape and style and the way they wrote the destinations on the windows in what looked like windowlene!
I was surprised to find such a beautiful theatre right in the heart of the city. I don’t know why really but I did. The Teatro Juárez, a stunningly beautiful facade and interior which was built between 1872 ~ 1903. We were lucky enough to sit in on a mornings orchestral rehearsal when we wandered in. The auditorium was stunning with fabulous acoustics. Sadly the facade was heavily graffitied when we were there during the women’s march. Very sad as graffiti is never the answer.
Orchestral rehearsals
The presence of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo is everywhere. But especially in this city as it’s the city of Diego’s birth. We had to go visit his home which is now a museum ~ not as interesting as Casa Azul but informative. The ground floor where photos were allowed were the living areas. The upper floors now galleries where no photographs we’re allowed. The house has many of Rivera’s early works which were interesting but if I’m honest I liked the large murals more.
I really loved the way they shaped these trees which I understand to be Indian laurels. Cut to shade the benches below them. Needed in the heat of the day and one thing that surprised me was the amount of greenery in both Mexico City and again in Guanajuato.
Ex Hacienda San Gabriel de Barrera
We took a cab ride to the mansion and gardens of Ex Hacienda San Gabriel de Barrera The mansion was part of a mining complex and is open as a museum where you can see the living parts of the house. The gardens are large and are set in themed areas. An English garden. The Italian garden. The Mediterranean garden. All interesting in their own way. But it didn’t take my breath away.
We visited the most visited museum in Guanajuato ~ Museo de las mommas de Guanajuato. I did take some photos. But to honest the place freaked me out.
TheMuseum has a large number of naturallymummified bodies. These were interredfollowing a cholera outbreak in around 1830. You can see facial expressions and some mummies still have articles of clothing intact. And hair. It wasn’t one of the highlights of the trip but was full of Mexican families ~ the mummies are part of the national culture.But ~ Not for me,
You always need cake & biscuits
I needed cakes and biscuits when we got back to the house. There was a fabulous bakery close to the house where we went to buy pastries and cakes. Next door we could buy fresh fruit.You have to know where these places are.Don’t you?
Take away fruit
I loved the house Ian had found. The terrace was amazing and full of lovely plantings. The pots were really interesting. Pots on the top of large pieces of tree trunks. Glorious colours. Strange to see some Britishannuals amongst them. Allysum for one. I hadn’t seen that since my parents garden in the 1980’s.
Plants on the terrace
The lovely Jardin de Union was a central square surrounded by cafes and restaurants andparading singers. Another lovely green space in the centre of Guanajuato. A little bit too busy at night but a great central point to sit and people watch.
After five days it was time to move on. A flight to Oaxaca via a three hour stop over in Mexico City. Adios Guanajuato.
It’s been a while since I was in the Spanish garden. Post Xmas, a busy few weeks in London so it has meant that I’ve missed four weeks. Not too bad in January early February as the weather isn’t that troublesome. He says but We had a lot of rain early on when we weren’t there and then some unseasonal bright sun. Add to that a breakdown on the irrigation system and I was wondering what I’d find.
Freesia
To be fair I was lucky. The rain had soaked the soil. But with the bright sunny and warm days it was slowly drying The plants had gone a little mad.
The freesias I had planted three years ago were first out of their blocks and were flowering. Well starting to flower. The newly planted bulbs are all in bud and will smell delicous when they are all out. They grow really tall and strong and I find them better in pots than the ground. Possibly as it seems easier to tie them in so they don’t flop over. The ones I have bought from Peter Nyssen are really tall and strong and flower for ages.
Oxalis pes-caprae
A bit of rain. Bit of sun and out come the Oxalis pes-caprae on the roundabout ~ that’s not a roundabout. The bank is full of them as well. A bright acid yellow which open in full sun and carpet the hill. A weed by any other name. But the colour at this time of year is welcome.
Yellow must be the colour of Spring. The hills on the road into town are covered in an explosion of yellow. With the oxalis and the yellow gorse and in the green I have found some tiny narcissi poking through the osteospermum with the yellow winter jasmine in flower too.
Seed pods of oleander
The oleander has burst its seed pods and is a bit of a beauty. Not all of the oleanders ~ we have a few ~ get the long tapered seed pods but the ones that do look pretty spectacular as they mature and burst open.
We cut them back quite hard last year and this year we should get some decent flowers. I’m reminded each time that I do anything with them that all parts are poisonous. Makes note wear gloves.
Clivia
Back in the 90’s an ex Blue Peter Gardener Clare Bradley became a neighbour and friend of ours in Somerset and fortunately for me she opened a gardening shop in Castle Cary. It was Clare who introduced me to different plants and bulbs and I was enthused by her selection. Her introductions included a large variety of daffodil and narcissi from Cornwall and as house plants Clivia. I’d never heard of Clivia before meeting Clare. After seeing them in the Botanic garden in Malaga – La Conception I knew I wanted them for a shady bit of the garden and planted a few next to the gate. This is the second year of flowering and I love that they remind me of someone.
But I’m also reminded of Clare these days as she has introduced her own gardening gloves Donkey Gloves which I have brought to Spain and also bought some as gifts for friends to try. Clare now lives on Dartmoor and Profits from which go to help pay for the rescue donkeys and other animals on her farm. Would I recommend the gloves. Definetly .
Australian wisteria
I love this time of year when the Australian-wisteria (hardenbergia violacea) is in full flow over the garden gate. It’s a magnet for bees, is a fabulous colour and a pretty rampant grower. Downside ~ Only one for me is that there isn’t a scent. But you can’t have everything, but you can wish.
There is scent in the garden with the jasmines. Azoricum. Sambal and officianle but sadly not at this time of year.
Osteospermum
As is usual the osteospermum have gone mad. A bit of rain a bit of sun and they are off. it self seeds like crazy but in this part of the garden it’s most welcome. I gave it a good haircut after flowering and it’s come back thicker and better.
Ferns and more ferns
The ferns never cease to surprise me. In a sunny position they have romped away. I have fed them a bit over last summer and they have all come through the winter and added new growth. Lots of it. Fingers crossed it continues as they are a fantastic addition to the garden.
Along with the colocasia and the Alocasia. The colocasia black Magic from Farmer Gracy is holding its own over its first winter and new leaves are starting to appear. The mojito is struggling a bit but will return. I have asked Lorraine at Viveros Florena to hold onto a pretty large colocasia mojito for me to collect at the end of March. I love the colour and the silkiness of the leaves.
melianthus major
I love NGS open gardens On two accounts. You get to see other people’s plants. And I’m nosey. There I’ve admitted it.
I first saw Melianthus major in Jack Wallington and Christopher Anderson’s Clapham garden . I then identified it in Holly Grove shrubbery and wanted one for Spain which I managed to get. It didn’t flower last year but I have high hopes for this one. It has grown really well and I’m hoping for the honey flowers this year.
Salvia Africana
Of course there was a visit to Viveros Florena ~ largely to get some soil to top up the beds. But also as I can’t resist a wander around to see what’s new. Lorraine has knowledge of what I like and is on hand to show me what is new.
I loved the coppery colour of the Salvia Africana so I bought one. Well I bought one for the kitchen window bed and one for the garage bed. That’s my description of one. One here. One there.
It has a lovely flower head and I’m hoping that it does well. Salvias seem to have been a good flower in the garden so fingers crossed. The Salvia leucantha has flowered all through the winter ~ the amistad has only recently stopped and has been cut back and the new Salvia oxyphora hasn’t stopped flowering either.
Asphodelus fistulosus
I was also taken with these ~ Asphodelusfistulosus ~ onionweed. The fact that they spread and the fact that they are drought tolerant what’s not to love! Though I have to say when they say plants are drought tolerant they are but often a bit like me only tolerant for so long!
Tools and the hedge
The hedge ~ myoporum laetum, commonly known as transparente hasn’t been cut in months and the prospect was if I didn’t do it now then it would be another six weeks or more before I’d get the chance again. It’s a task I hate.
We have some on the entrance to the house on the drive which we had cut back hard last year. It was getting bare at the bottom and too tall at the top. It’s the Spanish version of privet. It does it’s job but I’m not a great fan. Nor it of me when it’s pruned. But needs must and I did it. It looks ok from the terrace side but trust me it’s a dodgy old cut from the other. The bank is steep. I’m not as nimble on my feet as I was and it’s a bit of a slide and drop. It’s had a good short back and side. ( singular). Next thing is to top the mimosa on the bank after flowering. A job for someone else.
Fruit and nuts
I bought a Meyer lemon last year. I wanted another lemon to add to the one a we had which have been poor to fruit. we have a Buddhas hand lemon in a pot which flowered like crazy last year but didn’t hold its fruit.
They are spectacular fruits when formed ~ pretty useless as a lemon except for the zest and peel. I saw the Meyer lemon at our local garden centre and it’s another unusual one. Slightly sweeter than normal lemons ~ I will report back when I pick one.
But the attraction was the name, a friend and neighbour in Somerset died last year – Guy Mayers ~ and I thought the name was close enough for me to plant it in memory of Guy.
The lime has surprised me. Last year I had a schoolboy error. I re potted things and I obviously missed making sure the new pots had holes in the bottom. So I drowned the lime. I re potted it again with the requisite drainage and said you have two choices. It took the best one and has flowered and we have three limes growing well. It’s also now flowering so I’m hoping that we will have many more next year.
The almonds are flowering ~ always late in our garden although not as much blossom as last year. That’s not worrying me as I still have a bag of 2018 and 2019 almonds in the garage.
The nispero/loquat has a few fruit but again I’m not worried. I’m not that keen and they don’t keep or travel well.
I bought some small pots of succulent to place on various surfaces in the garden. On a small little table on the terrace and on the kitchen window sill. Then promptly ignored them big notices that they are now starting to have those small delicate flowers. Great to have on the window sills outside too.
John Ringo Pail or George?
Not found in our garden but up close to the roundabout moving as slowly as I do up the hill. Very slowly. The thing I don’t miss from London are the slugs and the snails and it’s great to see some insects along with the gekkos in the garden. There seems to be an abundance of birds this year with a fabulous chorus.
The plants are slowly waking up. The tulips I planted are poking through ~ though this may be the last year I grow them in Spain. We don’t get a cold enough spell to spurt them into growth and they aren’t as good as the ones in London.
The alliums are through and the Summer Drummer are the first out of the ground. some of the canna didn’t die back and are starting to shoot as well. Don’t ask me about the lavender. I’ll report back next time but all I will say that I have planted some tall gaura along the pathway with the lavender. The honeysuckle and the banksia rose are also starting to move so once things get going they get going.
Through the garden gate
The gate has been closed on another visit and the irrigation has been fixed and is scheduled and the garden will be watered by hand as well when needed.
It wasn’t all gardening though at times my back felt that it was. We did drive down the wiggly road to the coast and there were people on the beach and in the sea. In February. As I was wearing a jumper and alpaca socks. The flowers of the agave on the banks sprouting their long flower stems against the gorgeous blues of the sky and the sea a welcome sight.
Agave on the cliff side at Nerja
And back to scouring the plant and bulb suppliers to find some new delights for the garden.
It’s been a busy time in the Mathieson ~ Jones household over the last few weeks. It’s been a bit here there and everywhere. But we managed to get a few weeks together over Christmas in Spain. Second Christmas and third New year. How time flies. In Spain not with Ian. Ask him he’s says about 8 years. That’s dog years by the way. Add another 20 and your nearer the time.
The weather can be changeable and when I arrived it was wet. Now spending half our time in Somerset for the last 25 years you’d think I’d be used to wet. But in Spain it’s a different kind of wet. Yes I know I’m a little bit bonkers but trust me it rains in the West Country. It’s often biblical like last night as I returned on the A303 and the M3. Rain so hard you couldn’t see Stonehenge. To be honest not that I want to. If I have time to see it it means I’m stuck in a traffic jam and after 25 years of passing it it hasn’t changed. Not a bit.
But the weather was proper pants when I arrived. I didn’t go out for two days as it rained so hard that the water was rushing down the hill. You would have been able to surf down La Rampa I’m sure. Not that I’d know. I didn’t venture out for two days. But the rain makes me happy in Spain. Wet ground means easier planting. Our water deposit is full.
Ian arrived a few days after me and it’s always amazing at what he manages to pack into his case. As well as some Xmas goodies which we would struggle to get and of course we can’t live without there were some major additions. A while back I had bought a fabulous cake stand and dome from my friend Mr Glass in London from London Times Vintage up in Islington. I wanted to bring it to Spain but was nervous. It’s heavy. On a stand and is glass. It arrived with Ian in his suitcase. All in one piece.
Those who follow me on Instagram are well used to seeing Ian’s back. This is one I made him stand still on the terrace looking down to the coast.
Trust me you don’t know how hard it is to get Ian stand for a photo. Let alone pose. Before I’ve even pressed the shutter he’s on the move thinking it’s done.
But the weather picked up. Chilly mornings. Glorious days. Chilly nights. That I can cope with. Oh. And have I ever mentioned sunsets. Maybe one or two. Hundred. At this time of year they are stunning and the views vary from the campo to the town to the areas above the town. Luckily there are others as obsessed as me who take sunset pics
On a clear day we can see the coast of Malaga, to the left Gibraltar. And further to the left usually on a different day Morocco.
As we had rain it was an opportunity to plant the final bulbs. Many I had planted with a pick axe earlier had started to poke through so this time planting was easier with the ground being a little damp. The garden in Somerset is like a paddy field after all the rain we have had. In Spain we do actually have a pick axe. Not that I use it that often but it may be useful if I ever want fancy dress as one of the seven dwarfs. Ian says I’d be a mix of grumpy, dopey and sleepy. Point is. He’s probably right.
Last years freesia are already in flower and a gorgeous yellow one was in bloom. Was is the correct term. I knocked the head off as I clumsily passed by! They grow amazingly well in the garden and I finally planted the last batch. We have pots dotted all around and the scent is fantastic a big winner from Peter Nyssen again.
There is already colour in the garden. The osteospermum are spreading like crazy and as each day gets a bit warmer more open. That and the one Gazania that seems to be way ahead of the others.
The almond trees are bursting into flower. Sadly not ours this time as ours are the latest to flower. Probably in the whole of Andalucia. Which in many ways is good. Maybe a bit less windy to have the beautiful flowers blown like confetti across the garden.
There are two different flowering types in our garden and our neighbours. Both our neighbours are out already. I love the pinky red throat of the second almond flower.
Patience is a virtue. One that I’m not great at. Particularly where plants and flowers are concerned. To be honest best I just say patience isn’t a virtue.
I witter on about the roundabout that’s not a roundabout. Not a lot. But it’s so coming into life. The acid yellow of the oxalis pew caprae is beginning to carpet the ground. This year they seem to be taller and more abundant than last year. I blame the weather!
We are over 600m above sea level. A bit exposed in parts so when the wind blows the wind blows. The enormous leaves of the strelitzia Nicolai get shredded. I’m gutted that there are no signs of flowers ~ we last had them in 2018. Fingers crossed for this year. They are magnificent in their blue/black beauty.
We have a number of strelitzia Reginae with flower spikes which will be bursting into the fabulous bird of paradise flower in the next few weeks.
When we moved into La Casa I was surprised to find that we had a Swiss cheese plant. As a child growing up we had one along with the obligatory rubber plant sitting in the sitting room. This one is in the garden. Really slow growing and to be honest it’s taken me over two years to like it. But I do. I’m hoping it doesn’t grow as large as the ones in the Botanical Gardens Malaga. Then I won’t like it. But I suspect there is no chance of that. The seed pods of Sesbania Punicea are still hanging and are a great shape. You can hear the seeds rattle inside as the pods are so dry.
The dodonia s a pretty dull plant most of the time but when autumn and winter come the green leaves turn to a gorgeous red. I’ve tried replanting some of the seedlings but they just don’t take. The final leaves of the grape are falling ~ hurrah as they are a pain to keep sweeping up. I know I should store them for leaf mould, but I fear the tree rats or some slithering snake may take up residence.
I love the foxtail agave. A lot. This is one at the bank at the back of the house. Them there’s the plecanthrus which is in the main bed. Has a bit of a funny smell. I can’t explain it. Looks a bit like an alien as it grows. Succulents on the back bed. Mr Prickly ~ the one of three healthy prickly pears. Which fruited this year.
We also did a bit of walking ~ down at the coast in Nerja. And a walk from Canillas de Albaida to Competa. A walk in an area between Canillas de Albeida and Canillas de Aceituno.
It wasn’t all gardening. Quite of bit of this trip was leisure as well. Picking lemons from next doors garden. With permission! Making the final batch of quince jelly. Picking olives to dry salt them. Making limoncello. I must remember to take that one out of the cupboard when I’m next home
So for now it’s a waiting game. For some more rain. For the alliums to start poking through. The orange blossom to make an appearance. Time to prune the grape and the olives. There’s never a dull moment, and nearly three years later I’m still excited when I drive up the wiggly road.
It’s a well known fact that we like a holiday. Or two. It’s also a fact that Ian researches the trips well before we book. Fact threee is that we love Spain. A lot. Even more so,since we bought the house in Andalucia which many friends thought would stop us from having breaks elsewhere.
It hasn’t. We spend as much time as we can in Competa which largely is based on not becoming tax resident! Old habits die hard and tax is always just one step away. For me these days it’s a very large one.
But in the last two and a half years we have visited Córdoba, Seville, Toledo, Salamanca, Cacares, Granada, Ronda and of course Malaga with points in between. So we haven’t just spent time a la casa. On sun loungers or in the garden.
There is a list. This week we have visited Valencia. Which has been on our list for some time. Easier surprisingly to fly direct from London than to get here from Malaga. We decided to get a few days of sunshine in before the Christmas hullabaloo.
It rained for the first three days. When I say rain I mean biblical. The heavens opened.
Ian always finds great places to stay. For Valencia he had booked an Air B&B. Which always makes me a little apprehensive. Will it look like it does in the pictures?. Will it be clean? All the questions. Well. The answer to all that was yes. Yes. And yes again. So clean I think I’d like the hosts to come and clean our house. Ian had chosen a trendy area. Full of restaurants. Easy walk to the metro and into the centre. Spot on again.
Home for five days
So happy with the accommodation we decided to walk into the centre and explore. To be honest it feels like we haven’t stopped walking for four days. Literally. My poor fit bit has been working overtime and must think it’s been attached to the wrong persons wrist. I’ve done more steps in 4 days than I’ve done in weeks. Says my fit bit stats. Says my body. Good thing I listened to my mother. Sensible shoes.
The colours of Valencia
There is so much to see and life’s too short not to see it all. It’s also so varied here. The usual. Churches and Cathedrals. Museums. Markets. Squares. Oh. And the amazing CIudad des las Artes y las Ciencias.
Palacio des Marques de Los Aquas
The beautiful facade and entrance to the Palacio des Marques de dos Aguas. A stunning restored palace which houses the National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts. To get to the collection on the upper floors you meander through the various rooms which are furnished with period pieces and are stunning.
Red carpet walk
Ian has still to master the art of the red carpet leading to the rooms on the first floor.
The red salon
1920’s ceramic planters and Darden furniture
After a major and devastating flood in 1957 the City made a plan to reroute the river Turia to the south of the city and the work took nearly 10 years to complete finishing in 1974.
The river bed was turned to gardens and is now the Jardines del Turia. A mix of playing fields, cycle tracks and gardens and is a lovely walk up to the City of Arts and Sciences.
The walk through the old river bed
Turning the corner out of the gardens is quite breathtaking. Suddenly you, well I did , feel you are in the midst of a sci fi film set. Or you have wandered into scenes of Doctor Who which I believe had some scenes filmed here in series 10.
It is quite spectacular and a little eerie. Think South bank without the crowds. Less brutalist but futuristic. The buildings are awesome. Not a word I use lightly. But they are. But the area is so quiet. The buildings were designed by architects Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela.
The buildings house an IMAX cinema. Planetarium and laserium in L’Hemisferic which was designed to look like a large eye. From certain angles to me it looks like a fish!
There is an interactive museum of Science ~ El Museo de las Ciencies which also has a basketball court. Another building L’Aora holds the Valencian Open ATP tournament.
L’Umbracle was closed which was disappointing as it is an open structure with a landscaped walk and outdoor art gallery.
We didn’t go in and it’s on the list for the next visit is El Palau de les Arts Reine Sofia ~ the Opera House and performing arts centre
It is a complete contrast from the architecture surrounding the park. Certainly a huge contrast from the building we have just left and it deserved more time to explore.
Sci Fi City.
Back to the past and not the future we headed to the Silk exchange. – La Lonja de la Seda.
Another building of historical importance and described as one of the most famous gothic monuments in Europe. It was declared a World heritage site by UNESCO in 1966. Being a Spanish Bank holiday entrance was free and it was busy. It’s a stunning building with exceptional floors and ceilings. Beautifully restored.
The Silk Exchange
Gorgeous floors in the Silk Exchange
Sightseeing is a strenuous thing and you need plenty of coffee and cake stops. If in Spain those stops need to include churros. It would be rude not to wouldn’t it. We had a choice. Churros or Fartons. Churros won.
Churros and Chocolate
You also need to stop and try on hats. There are two fabulous hat shops that we found. But this hat was in a trendy shop. I tried the hat, but not the mask, but thought whilst Peckham may be ready I was not.
Hats and fans
We stumbled upon the Museo Convento de Carmen , a lovely old convent which hasn’t been restored. It houses art exhibitions in the first floor. The building is of Gothic Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
Everywhere you look in and around the city there is street art. Lots of it. These were two of my favourites of which there were many pictures to choose from.
Just down the toad there is the cat house. A little house in the wall. With a small entrance for cats. It is said that the previous owner of the house had it to shelter the many stray and feral cats. Who knows.?
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Cat house
Everywhere you look in and around the city there is street art. Lots of it. These were two of my favourites of which there were many pictures to choose from. The art is everywhere with shop shutters covered in art advertising their products. Some is highly sophisticated. Some not.
Street art
You can’t visit a city without a visit to the Botanical gardens. I had read a review from someone who had visited recently who had complained that there weren’t many flowers. Um. It is December. But I did agree with the second comment in that you could walk straight past the entrance. Luckily we didn’t. It’s an interesting space and has some great trees and plants. Yes. Not a lot flowering but as you’d expect.
Walk in the Botanical Gardens
The cactus area is great and it’s also good to see a few that we are growing in our garden in Andalucia. The ever faithful foxtail agave doing well and as I post pictures of that constantly I have spared you here. Their prickly pears show no sign of the cochineal fly we have in abundance in Andalucia.
Whilst we were there a group of young lads were looking at the cactus. They decided to take a short cut across the borders when one of them screamed. One of the others said ‘ Did it bite you? ‘ – they weren’t impressed at the man laughing. Bite? No you just got too close to the thorns and you got jabbed.
The city at night looks so very different. First off it’s Christmas. So you get the Xmas lights. In the fountains. On the buildings. The carousel and the ice rink.
Christmas is a coming
The City at night is fabulous. The street lights aren’t that glaring white but a subdued yellow. The streets look like they are paved with gold. But that’s the light and the fact that they were still wet from the torrential rain of the night before. It was difficult walking on the shiny pavements. Both narrowly missing a fall as we meander around the sights.
Night streets
Estacion Nord.
You are never far away from a Cathedral or a Church in Spain. It never ceases to amaze me the variety and the architecture that you find in each and every one. The Cathedral was as you’d expect stunning. Whilst it had the pomp of all the cathedrals we have visited it had a kind of calm about it. Light. Bright and peaceful.
Cathedral
We decided to go to the beach as it was out last full day and the sun was finally shining. No coats. No macs. No umbrellas. We took the metro which was easier back than it was going. Largely because we are rubbish at directions. But we got there. A big and sandy beach with the usual long Spanish promenade. But decent sand.
It was a tale of two seasons for some. One man clearly not giving in to the changing season whilst one embracing the hoodie and beach culture. These were taken on the same day on the same beach at the same time of day. 500 yards apart yet worlds apart.
Long avenues of palms along the front.
I could go on and on and I usually do. But that’s it for Valencia. For now. We will be back. There is more to see. More time to explore the ones we have seen and want to revisit. The City of Arts and Culture could fill a weekend alone.
Hold onto your hats your in for a bumpy ride. The flight back to Spain was a bit wobbly – so turbulent that the cabin crew had to sit down for ages. But we had a fabulous view of the sunset as we approached Malaga over the coast.
I arrived after a bit of a storm. It had chucked it down. Heavily. Hail stones. My reaction. Ha. At last I can turn the irrigation system off. Only parts of the garden are irrigated because as much as I try those drought resistant plants don’t like the drought and 40* heat for any length of time.
It’s exciting to see what’s happened in the garden and true to form after a quick cuppa with our lovely neighbours I wandered around the garden with the garden lights on. And a torch. I could see I’d lost a few more lavender. Again I have no idea why. But they will be replaced. I ignored the growth of the hedge. If I didn’t I’d have to think about cutting it. Tomorrow is another day.
The storm had cleared the air and the morning light was lovely and it was time to have a good look around. All looked ok. Yes. There was some work to do. The hedge does need its final cut. – a job I hate but I need to do it. I was interested to see the quince. When I left it was heavy with fruit. So heavy that one of the branches had snapped and the fruit had fallen. But. There was still a lot to be picked. Well a lot for me. Quince jelly here we come.
There was more excitement. I walked the side bank to check the chimney and gutters. And there it was. A pomegranate. Now it may seem insignificant to you but trust me. It wasn’t to me. We have two trees/bushes close to each other. We have been here 2.5 years and we have never had fruit. One tree had a flower this year. But this one had none. Now there was a fruit.
The previous owners has also confirmed that it had never fruited in the 6 years that they had been here. I need to read about pruning cutting back. I’m not sure on what growth it flowers. I did hack it last year as it puts on a tremendous growth.
I love the leaves on the níspero/loquat. Big long leaves. It’s now in bud and starting to open flower. I’m not sure if it’s early or not. If I’m honest I’m not too keen on the fruit. They are a bit mushy and song store or travel well. And like most garden produce. All come at once.
The rear bank is the best for drought conditions. There are succulents and agave mixed with rosemary, some figs, lantana and bottle brush amongst others. The rosemary does so well and is flowering like crazy. We also have some creeping rosemary on the other banks and that grows so well.
The prickly pear needs a hose down. Every so often I put the hose on it to clear any cochineal fly that has appeared. I’m managing to save it from attack and this year the larger one had fruit. The second one which was pretty ropey is also now looking so much better and provided the rabbit ears picture.
The colocasia black magic leaves are looking much darker. The glare of the mid summer sun had bleached the leaves a little but a bit of amove around us helped. The large leaves of the green colocasia also continues to get bigger. We don’t really get frosts so I’m hoping the shelter of the terrace will help keep them over the winter left in their pots. Last year the colocasia mojito died back but reappeared in early summer.
I’m pretty amazed at the ferns. Bearing in mind the heat and that they are in large pots they have gone crazy. I’m having to move these slightly so we can walk through to the door. They need a bit of a tidy up. Which I will do over the next few weeks.
There is still colour. We tend to get a splurge of colour as the weather cools and we get some rain. This Durante Repens has flowered on and off all summer. Small golden berries form ( usually ) after flowering. Common names are sky flower and golden dew drop. I get few berries but maybe the birds have them.
The pink gaura is still floating high above the other plants. I need to get a white one as it’s such a lovely flower. Small delicate and lovely.
This is like a big crazy physcodelic caterpillar. Salvia leucantha which grows like crazy here.
It has been pretty quite flower wise over the summer months but now is in full flow. It’s a gorgeous colour combination and like the gaura though not as tall floats above the other plants.
It wouldn’t be autumn without seed heads. These are the seeds of the Sesbania Punicea which is a straggly but lovely flowering plant. The orange flowers are pea like and there are a few new plants growing – self seeded. Sometimes called the scarlet wisteria. I need to pot some as I’d like to plant them elsewhere in the garden. Apparently difficult to get hold of in the uk but it will grow.
It doesn’t take me long to pop into Viveros Florena our local garden centre. I never walk away without buying something. Or things. This time was no exception. I really only went in to schedule a delivery of some pots to plant my freesias and tulips in. But I couldn’t resist this Salvia. A new one to me. Salvia Oxyphora. Hairy Bolivian sage. Large leaves. Pretty
Don’t ask me where it’s going. I didn’t think that when I bought it. I rarely do. I like a plant. I see it. I buy it. Planting it is secondary.
There is work to be done but I’m pleased with how it’s fared in my absence. The dame de noche ha at long last flowered. An insignificant flower but a glorious evening scent.
The Indian jasmine is still flowering. One of the oleander still has flowers. The Salvia amistad is marching along.
The orange tree has blossom on it which has surprised me but I’m not complaining and last years freesias are already up and growing strong.
But for another week sunrise isn’t until 8.30′ and sunset is getting earlier. The clocks change next week. But when I’m here time stands still. After all. Yesterday I went into town for a half hour appointment. I arrived back home 3 hours later.
This week I’m off to Córdoba for the day. I’m hoping the gardens of the Alcazar are still blooming lovely.
We are back in London having spent a few weeks in Spain. We certainly weren’t singing Viva España when we left. Sunny Spain. The previous two weeks had given us patchy weather. Not an issue normally as it would give me a chance to do some gardening jobs.
But we had a visitor. Who likes the sun. It was there. Just a bit like hide and seek. Now you see me. Now you don’t. Enough. Back to London.
Um. What a difference. I’d left Spain in bright sunshine. Shorts. Sandals. No socks though. Back in jeans and a jumper. With the heating on.
I was intrigued about the garden. Was it still ok. What was dying back. I felt the same arriving in Spain after being away for 6 weeks. The longest I’ve left it since we bought la casa in May 2017. It was fine. I’d lost some lavender. Why I have no idea. But it was fine.
The London garden was lush. Very green. Some colour but the foliage had gone bonkers.
It’s been a good year for my canna and the bananas. Possibly as I’ve been better at watering them. And feeding. Regularly. When we got back it was all very green. And still growing like crazy. The cannas has finished flowering. I have my eye on a few more for next year.
The red banana has gone crazy. What started as a small pot plant has just grown and grown. Much better than the one in the garden in Spain. But I suspect it’s the water. More in London. I’m not sure I’ll be able to overwinter this one. If I don’t I’ll treat them like an annual. If they can put this amount of growth in a season than that’s fine for me
So I don’t think I’ve mentioned I love agapanthus for a while.
Well I do. This is one of the tallest whites we have. Name unknown. One we bought as cheap as chips at Columbia Road market. Flowered for ages. Big fat white flower heads. Now we have the seed heads so I want to collect some seed to take to Spain. I’d really love to get the height of some of these in one part of the garden. Agapanthus do brilliantly in Spain. Not that I’m complaining with the London crop. They have been great. I’m thinking I have to divide some of the pots this year but I hate doing it but needs must.
No not the Mediterranean. But sunny Peckham. This is a citrus tree I bought years ago and it flowers well in a pot. But rarely fruits. When it does it’s exciting but the little fruits are. Well little. But fun.
As a homage to Spain I have a number of succulents – some in pots on the fence and wall. These are all doing great and I have been adding to the collection. I’m thinking I may take a note from Jack Wallington and plant up a small window box outside for the kitchen window.
I even have started to have some indoor plants!!
We had a trip to Somerset. A short non gardening visit. One reason was it was too wet. And I needed more than two days to make a start but there was still colour in the garden. That’s my excuse. It wasn’t that I spent the afternoon with Georgie at Common Farm Flowers – honest, and walking around the flower farm admiring the flower beds. In particular the dahlia beds.
I can but dream. I miss my dahlias.
Back to the cottage –
The perennials have covered and smothered the weeds. I can hardly see the ground elder. The bindweed. So for now I can breathe. But not for long once the perennials are cut back – though not before seed heads have fed the birds – I will see the weeds again.
I await the new book from Jack Wallington ‘ wild about weeds’ with anticipation of the way to grow to love them. Jack and Chris stayed in Pitcombe recently and I was worried about the garden. A garden I hadn’t worked in for a few weeks. There were weeds – I have the national collection of ground elder. Quickly followed by bindweed.
I worried at being judged. Little did I know then that Jack was waiting to release the news on his book – and that Jack would embrace the weeds and not judge me. !! Not that Jack & Chris would. But we are all paranoid about our gardens. Aren’t we?
Now I like these. But not all over the garden. This year at clear up time there will be a cull. A large one. They are taller than ever this year and they have flowered and flowered, and spread and spread. A previous gardener used to divide – and plant them in other parts of the garden. Me. I will divide and find homes.
I planted this poppy a couple of years ago. It floundered a bit. But this year has flowered its petals off. And still it continues. It’s such a shame poppies are rubbish as cut flowers. Reminds me. Maybe next year at least one of the 10,000 poppy seeds I scattered on the bank in Spain may at least flower. I’m not holding my breath – nothing ha appeared in two years.
I never expected to see berries on the honeysuckle. Don’t ask why. I don’t have an answer but I didn’t. And there are. Adds some colour!
Some of the perennials are dying back slowly. But as soon as there is a frost they will be gone over night. The few dahlia I have in the garden will be mush.
I missed the grapes. The constant rain recently had made the majority mouldy. So not chateau Pitcombe this year. Not even enough for my usual grape and rosemary jelly.
But then comes the new opportunities. The new bulbs to plant!!
I have received the bulbs for London and Somerset from Peter Nyssen as usual.
The plan is being made. The tulips for London window boxes. The tulips for the Somerset pots. Yes. I have a plan. Surprisingly a planting plan.
I may even remember which tulips are planted where. There are some old favourites this year. Belle Époque. Angelique, which I’m trying again after a disappointing year a few years ago. New ones. Tulip Copper image – Tulip Uncle Tom.
And one I’m particularly excited about – tulip hocus pocus. I saw this at the open day for the NGS at Ulting Wick and I thought it was fabulous. Tall. Large flowers and totally bonkers. I’m still at odds as to where they will go but as they are so showy I suspect they will be at the front of the house and cottage. A bit of a show off. Me! Yes.
I have spent the day tidying the small patio garden in London. By small. I mean small. I have moved the important things. The chimenea for Harry the cat. Who has decided that he likes being out in the rain as long as he can watch it from the cover of his den.
I head to Spain this week. Friends say aren’t you lucky to have three very different gardens. The answer is a resounding yes. And a resounding no. London really manages itself. It’s small. Everything is in pots. No grass to cut. Little weeding. Lots of watering. It’s an easy garden. Perfect for its size.
Somerset has a lawn. Perennial beds. Fruit trees. And compared to London time consuming and at times hard work. No. At all tomes when you are an absentee gardener. I’m having to think hard about Somerset and it’s planting and maintainence and accept I can’t do it all by myself.
Spain. Oh. How I love the garden. But it’s challenging in may different ways. The heat. The drought. Getting the watering right whilst I’m away. Choosing the right plants. Understanding the pruning of almonds. Of níspero. Of the 3 orange trees.
As I head back I’m excited as well as worried as always to see what I’ll find behind the gates. It’s been very dry again. Very warm. A little rain. That didn’t touch the sides. But. Of course it is forecast to rain for two days when I arrive. But we need the rain. The garden needs the rain. My bulb order should arrive as well so if the ground is wet then maybe. Just maybe I won’t need a pick axe for planting.
I’ve already been told that there is a lot of work to be done. The garden has been watered. But nothing else. So I will have my work cut out. In between tapas and vodka caramelo of course. And a trip by train to Córdoba.
I like nothing more than getting the message ‘ do you fancy coming over for lunch today’. Hello. We arrived late last night to the cottage and we have made no plans. Let me think for a minute – yes. Yes. Yes.
My yes was two fold. Yes for lunch. But yes. Yes. Yes to be able to have a wander around the flower farm and check out what was still in flower. Those that know me know how much I love Common Farm flowers.
Social media has a lot to answer for. We had lived down the road from Georgie for years but our paths had never crossed. Until we met over twitter. The rest is history.
Georgie is also the reason I love dahlias.
As a child I hated them. My parents grew a few. A few Pom Pom. A few cactus. All had ear wigs in them. I used to shake them so hard that sometimes the flowers dropped off. That got me into trouble. So I had a hate hate relationship with them.
But now. I’m a convert. The dahlias at Common Farm are always fabulous and Georgies bouquets are simply gorgeous.
So it was a delight after lunch to don wellies and walk around the gardens. It’s not just dahlias of course. I’m staggered at what Georgie grows and what she uses in her bouquets. In her button holes. In her jam jar posies. Her table arrangements. The list goes on. And on. She taught me very early on that you can put anything in with the flowers. Some rosemary. Grasses. Foliage from whatever you have in the garden – there is so much foliage around the garden that there’s a huge choice.
There was still plenty of colour in the garden. Fading in places but still beautiful. Well it is October after all.
There were still roses in bloom – not as many as many as high Summer but I suspect she’s had a wedding or two. There’s nothing better than a basket of rose petal confetti. I know. I’ve picked many a basket for her. I came back to the studio smelling of. Roses of course.
The dahlia garden was still full of colour. There had been no frosts. Still plenty to pick and oh. Oh. Oh. I could have picked them all. The colours. The shapes. Imagine if they had a scent. Now wouldn’t that be fabulous.
I love dahlia Tartan. I wasn’t sure at first as it’s so bold but it’s a real stunner and looks fabulous in a bouquet or in a vase.
The thing about dahlia is the choice of colours. The shapes. Pom Pom. Cactus. Dinner plate. There were Pom Poms . I just didn’t photograph them. I don’t know why.
The orange is fabulous. The red. Very dark. The pink and yellow. So subtle.
There was an amazing selection of reds. Dark almost black.
I could go on and on- Ian says I usually do. I was in my element – if I can’t grow them myself what is better than being in a garden surrounded by so much beauty.
Ian had already headed back to the house!
The dahlias are still going but come the first frost – bang – they will have gone in a blink of an eye. Until next year.
We are back in Spain after a gap of 6 weeks. The longest I have been away in the last 2.5 years since we bought Casa Verano Eternno, We had decided that the month of August was too hot for both of us and that we would be better off in the UK. Which turned out to be baking hot. But still not as hot as Spain.
Still, we are back now and the weather. Well its a bit like a summer in the UK. A normal one, not one like we have just had. I went into town this morning in cloud. Arrived back home an hour later to bright blue sky. Drove to the coast hot hot hot. Back home to a thunderstorm and some rain. Not enough so I don’t have to water this evening. but enough to bring in the cushions.
Back to the garden. I set the irrigation system to come on whilst I was away. Being paranoid about the water bill and being tight I set it for every other day I also asked a neighbour to come in and water during the week to give the garden a good old soak the old fashioned way. With a hose.
Overall its not too bad. There have been one or two casualties alonmg the way but none that I can’t deal with. Some lavender along the lavender path have died. Why I don’t know when they are in the middle of the path and all those around them have done ok.
There is still some colour which at this time of the year is a minor miracle. The summer has been long. Dry. And very hot.
At the back of the house is a steep bank. I rarely go up there unless I absolutely have to. It’s steep and it’s not that the bank is unstable. It’s me. I have rolled down once or twice and it’s not a pretty sight. For you or for me. So I don’t attempt to do anything on there. But at the base is a lovely bed – although I can’t call it a flower bed as such as its not just flowers. There are succulents. A foxtail agave which is growing nicely. Some other agave. Rosemary. The dreaded fennel.
The lantana is a plant that keeps on giving. This has been in flower on and off for ages and has both flowers and berries. They come in some great colours and the red and yellow is known as Spanish flag. This is rather subdued but is right for this bed.
Alongside it as well as the succulents there is Rosemary which as you would expect in a meditteranean garden and it does pretty well This one has some lovely little flowers at the moment and is a welcome bit of colour in the border. Plus there is plenty if there are any grapes left for me to make some grape and rosemary jelly.
I love seeing these grow outside. We had a plant when I was growing up. Indoors of course. Both the plant and me. In another bed is a Swiss. Geese plant. I’m not keen but it’s growing well albeit slowly. So for now it stays.
When we were back in the UK we had a number of trips to gardens. Both private and public gardens. At Ulting Wick I was taken with the path lined with gaura. The gorgeous flowers at the end of the long tall stalks dancing away. It was stunning and something I would like to do one day. In the meantime we have some pink dotted around the garden. I need to find some white ones.
it’s goodbye agapanthus. I can hear the sigh of relief on social media. Hurrah. Maybe now he will stop bleating in about Agapanthus. Your right. I will. For now. There will be more. I bought ten at the end of season sale at the garden centre here. They close for the month of August and have a pre closing sale. It was agapanthus heaven for me. They are all in pots dotted about the garden and will be planted when we have the rains. Hopefully we will have rain in October or a November and I will be able to plant. Without a pick axe. I joke not.
I thought all was lost with my colocasia mojito. It had died right back. So I sulked and refused to dig it up. Until I saw that I had one leaf appearing. I replanted in a pot not hoping for much and on my return hey ho. It’s growing really well. Needs a repot into a larger permanent pot. But that will be my Autumn task.
I love these colocasia. I bought two black magic. One I potted and it’s grown really large. Big leaves. But they aren’t as black as I had hoped but I think that’s because they are griping bleached in the intense sun on the terrace. I need to find somewhere more shaded. Shame as I like it where it is. The other I lost. Yep. Lost. I couldn’t find it anywhere. It was to go into a pot. I knew the pot. Not personally. But I knew which pot it was going to be planted in. I gave up. Planted something else in that pot.
Today I have found the lost colocasia. I must have dropped it. Because it is growing under the jacaranda tree. Only two, lives but it’s growing. I am leaving it there for now and will dig it up and plant it in a pot. When I buy another.
This always amazes me. It’s sesbania punicea . Whilst there is only one flower on the straggly tree like plant there are a lot of seed heads. It self seeds but in the past I have dug them up not realising what they are.
This year I am nurturing some as I’d like some more plants around the garden. The flowers are glorious and the seed pods really interesting. The plant is straggly and the lower part unattractive. But these pea like flowers are lovely.
We had the almond trees pruned this year. The first time since we have been here. I had no idea what to do so I found a man that did. And he did know. A good prune and a fantastic flowering season later we have almonds. A lot of almonds. I thought we may have been a bit late in picking them but there will still a lot in the tree. Some had already fallen. So we picked a lot. Now to decide what to do. I have had a number of suggestions. But the biggest problem is cracking the blighters. A recommendation from an insta friend. Don’t be a cheapskate when buying but crackers. Buy cheap buy twice. Or three times. I agree. I bought cheap last year and gave up.
I’ve come to realise late to the party with the fruit and nut and olive crops. One good year. One bad year. Last year was a dire year for the olives and the quince. We had one quince on the tree last year. This there are at least 20. So it looks like I will be making quince jelly and may try my hand at membrillo. To go with the fabulous spanish cheeses.
Not being here all the time means that some fruit ripens and is gone by the time you get back. Like the figs. There are 4 on the tree. That’s breakfast sorted for the next few days. Not just a fig. But to add to breakfast.
So we have had a good collection of goodies to pick and eat. The almonds, the grapes,the chumbos and the olives.
The chumbos are the fruit of the prickly pear. Prickly they sure are. Get one of those needles in your finger and you know it. You also spend the next few hours trying to get it out. Apparently they are short in supply. The prickly pears around here are decimated by the cochineal fly. I have been spraying mine regularly and have two decent ones in the garden. Makes me feel special. We have them. But I’m not going to eat them. They will be re homed.
The olives won’t be picked until they are black and then will be salted. I did it once before and they were delicious. A recipe given to me by a friend who has a b& B in Portugal.
They tasted great and that’s from someone who’s not a lover of olives.
There are seed heads and pods coming all around the garden. . The sesbania. The jacaranda and the seed heads of caesalpinja gilliesi. Oh. And an unknown wildflower. The name escapes me.
There is a lot to do. I have taken the plunge in pruning the lavender. It looks pretty awful now but it will get better. Won’t it? It was planted a year ago and looked fabulous during the summer. Gorgeous lavender flowers with an amazing array of bees and pollinating insects. Oh. And it smelled heavenly as you brushed past on your way up the path. Dodging the bees of course.
So it continues. I have a lot of clearing to do. The olive tree makes a mess with its dropping leaves. The grapes drop. Their leaves drop. The agapanthus – oops. Another mention need a tidy. Some people leave the seed heads. I did last year and we have a lot self seed. This year I’m cutting them back. It’s a choice against tidy and untidy. This year I’m doing tidy.
One more thing that’s left to do. Order my Autumn planting bulbs. I have grown freesias in this garden for the last two years. They have been a huge success. Ordered and delivered to Spain by Peter Nyssen they have been tall. Strong stems and a fabulous scent. They need a bit of staking which along with labelling is a weakness of mine. But I’m going to have to. I want more.
We have rain forecast for Friday. That’s a bulb website day!
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Gardens. Travel. Life. 