Mediterranean garden – Page 2 – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on May 21, 2022May 22, 2022 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

Another tale of 3 gardens

Casa Verano is possibly the easiest and hardest at the same time to garden. Back in March when we were here it was wet. By wet I mean wet. And we had hideous Sahara dust. So wet and red. We had an unexpected week here in April and the weather was kinder. We even had tulips. Have I mentioned I like tulips. Hang on if I didn’t because you sure will by the end. If you get that far. We are back here now for 10 days and it is as hot as it was wet in March. Un seasonably so. The nighttime temperature tonight is tropical. Electricity may be cheaper after midnight but not cheap enough to put the aircon on. I’ve been gardening at 6am. Partly in the dark. I suspect these days I look better in the dark.

It’s been a busy few weeks. After two years of little or no travel and with better weather we have been here and there. There and here. We had a short trip to CasaVerano Eternno to get the house ready for the more frequent visits over the next few months. We have had a few weeks in Somerset. Weeding. Visitors in both Spain and somerset. A few weeks in London and are now back in Andalucia. It would be good to spend longer here. But. We have to count our days. And make the days count.

I planted only four pots of tulips here in Spain which was a late a late planting as planned trips at the end of 2021 didn’t happen so the bulbs weren’t planted until February. Oh. I also planted them in the white wall ~ Tulip Armani which did surprisingly well given how windy it can get 2000 ft up the mountain and the wall is exposed.

The majority did well. The wet March certainly helped with flower size and stem height. As we had a friend staying we didn’t spend all our time in the garden. There has to be a balance. There were cultural events thrown in. Lunch on the coast ~ that’s cultural isn’t it? A trip to Granada and for once not to the Alhambra. But to a secret garden with great views across to it.

A visit to the Botanical gardens in Malaga for the first time in a few years. There has been a lot of work carried out since we were last there. It’s not a manicured gardens but there are new beds and things look generally more cared for since we were last there.

I find it amazing to find plants growing here that we had as houseplants growing up. How many houses had a Swiss cheese plant indoors when growing up. We did. The botanical gardens have huge swathes of them. Huge in size as well as quantity. Clivia is another. I had one in my office for years and when I first came here five years ago and saw them planted outside in the shade I did the same. Not on the same scale obviously. But they have been great again this year. Beautiful orange flowers. I’m trying to find some yellow ones.

When in Granada we visited the Monasterio de San Jerónimo, ~ found originally when we parked in the underground car park close by. Well worth a visit. The monastery. Not the car park. Although it’s easy to find and easy to park. Ian rolled his eyes again when I asked if we should ring the bell and ask for Maria. It’s a closed order so I guess we wouldn’t get an answer. I know. Childish. Me. Not the closed order. Ian often wishes I had made a vow of silence.

It was a fly8mg visit in April. Literally. But we are back. As I said it’s hot. The rain in earlier months has definitely benefitted the wildflowers. The campo is a glorious swathe of colour and our roundabout which isn’t a roundabout has grown like crazy. Not the roundabout obviously but the growth on it. Strimmed to within an inch of it’s life in Autumn it is now full of grasses and wildflowers. More grasses than I’d like but it’s looking pretty. Looks like another hard strim will be needed later in the year. Why strim?. Wildfires. Whilst it’s away from the house it worries me. So strimmed it will be.

Area behind the house under the almond trees

This isn’t the roundabout but is the area at the back of the house where we have some almond trees. Thankfully it’s a poor year for almonds. I do pick them. Dry them. But have you tried cracking the things. I need a professional cracker. But. The wildflowers look good. Again it will be cut back late summer when things have dried to a crisp. There is no watering of this part of the garden.

It’s been a good year for the soap aloe ~ Aloe Maculata . We usually get some flowers but this year in one bed at the side of the house 15 are flowering. To be honest they may flower as well every year. But last year and 2020 we weren’t here at this time of year. This is our 6th May here having exchanged this week in May 2017. I digress as usual. The mix of some rain ~ too wet and they rot ~ and the recent heat has brought them all out. By the time we are next here they will be over.

The strelitzia Reginae are out. In force this year. One of my favourite plants in the garden with about a trillion other favourites. Sadly the strelitzia Nicolai hasn’t appeared so I stand and admire next doors. They are such beauties and I have planted two more to go with the two we already have. Only one of the four is large enough to flower and it has a mind of its own when it does. They are popular along the coast here. so we get to see them a lot. When we first had the house I thought we had banana plants. I was shocked when one day these flowers appeared.

This agave is still growing strong and I continue to hope it doesn’t flower. The foxtail agave which once flowers dies. For once I’m happy to have something that’s not flowering. There are a number of baby plants to pot on. Which I must do soon. I planted one in a pot two years ago and that has done well and it needs to be transferred to the dry bank Oh. It’s another one of my favourites. There are three dotted around the garden. This is the largest.

The Rosemary and lavender I replanted along the path is doing really well with the lavender about to flower. Ignore the hose pipe. If I was a proper blogger and Instagrammer I would have moved it out of shot. It’s a nice shady path but boy the mozzies love it. I have planted scented pelargoniums as well here so will see if that helps. The Rosemary should too. A.one with the society garlic and the chopped garlic I have strewn along the bed. Thankfully the scent of the honeysuckle in the tree will mask it at face level !

The planting is pretty eclectic here. A lot of what is here ie the more established plants like the agave the aloe and the oleander do well. I’ve added to the agapanthus which to those that know me well isn’t a surprise. The large ferns continue to surprise me. Placed where I want them and not in what I think would be ideal conditions they have more than flourished. They have become huge. It’s such a different garden to what I am used to in the Uk. It’s dry. It’s Hot. Water is used sparingly. Well I am trying to use less. If it needs a lot of water it’s not planted. But to be honest there is little that is totally drought tolerant. I can be a serious over waterer but the cost and the lack of it here has reined me in.

I have removed the tulips from the white wall and bought geraniums to,replace them. But then as you do changed my mind and decided a few geranium pots on the terrace would give some colour before the large pot of canna appears and the scented cerise pelargonium flowers I found Sanvitalia procumbems _ a creeping Zinnia. Who knew. I didn’t. It has a dainty trailing habit with yellow flowers. Apparently drought, humidity and heat tolerant. We shall see ! They are annuals so if they don’t work this year they don’t work and will be replaced. Need deadheading. My mother was a serial deadheader. She couldn’t help but walk up a path and dead head the flowers even if it wasn’t her own garden. I think I have inherited that gene but only for my own garden thankfully.

We have three pomegranate trees in the garden. More bushes than trees really and they were heavily pruned earlier this year. Very heavily. We get flowers if we are lucky. Last year when we returned after a year away there were two pomegranates high up on the bush. Both split. Both half eaten but after 4 years of having none we now know they are not ornamental. They have a mind of their own and do fruit. That’s the downside of not being here full time in that we can and often do miss things. Buts how it is for now.

There are two Pineapple guava which were also cut back as I hadn’t been able to,do anything to them for two years. I suspect now that my timing was wrong as there are fewer flowers than normal. Which is a shame as they are so beautiful. The fruit is an acquired taste. A visiting friend tasted one and said it tasted like germolene. I get where she is coming from but the two childhood smells I hated were germolene and TCP . I worked with someone many years ago who used it as after shave. Or bathed in it.

The cactus. Or to be correct the euphorbia candelabrum. But it’s a cactus to us in this garden. One of Ian’s choices as he likes structural plants. Both in pots. Both tied to the railings so they don’t get blown over and they will at some point go in the ground. But as they are doing so well not yet although the pots are cracking. As in splitting.

Then there is the quince. Not something I expected to,find in the garden but there are a lot of them about in the area. There is one not far from us where the quince are left to drop. I just may go and ask this year if I can have them. But this year we have quince again which means that I will be making quince jelly . It’s a favourite of mine along with a bit of gorgeous Spanish cheese.

Pomegranate. Pineapple guava. Euphorbia candelabrum and Quince

The weather is due to get cooler mid week. Then I can cut the hedge. Check the irrigation system. Tie in the grape vine. Oh and lunch with friends. Before we return for Jubilee celebrations. Until the next time when it all stars over again. Oh. I mentioned tulips. But that’s for another day.

Posted on March 22, 2022March 24, 2022 by happyretiredblog

Oops I did it again.

Another week. But what a week we had last week. Some sun. Some rain. More rain. Clima. Torrential rain. So Clima. Yep. The arrival of the Sahara dust on the Costa del Sol. The worst here in our pueblo Blanco that anyone can remember. The Pueblo Blanco is now a Pueblo Naranja.

It was a pretty eerie sky as we headed into town to pick up a takeaway. A definite yellow/orange hue. Like we were in some sci fi movie. The white walls have all been covered in the dust. The dust dumped in the pools and the terraces caked. I have hosed the terrace. Hosed the walls of La Casa. Then it rained again but didn’t make much difference. Now we are waiting for round 2. Which may or may not happen. But there is torrential rain forecast. Which is fine as we need the rain. Just not the dust.

The garden was covered. The plants were covered and it’s taken days to make a bit of a difference. But thankfully we were here otherwise my paranoia would be in overdrive.

The rain is welcome and to be honest it’s perfect planting weather. I think for the first time since we bought the house I have been able to dig and plant without a pick axe. You think I jest. Trust me ~ I wondered when I’d ever use the tools we had acquired with the house. Various sizes of pick axes for one thing.

But this week I can dig deep. The ground is wet and I can plant properly. So I have had to buy some plants to try it out. One has to really.

So we headed to our local garden centre. I’d be lying if I said this was our first visit this trip. I’ll be honest. It was our third. The first to collect the roses I had on order. The second to collect the 10 lavender I had ordered. Of course each time it wasn’t just the roses. Or the lavender. I added to the list. So today Ian said if you are only collecting compost I will wait in the car. After I was taking too long he came and found me.

But . I saw the lovely salvia x jameensis fuchsia. I love salvia and had already picked up two others on the earlier visit. But I loved the colour so it fell in my bag.

This was a new one on me. Looked like a digitalis so I thought I have a spot for that. But looking closer the label said it was a digiplexis. A what? Who knew. I didn’t. It is a hybrid plant and is the cross between a foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and Canary Island foxglove (Isoplexis canariensis). It will be interesting to see a) it flower and b) will it survive. I’m sure if it does there will be photos.

I also bough 12 gaura to add to the ones that I already have planted. 6 white. 6 as above. I love them. They are tall like dancing butterflies above the other plants. I have planted them all around the various beds. Guess what. There is room for more.

When we moved here the path was a fabulous lavender path. But we lost a lot of it and I tried starting again. Wit was a disaster. So I planted a Rosemary path. Mostly creeping Rosemary which whilst it’s done well I wasn’t that happy. ~ I can hear Ian saying ‘No change there then’ So I decided to remove every other Rosemary plant and plant a lavender in its place and to have a mixed path. Time will tell as to how it works. But I’d be happy if it did. Back to square one if it doesn’t.

We have a number of these around the garden. They have grown bonkers which is surprising as some are in the brightest sunniest part of the terrace. When it’s sunny which hasn’t been this week. Two have decided to break out of their pots so it’s into larger ones for them. A bit of a tidy up for all of them and a bit of a feed. Given the chance Ian would have Tree Ferns. He’s still adamant that they will leave London with us when we sell. But not to Spain.

The Osteospermum are starting to flower in force. They are so reliable though a little late to the party this year. They spread a fair bit but that’s fine for where they are growing. Two years ago I bought some fancy new colours. They lasted a month. I hated them. I’m happy with these.

I was late to the party planting my tulips in Spain. We were due here mid December but that was cancelled so it wasn’t until the end of January when they were planted. This is the white wall at the end of the pool. In summer it’s planted with geraniums. Bright red Common old garden geraniums. For now it’s a tulip mix. If I remembered what they are I’d tell you. Every year I’m determined to label. Every year it’s a fail. But. Hopefully we will be back in time to see them out. There are a number of pots dotted around the garden which are heavily planted with tulips. It’s a joy that I can still get bulbs from my friends at Peter Nyssen shipped here. Direct from Holland.

The orange blossom is out in force. I’m hoping that we don’t lose it and that we get oranges again this year. It’s a bit hit and miss but the help we have has pruned and tidied the growth and I have done a feed. It’s fingers crossed. But I love the blossom and the smell is delicious. Oranges aren’t bad either. When they form.

Hola hola. I’ve repotted and moved this large aeonium twice. I love it and it’s almost alien looking. It was worse for wear when we returned after a 12 month absence and one of the larger bits had snapped off. That is now planted direct in the ground and is growing well. I still can’t get used to being able to leave these out all year round. I have green ones in the ground which really look like aliens.

In a pot on the terrace this is finally in flower. Opening with the sun it’s a lovely shade of orange. Would go well with this years Pitcombe tulips which has a bit of an orange theme. Well I think it does. A great succulent which I may be Malephora or maybe Lampranthus. Either way it’s flowering!

A walk outside the main garden and out through the gate. The roundabout that’s not a roundabout which is lovely and green with a splash of yellow. Strimmed back in the Autumn as I worry about the dying back of the wildflowers catching fire ~ been rejuvenated with the rain. The Oxalis pes-caprae are starting to open. I’m hoping for a sea of acid yellow by the end of next month. Known by a multiples of names ~ African wood-sorrel, Bermuda buttercup, Bermuda sorrel, buttercup oxalis, Cape sorrel, English weed, goat’s-foot, sourgrass, soursob or soursop;

I know it as the yellow weed that spreads like mad but looks great in the spring. I’d rather have this than bindweed.

The roundabout that’s not a roundabout is a large area across the access road from us and above the pine trees. The large pine you can see isn’t ours. It doesn’t look much but I can’t strim it myself it’s steep and my balance on it would mean I’d be tumbling down the hill to the bottom of the road. Walk up that access road which is a dead end and you get great views to La Maroma. I know. I’ve done it once or twice in 5 years.

When we bought the house there was a stump of an old mimosa on the bank. I eventually cut it right back but a shoot was growing about two feet away which I was too lazy to deal with. It has now become a large tree bearing amazing hanging branches of mimosa. I will give it a prune after flowering but it’s full of bees at the moment and frames the gate perfectly. Not great for my hay fever but I’ll live with it. Plus it looks great picked for the house.

‘ How are the cactus doing’ Ian asks. We don’t have any I say. Yes we do. The ones tied to the railings. Ah. They aren’t cactus they are Euphorbia candelabrum. Whatever is his reply. You’ve looked that up. Let’s stick with cactus. It’s less of a mouthful. Well they are doing pretty well. Once in a while Ian sees something he wants for the garden. These were one of those purchases.

The gorgeous banksia rose is a little sparse on the flower side this year. Climbing the jacaranda tree it’s such a pretty little flower. Makes note to give it a tidy up for next year.

I walk through a little shrubbery on my way to Peckham Rye station and they have some amazing Melianthus major growing. I didn’t expect to get them here in Spain but I have. Great plants from Lorraine Cavanagh where I buy most of my plants. When we made an offer on the house I bought a book on Mediterranean plants ready for the new adventure. When Ian saw the price (Amazon). He said how much? He changed his mind when talking to the sellers and I mentioned I’d already bought a book to help with the plants. Oh. That’s Lorraine. The garden centre is here in Competa. Lorraine has been invaluable these last five years and will message me to say ‘ we have had a delivery. I think you may like x. “ It’s one place Ian never minds going. Lorraine also has a book on citrus. .

As well as the gardening books Lorraine has written about Cómpeta in a book ‘ There are no flies. Only foreigners’ about Cómpeta and the surrounding areas. She has been here for 37 years and seen many changes. imagine no mobiles in the campo only walkie-talkies! It’s a really great read.

I know not where this came from. I can’t remember planting them but they are springing up around the garden. I’ve checked back at purchases but can find no trace. Maybe I bought them locally. But I hate planting small bulbs. I’m reliably informed it’s Allium Triquetrum but can’t recall planting it at all. The alliums I know I have planted are on the way up. Even the dreaded drumsticks. I love them. But as I said. I hate planting small bulbs. Patience is a virtue. Sadly not one of mine.

I’ve had a move around of the pots. Something I do occasionally. That’s the joy of them. . As long as they aren’t too heavy they can be moved around. I cut the pelargoniums back hard and they have come back stronger. I’m hoping they will flower better this year. And for longer. I forgot to photograph the society garlic. I could smell it before I saw it and it’s starting to flower already. Supposed to deter mosquitos. Not in this garden. They were hideous last year. I looked like a dart board. Or a dot to dot picture.

Ignore the dirty wall. it needs cleaning and repainting. A job for another day. . I had this rose arch made locally and fitted. All done without me being here. Our neighbour took in the sketch of what we wanted. Think a 5yr olds drawing. They came and measured and fitted without us seeing it. Perfect. I’ve finally planted a climbing rose ~ Rosa Zephrine Drouhin and a star jasmine ~ Trachelospermum jasminoides. When we first moved in I had to go and look at a rose on a house opposite. A gorgeous red rose which I thought was fake. It wasn’t of course. . But I was surprised that it was growing so well. Fingers crossed this will. Although it’s pink. And Virtually thornless.

More rain is forecast. More Sahara sand. And more planting. Tomorrow is another day

Posted on March 14, 2022March 14, 2022 by happyretiredblog

Up the garden path ~ again

Well we are back. But it looked a bit shaky when we were waiting to board the plane in London. Booked well in advance like most of our flights for the year to get a decent price or moved from the last two years supply of vouchers. A packed flight checked in and waiting to board only to be asked for volunteers to not take the flight. Weather was going to be bad. The plane was too heavy. Not with our luggage ~ we had the smallest bags imaginable but they needed 22 people to volunteer.

Guess how many they got. Yep. None. So there was a roll call of names. They decided and the luggage had already been removed. We’d escaped the roll call. But to be honest I was tempted. The compensation was generous.

We had a car to pick up. Oh. And the fire had been lit ready for our arrival. Hot water was on and there was the essentials in the fridge. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Good neighbours are worth their weight in gold.

It is 5 years to the weekend we first viewed this house. 5 years and I can’t quite believe how fast the time has gone. Even with the two lost years when travel was sparse.

I still get the joy of arriving at the gate and opening it into the garden. Ian will tell you that I didn’t want to see the house. It had everything I didn’t want. 10 mins from town . A decent sized garden. A pool. But he will also tell you that I only walked through the gate and I’d made up my mind.

The garden has changed a bit over the years we have been here. We have had to adapt to the fact that we aren’t here all the time and that we need to plant even more drought tolerant plants. Rain this last year has been especially scarce although it’s chucking down a storm right now and rain is forecast for the next week. By chucking it down I mean chucking it down. Apparently it’s Celia’s fault. Storm Celia hitting the Costa del Sol. The next few days are forecast between 10-20 mm. each day. But even that will only have a marginal effect on the reservoirs. To the west of Malaga water restrictions start this week.

We arrived later than planned. Late departure and arrival. A massive queue at border control. Gone are the days of a cursory glance at your British passport and a wave through. Now every British passport is scanned by the two people on duty. And stamped. Don’t forget it needs stamping in and out for recording of your 90/180 day limit.

Despite being late. Despite being tired I always have to have that walk around the garden to have the cursory check even though it’s dark. For a minute the concerns over electricity prices are thrown to the wind and as my mother would say ‘ with all these lights on it’s like Blackpool illuminations’ I’m still getting my head around the price timings here. There are three time bands at various times of the day. The whole of Spains washing machines are either on at weekends or between midnight and eight am.

I can see that despite the late planting of tulips at the end of January that they have pushed through and the pots are all showing a good success. Hopefully we can time our trips to be here when they are out. I can look closer tomorrow when there is a break in the rain. If there is one.

Well there was a break in the rain. The tulips in the white wall planter are doing well. Not much further behind the ones I planted in London. I’d tell you what I’ve planted. If I could remember. It was a mad dash to,plant and I can’t find my plan. ( Did I even have one). The other pots are also doing well and should make a good display.

I’ve planted a lot of Rosemary around the garden. The windey path has a creeping Rosemary edging on one side. It’s taken and it’s flowering but I think I should either add some ‘normal” Rosemary or rework the edging. Not a job for now. But the flowers on the plants are looking great and they do well with little water.

The clivia are out in full force. I’ve mentioned before that I first had these as houseplants. Bought in Somerset from a neighbour who had the most fabulous garden shop in Castle Cary. Clare introduced me to these and I always think of her when I see them now. But now planted outside in the Mediterranean garden rather than indoors.

I cut the cistus back quite hard as it hadn’t been touched for two years. I wasn’t expecting it to be flowering now. But it is. Gorgeous crepe paper like flowers though today battered by the rain. But a welcome sight of a bit of colour.

I first planted freesia here in 2019 or was it 2018. Whichever one they do well. I have added more each year all~ from Peter Nyssen. I didn’t see any last year as we didn’t come out when they were in flower but our neighbours enjoyed them. I told them to keep picking them. I have tried them in pots in London but they just didn’t work. These are a mixture of pots and in the ground and a mix of single and double flowers and give a fabulous display.

The dodonea is a spectacular colour at this time of the year but has really insignificant flowers. I need to get some more plants as they are great drought tolerant plants and the colour is vibrant. I must pick some for indoors.

I’m not sure where this came from. I haven’t planted any in over two years. Must be a self seeder which has appeared in a pot. Just the one though. It’s a very welcome addition and I hope it will self seed again. It reminds me of my parents garden as they always had some in the bk garden.

The yellow banksia rose climbing through the jacaranda is a bit straggly this year. A reminder I need to do a tidy up for next year. It’s such a lovely little rose and another welcome sight so early in the season. We had a rose arch made for the side gate and I’m off to pick up the climbing rose tomorrow. No doubt there may be more than just one rose purchased. I’ll make a list this evening.

The bathroom bed is a bit of a hotch potch of a bed. A real mixture of plants. Two large pomegranates dominate , well they did until we had them severely cut back. There are succulents. Some canna. Agapanthus. The lovely dodonea. A large lemon grass and like everywhere else lots of Rosemary. Oh and some drumstick alliums ( I’m never planting them again). Oh. I forgot. The large leaves of the strelitzia Reginae and the Swiss cheese plant.

There are three of the bird of paradise out with three more flower spikes to open. I’m more worried that I can’t see any sign of movement on the strelitzia Nicolai ~ the lovely black/blue and white variety. I’ve planted three more as I love the size and the flowers. Fingers crossed. No doubt I’ll tell you when and if there are flowers.

Meanwhile on the bank by the front gate the mimosa is about to open fully. Not bad considering the original tree had died and the new shoots are now a 10ft tree. If open fully this visit I’ll be picking for vases indoors.

Above the mimosa are the Pines which are looking the best they have since we have been here. I love the colours.

I’ve seen a window in the rain for tomorrow which means a bit of a feed. The plants not me and a bit of a tidy of the agapanthus and a look at the other parts of the garden and the pots. In between seeing friends. A visit to the bank and shopping. But. I’ll be back.

Posted on February 8, 2022February 15, 2022 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Nuestro Jardín Mediterráneo

Well that was a short break. One of the shortest trips to Spain ever I think. But to be honest any trip is a bonus after the last two years. This time in 2020 we were just back and preparing for a trip to Mexico. With trips planned for the rest of the year. Little did we know then that in 2020 I would get about 6 weeks in late summer then nothing again until exactly a year later. 3 weeks. And then nothing until this trip. So it may have only been 8 nights but it felt like a lifetime.

If I was professional blogger that hose would have been moved as would have the plant holder. But I’m not ~ I say this is much a diary for me and not for publication! The garden has fared well in our abscence and we are so lucky to have great neighbours and a gardener who goes in once a month. It’s funny how I wandered around the garden for a week and then at the end of it realised what had been done. Without asking. The citrus had been pruned. The almonds had been cut back. All things I had meant to,ask for but didn’t. It was just done.

We spent the latter half of the week collecting leaves and just generally tidying the beds. Unlike Somerset we didn’t have to spend so much time swearing at ground elder and the multitude of weeds we get there. To be fair it’s been so dry here the weeds would have shrivelled and died. And the serious over waterer has been absent. But we still managed to fill bags of garden waste. We have room for a compost heap but I don’t want to leave heaps of dried leaves and garden refuse as I’m worried about fires. The area around the house has been cut back as I’m paranoid about it catching fire.

I was so pleased to see the prickly pear ( the plant not us) had survived the ravages of the cochineal bug which are commonly found on the cactus Opuntia. Boy. Are they prevalent here. When we are here regularly I can keep an eye on it but when we aren’t it goes crazy. There are very few around the area now which haven’t succumbed. This one even had fruit. Not that I have ever eaten one. if you squash the bug you’ll get covered in red dye. Try getting that off your red wall. Or white T-shirt.

last year the roundabout that’s not a roundabout was cleared of all of the dry vegetation. By now I’d expect it to be covered in the yellow oxalis pes caprae but the dry weather has put things back. There is a small patch at the bottom of the access drive which I suspect was watered from a water leak we had. Don’t ask. It was a big one.

The flowers are really an acidic yellow but en masse make a lovely colour splash. The roundabout which isn’t a roundabout then has a succession of wildflowers to add to its solitary almond tree and two small fig trees which produce very small figs. Tasty if you can be bothered to climb the bank. Which I don’t often. Not with my balance.

Let’s talk about pots. The two at the edge of the path have been filled with tulips. I ordered Tulip Ballerina. El Niño. Temple of Beauty. I think El Niño is planted here. Along the white wall I’ve planted Armani. All tulips which I had planned to,plant when we arrived mid December for Christmas. But we didn’t arrive so they have had to go in in late January. Hopefully they will be ok. I’ve also planted four more pots dotted around the terrace ~ Temple of beauty and Ballerina. I’m hoping we will be there to see them this year. I also moved pots around. The bird of paradise ~ strelitzia Reginae into a bit more of a sunnier spot. It has four flower spikes forming so maybe. Just maybe I’ll see them. Empty pots should have been moved to the side of the house. Looking at that pic I realise I didn’t do it.

To the other side is one of my favourites. The foxtail agave ~ agave attentuata ~ which has done really well, ~ probably better as it hasn’t been fussed over. The added benefit is that there are about four more that are growing in the pot which I need to replant into their own pots. Then later I will plant direct into the garden. But not this one. When they flower they have a fabulous long tail,like flower. Then die. So I don’t want this one to flower ever.

This spikey blighter is on the slope where we don’t venture. Which as just as well as it’s lethal. We won’t be having one of these in the main garden. Ever. But it does have pretty flowers. Just along from this are the mimosa trees. Huge. Usually full of flowers. Not yet though.

The almond blossom is out in abundance around the Campo. Except in our garden. We have five almond trees at the rear of the house and there is a little blossom but it’s always later than most. Don’t ask me if it’s sweet almonds or not. I don’t have a clue. I have picked the almonds. Dried them but haven’t cracked them. I have tried and failed. They are a hard nut to crack. But the blossom is a amazing.

We also have two loquat or nispero trees behind the almonds. I would grow these just for their leaves whicrh are huge. The fruit rarely ripens on the tree and when it does it has to be picked quickly. I find it doesn’t keep well and certainly doesn’t travel.

The border if I can call it that at the side of the house pretty much looks after itself. I have added a few things to the original plants that were there when we bought the house. Which I can’t believe is coining up to 5 years ago. 5 whole years and my Spanish is still not as good as Ian’s. I digress which I do a lot. Back to plants. The Swiss cheese plant is still alive and I’ve grown to like it. The trouble is that growing up we had one. Indoors. Along with the rubber plant. The Christmas cactus. The spider plant. Who knew they grew outdoors. Everyone but me. T have planted more agapanthus. That’s a surprise. Another strelitzia. Some Allium.

I’ve rescued the aeonium ~ replanted. Staked and moved to a better position. It could do with a wash looking at this photo.

I’m surprised just how much gardening we did. But you know ~ it’s never ending. I have a list already for our next visit. And the three after.

To be fair it wasn’t all gardening. A trip down the windy road to Nerja. A trip down the wiggly road for lunch in Caletta. Friends around for wine and cake. There has to be cake. I was surprised I didn’t get stopped with my pots of powder. Liquorice powder to make a chocolate liquorice cake. One pot for me. Two pots for friends. Along with eye drops for another. Friend. Not cake.

There was a little walking. Not much to be fair. We walked for miles on Sunday then realised it was all uphill back. An idiots mistake. Mine.

There were sunsets. I won’t bore you with the amazing sunsets from the terrace. I can do that with my Instagram posts.

But my favourite part is always the garden.

Until next time.

Posted on February 7, 2021February 11, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 8 Comments

A Tale of 3 Gardens. Spain

Hopefully this is the last a tale of. The final one in the trilogy. There can’t be another. Can there? No. Not ever.

When I retired in 2015 the plan was to spend more time in Somerset. To travel. To help out and spend a week at RHS Chelsea with Lou’s Poo and Todds Botanics

Be part of the poo crew. To help out at Common Farm Flowers and be part of the Dream team.

I’ve done all three. Though the visit of a certain pandemic in 2020 put a halt to most things for the year and so far this.

Poo crew & dream team

I spent most of the Summer of 2015 at the cottage, spending time with my godchildren. Friends. Visitors. Summer was great. Plenty of gardening. Summer turned into Autumn. Into winter. I remembered that the winters and Springs were wet. The garden impossible to garden under water logged ground.

Ian and I traveled to Spain in March 2017.

We were booked to stay in a Pueblo Blanco ~ Frigliana for a week. We planned to view some small townhouses in the area. We had wanted a bolt hole abroad but originally in France. In all the years we looked we hadn’t found anywhere where you feel in love with the place. Latterly we had looked at Spain. Our B&B accommodation fell through at the last minute and had to find somewhere else. We ended up in another pueblo blanco. Competa and fell in love with it.

Competa

We had a list of properties to view. Things ticked. Cross ticked. Agreed on. Or so I thought.

My wish list: a town house so I could walk to the shops and restaurants. A terrace. No garden. No pool. So we viewed exactly what I wanted. Ian said we should view some houses in the campo. Which we did and none filled me with joy. Until.

Ian had seen a property on line and he said. ‘You’ll love the garden” I wasn’t convinced not because I didn’t trust his judgment. But it was 10 mins drive from town. It had a garden. It had a pool. It was one bedroom less than I really wanted. But there’s one thing I’ve learnt after over the last 25 years. At least go and see it. Then you can say no.

The reality. We arrived at the house. The drive there was fine. Yes some dodgy corners. The access road was concreted. Tick. All plus points. We parked up and approached the gates. Entered the garden and walked up the curved path with lavender borders looking at the view. Ian turned and simply said. ‘You don’t need to see the house do you. Your minds made up.

The owners had done a fantastic job on the garden and the house. To be fair to me at that point the house was irrelevant.

We viewed it in March and rather aptly we were at RHS Chelsea show when we heard from the agent and now friend that contracts had been exchanged. I flew the next day to collect the keys and after nearly four years I still get the same feeling each time I arrive at the house.

We have changed some things. Some plants haven’t worked for us as we aren’t there all the time. There are drought tolerant plants and there are drought tolerant plants. The seasons are different. Each summer different to the last. Wetter autumns. Drier summers. No two years have been the same.

The garden is a number of parts. The drive. The main garden. The bank adjacent to the bathroom and bedroom. The rear bank behind the house. The upper bank. The lower bank. The roundabout that’s not a roundabout. Each has a different kind of planting and thankfully the banks look after themselves. Sort of.

The drive

The drive has oleander on the right as you drive in and on the other side is the bank,where there are a couple of magnificent pine trees. Some large agave. Creeping Rosemary, a honeysuckle, a mimosa and some dying prickly pear.

The bank is steep and whilst it’s stable I’m not. Not on a dry bank. One two occasions I have been stood on the bank one minute planting some creeping rosemary. The next sliding down the bank on my bottom.

Instagram reminded me that the oleander in all its parts is poisonous. But it does well and the colours are glorious and the seed heads on some pretty amazing.

For now ignore that wall and the access road. That’s another story which I’ll come back to. That’s if you are with me until the end. Brace yourself. I’ve had to limit the number of photographs.

The pines gave me the first experience of the nasty little blighter that is the processionary caterpillar. Nasty evil little caterpillars all marching in a line. Coming down the trunk from white nests in the trees. Dangerous to dogs and young children. We didn’t have any last year but as soon as we see any we have someone in to remove the nests which have to be taken away and burnt.

The garden

I love the gates. Little things please little minds but I love them. It’s like stepping into a secret garden. At this time of year the glorious purple of the hardbengia vilocea hangs over the top and is full of bees. I’d never seen one before ~ the plant. Not the bees obviously. But it’s become a huge favourite. I am trying to grow one in the sheltered garden in London.

The gates take you into the garden and the curved path up past the garage to the terrace and the house. Have I said I love the path? The curve of the path is amazing as it moves the eye to take in the various angles. To the right along the garage I have added clivia and freesias to the existing planting. There is a small ~ in comparison to the one on the other side ~ Strelitzia Nicola. Which I first thought was a banana. Massive leaves. Tall. Leaves ripped in the wind. The smaller is yet to flower.

But I think I gasped when on one visit I looked up at the larger plant and there was not one but three beautiful black and white birds of paradise flowers. We have had flowers three out of the 4 years we have been there. I bought another for a different part of the garden which I may regret it as it may be a bit exposed. We are 700m above sea level up the mountain and wind can and does swirl around the house. But the views to the coast of Málaga are outstanding. On clear days and dependant on the time of year you can see Gibraltar and/or the coast of Morocco.

To the right and on the bank further back of the flower is a bottle brush. I’ve never been keen on them after someone once commented that she thought they were vulgar. To be honest in the right planting the colour against the blue sky is amazing.

In this bed are some tall yucca. A rather tall jacaranda which is beautiful when it flowers but a nightmare when it drops its flowers which stain the path Last year we bit the bullet and had it cut back. The additional light we got was amazing and despite a hard cut back it’s romping away. I was told we would kill it. My reaction. If it dies it dies but it needs to be cut back.

Another of my favourite flowers is the pineapple guava. ( Feijoa) Beautiful flowers and a small fruit later in the season. They are a bit of an acquired taste. I don’t mind them but a friend who was staying said they tasted like germolene! Just as well they don’t smell like it. Two pet hates. The smells of germolene and TCP.

I have had issues with the lavender path. I’mmsure it’s because I’m not there all the time and it’s not covered by irrigation but I’ve had to replace half. Instead of replanting with more and after falling in love with yet another path I planted white gaura. After seeing a gaura path at Ultimg Wick I decided that I wanted to include some here. I planted it’s in 2019 and it has been a success inter planted with the lavender.

The jacaranda has a banksia rose growing up into the branches along with some honeysuckle the scent of which is amazing on a warm evening. The rose surprises me as i didn’t expect to see it doing so well here.

You can just see the caterpillar like salvia above the lavender.Salvias do quite well here. I have a couple of Amistad. This salvia Leucantha and salvia oxyphpra both do well.

To the right of the path beyond the garage is the larger planting area. More yucca. A nice variegated which I prefer. The small olive has been moved as it wasn’t doing so well. There are some small date palms. Agapanthus ~ now that’s a surprise. Lots of osteospernum. Last year I managed to get there in August and I planted a new Strelitzia Nicolai along with a melianthus major.

At the end of the path is a raised bed with a large olive tree. Is it ok to say I don’t like olives. Except the ones from this tree which I pick when black and salt them.

Underneath the olive are three curry plants ( helichrysum italicum ) which definitely smell like curry in the heat of the day with a insignificant yellow flower. All around this bed and in the raised bed are osteospemum along with succulents.

The previous owners sent us some photos of the garden when the renovations were being done and before the planting of this area. I love seeing the before and after of any project.

Photographs from previous owners

Two years ago we added large pots of ferns at the end of the path. I guess they shouldn’t work. I think they are in too much searing sun. But they do and have grown massive. These have recently been tidied up a bit and will be fed to bring on new growth in the Spring. They have become a feature and what started as two have grown in number.

I said I wouldn’t have any pots on the terrace. We wouldn’t be there enough. They needed watering. Water was expensive. Umm. Something went wrong. We have pots. Lots of them and we have help in watering them when we aren’t there.

A fabulous colocasia black magic. A colocasia mojito. An alocasia. More ferns. One of my favourite agaves. A big fat foxtail agave, ( Agave attenuate) A pot of society garlic, ~ (Tulbaghia Violacea) and for Spring, pots of deliciously scented freesia.

Over the terrace is an old grape vine which gives some shade in the summer and stains the floor and chairs when the birds treat themselves to the grapes. I pick the grapes and make grape and rosemary jelly. Lots of it to add to delicious Spanish cheeses along with quince jelly from the one tree we have.

There are of course pots of agapanthus. A pot of Strelitzia Reginae which flowers for months. Usually most of the months when we aren’t there.

The terrace has a white boundary wall with a long planter built in. The planting in here has changed each year. We have some great scented pelargoniums in there now. I add some annuals when I can and dependent on when we are there in late spring to plant. One year it was all red geraniums which against the white wall and the blue sky’s was a joy. Who knows what it will be this year! I quite fancy creeping red thyme.

The chairs have been removed and more ferns places there which was just as well as we weren’t there a lot last year. Or so far this.

The edge of the boundary which looks down to the access road bank and to the coast has a small border. It has two orange trees which fruit sporadically. I’ve experimented with the other planting trying to get it right. I still haven’t got there. One year it was alliums which did really well in year one. Year two was a disaster. Then it was ferns which I’ve now moved. The latest planting is society garlic.

To the side of the house is another planting area. One that needs little work and behind that an area with four almond trees. Not quite an orchard. Not yet. My plan is to add a few more fruit trees. Ignore the small citrus. That died.

The almond trees will be in flower now (Feb). Years one and two I picked them and dried them. You need a sledge hammer to open them. But the almond blossom is stunning.

We have two large pomegranates on the bank which have the occasional flower at which point I can be seen jumping for joy. The fruit sets. More excitement. Then it drops. Every time.

The lower part of the bank has succulents galore. A Swiss cheese plant. Wildflowers. Jasmine. Agapanthus. One of my favourites which I’m hoping has self seeded and taken is the sesbania punicea. A pea like flower on a spindly small tree. The seeds after flowering are pretty spectacular too.

My pride and joy which up until COVID struck was the one prickly pear we had managed to keep almost free from the cochineal fly. We even had it fruit. Sadly I think by the time we return we will have lost it. When the fly hits it devastates the cactus. I won’t be deterred. It will be cut right back and we will grow it again.

The rear of the house is a steep dry bank that follows through to the drive. Believe me it’s steep. The access bit has wild orchids. I’m pretty jealous though as a friend has bee orchids. I may have to persuade her to let me have one.

The higher part has a large brown fig. Two loquats with their fabulous big leaves. I’m not a fan of the fruit to be honest but the trees look good. The flowers are scented but I’m never close enough to smell them.

On the lower bank there are agave. Rosemary. The bottle bush. Some rogue allium planted three years ago which have continued each year. Carpobrotus Edulis creeping down the bank. Various succulents.

Remember I mentioned at the beginning the roundabout that’s not a roundabout. Well. It’s not a roundabout. It’s a piece of land across the access road and is an incredibly steep stoney bank. It has a couple of large and I mean large agave on the bank. Two scraggy fig trees and in Spring is carpeted with yellow oxalis. A real acid yellow colour. I won’t admit wanting to run down that bank pretending to be Maria Von Trapp singing the hills are alive. In the summer months it is full of Spanish wildflowers. I’ve bought an excellent book ‘wildflowers of Souther Spain ‘ by Tony Hall. It’s been great to be able to identify what we have.

The roundabout that’s not a roundabout

The garden is so completely different to both the London and Somerset garden. As dry as Somerset is wet. But there are similarities in each. There are agapanthus in all three. A grapevine in two. Lavender. Rosemary. I have tried dahlias in all three. Somerset is the only successful one.

The garden in Spain is a new adventure which has been halted. The garden is watered and we now have help to keep on top of it until we can return and return we will. Until then I get regular updates.

We were lucky to take over an established garden but changes are slowly being made. Nothing drastic but ones to fit in with our lifestyle. I’m ever thankful to our friend Lorraine Cavannagh at Viveros Florena to whom I go to for advice. When we moved I bought a book on Mediterranean plants. To be honest I bought it before we moved and I had no idea then that she was local to the house. She also has a citrus book which we have. Lorraine will let me know when she has something arriving that she thinks I will like. Last year I bought a large colocasia mojito in February just as we left for Mexico and arranged to collect it 5 weeks later. That 5 weeks was 5 months!

There are too many plants to mention but here are a few of my favourites otherwise I’d waffle on and on!

A Tale of 3 gardens ~ London.

A tale of Three Gardens ~ part 1

Links to parts 1 ~ Somerset and Part 2 London.

Posted on July 29, 2020July 30, 2020 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Hello again hello. Spain 2020

I’ve been in Spain now for two and a half weeks. Alone. Ian should have arrived on Sunday with our friend Mary to a fridge full of food. Rose wine. Aperol. Now due to quarantine rules on return to the U.K. the decision had been made that no insurance added to quarantine wasn’t the risk to be taken. Best made plans.

You won’t find me in the garden for the next 10 days. I’ll be munching myself through the fridge. Not the fridge itself. But it’s contents.

Me ? I feel safe here. Safer than in the U.K? yes. I’m in an area where there isn’t a spike. Masks are mandatory. It’s become second nature when you leave the house. Teeth. Keys. Car keys. Wallet. Phone. Masks. Plural. In case you lose one you have another. To be worn as soon as you leave the garden gate. In the town. Shops. The bank. Taken off when sitting down for eating and drinking. Everyone is complying.

Oh. And at the garden centre where they have a fab sign that they have made.

Talking of garden centres. I’ve been. Three Clivias. An agapanthus. And a large strelitzia Nicolai. Maybe I should have worn the mask over my eyes.

The weather is hot. When I say hot I mean hot. Very. Too hot to walk on the terrace without shoes. This morning I watered the garden at 6am. It was probably dry within an hour. It’s that hot. It’s watering either at midnight or very early.

I haven’t done very much in the garden to be fair. A bit of cutting here. A bit of pruning there. Surveying the situation ~ a lot. But the garden is constantly changing. Things appearing this week that weren’t there last. Things that were there have gone over.

Let’s talk quince. Last year the tree was full. There were so many I was making quince jelly like crazy. The last of it is in the fridge and I was hoping I’d be able to restock. Well I may later in the year when I buy the fruit from a shop down the windey not wiggly road. In Nerja. I have never seen them for sale in the Uk. But maybe I just haven’t looked. I’m hoping it’s a fruit that does one good year then one bad year. It may also be the heat. This will be a constant theme. The heat.

I’ve missed the alliums flowering. Missed as I have been in lockdown London. What are left are the heads of the Alliums Summer drummer. This one nearly 6ft tall. Soon to be picked and brought in for the vase of last years dried flowers.

Note to self. Order more summer drummer from Peter Nyssen.

The citron “buddhas hand” has started flowering whilst I’ve been here. It’s an odd one. Not the most attractive of citrus but a very fragrant one. It’s segmented into fingers . Often crooked looking. No pulp. Often no juice. If any a little only. No pith. As in no pith. Used for candied peel. In salads. Whenever you need fragrant zest. The biggest problem I get is having the fruit to set.

Two years ago I drowned a lime tree. A foolish schoolboy error. I thought I’d put a drainage hole on the pot. Obviously I didn’t. It drowned. I re potted it and pampered. I have been lucky as It’s survived and this year is covered with limes. I’ll be making limencello if that’s a thing. To add to the limoncello.

I have been up to the back of the house where we have four almond trees. But I went at dusk. There aren’t as many almonds this year. They definetely a one year good one year bad crop. I have to admit I’m not too bothered. I still have last years in the garage and they are a hard nut to crack.

I’m not going to mention oranges. Well I have. We have two. Not trees. Oranges. I don’t know what’s happened this year. I am blaming the weather on everything.

The lantana is as tough as old boots. Again it’s appeared over night again. Three different colours and are not that well tended. Them the flowers appear and look great.

Ruella. Mexican Petunia. Never heard of it before but it’s such a pretty flower. The flowers last just for a day ~ I am getting one at a time at the moment but the plant is a decent size so I’m hoping for more to come out all together

We have a few different jasmines in the garden. ~ Jasminum grandiflorum is a bit scrappy on the bank but the scent is lovely. Jasmine Azoricum. Another lovely scent said to be lemon scented but I don’t get it. It is a native of Madeira. It’s a slow grower or it may just be the poor soil. Jasmine trachelospermum on the garage wall. Yellow winter jasmine ( not a favourite ) but it adds colour when there is little else flowering. And this one. Jasmine Sambac. A sweetly scented jasmine and used to flavour jasmine tea in China.

The flowers of the Society garlic are so pretty and delicate. Grown in the border by the pool and in a pot on the terrace. Tulbaghia violacea.

Said to be drought tolerant. Let’s talk drought tolerant. In this garden there’s drought tolerant and there’s drought tolerant. These like a bit of a drink to get good flowering in this garden.

Hello hibiscus. A gorgeous yellow flower with a gorgeous red throat. Another flower that has virtually appeared over night. Such a beauty. Grown in a pot on the terrace.

I planted these crocosmia from Peter Nyssen last year and they did nothing. But they have flowered this year in a place I can’t remember planting them. Maybe they did flower last year. Maybe I’d planted them in a different place. Maybe I should do what I’ve been promising myself. Do a garden plant list.

This must be the smallest Daucus Carota I have ever seen. It’s self seeded on the bank at the back of the house. It’s a small flower. Guess what I’m blaming. You’ve got it. The weather.

I thought I had missed the flowers on the scented pelargoniums. They are in the wall planter and the scent as you brush by is lovely. I may get a second flush.

I love the strelitzia we have in the garden. Both strelitzia reginae and strelitzia Nicolai. I missed the two flowers on the Nicolai. They are stunning flowers and to miss them this year was a shame. But there’s always next year. When I arrived the two flowers were well and truly dying. But they were so spooky as you walk up the garden path. It looked like a prehistoric monster. So unlike the beautiful black/blue white flower when it is in full bloom.

It sounds stupid to say but I found this cactus flowering on the bank as you drive down to the road. I pass it at least twice a day. But in the car. It’s on a bank I only go onto if I really have to. Not without a mobile phone and my nerve. It’s not for the faint hearted. I have twice slipped and travelled part of the way down. Trust me. It’s not a pretty sight. The bank or me.

But this cactus ~ name unknown has a simply gorgeous flower. With some more to come. Don’t get too close. It’s spiky.

Talking succulents. These were saved from the window sill by our neighbour. Absolutely roasting in the sun. Now placed somewhere more sensible they are doing well and throwing out flowers.

It’s not all sitting indoors watching Netflix with the aircon on. Surprisingly I haven’t left the mountain in nearly three weeks. But I have been into town to shop.

I’ve put the barbecue on to cook the fruit to have for breakfast with yoghurt.

I’ve eaten at the local restaurants. Drunk coffee at others. Shopped local and seen friends. So whilst I’m complaining about the weather it’s been brilliant to see friends I haven’t seen for 5 months.

With a potential quarantine if I return to the Uk they may be seeing me more than they would expect these next few months!

Posted on July 18, 2020November 16, 2020 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Post Lockdown ~ back to Spain

After nearly five months I’m back. Not in the words of Take That ‘ back for good’ but back for three weeks. Am I happy to be back. Well the journey was different. Did I feel safe? Yes. The airport both at London City amd Malaga were well organised. British Airways managed the boarding and disembarkment really well. No fighting for room in the aisles or people stuffing their cases into the overhead lockers. But all done civilly. Whilst wearing masks. I like this mask thing. You can’t see me scowling when people hack me off on a flight.

So I’m back. Singular. Ian arrives in two weeks time. We haven’t got to nearly 30 years by being together 24/7. We’ve coped like everybody else by lurching from one meal to another. Social distancing as usual. From each other. So we were determined to get our break from each other.

Did I cry when I arrived. Almost. I’d given up seeing the garden this year if I was honest. We have been lucky to have had it watered. To have things tidied. Cut back. But it’s never the same unless you do it. That sounds ungrateful. Which I’m not. Let me just say good neighbours are worth their weight in gold and ours are worth more than that. They have been exceptional. Not only with the garden but I arrived to the windows open the fridge stocked and the hot water on. I couldn’t ask for more.

I have sat and relaxed. To be honest the heat has meant that I have been unable to do much at all. There’s hot and there is hot. This week it’s hot. Very.

The garden is quiet green. The alliums are over and the heads of the Summer Drummer are drying nicely. They will be picked for the vase for the house. The drumstick alliums are in various stages of flower. Some half out. Some definitely over. Any others I’ve planted have been and gone for another year. Or they haven’t been at all.

When I left in February the Colocasia Black Magic was growing. Not well. But I hadn’t lost it over the winter. Now it’s leaves are large but aren’t as dark as I would like. It’s in too much direct sunlight so it’s been moved a little to get some more shade.

I have moved the pots around and I have uncovered a colocasia mojito which I thought I’d lost. Small still but it’s alive. I also have an enourmous pot waiting for me at the garden centre. Bought in Feb I asked them to keep it for a month. It will arrive this week. I think I have the ideal spot for it.

I was delighted that the straggly plant of Sesbania Pucinea still had some flowers hanging in there. Lovely orange pea like flowers followed by green seed pods which turn brown as they age. The seed pods are as fabulous as the plants. Especially as they are about to burst. I must sow some of the seed in pots to grow on for other parts of the garden. The height gives it colour at a good level.

Another lovely flower which is giving colour to the garden is the duranta repens. A gorgeous violet blue flower followed by golden berries, The berries appear provided the birds haven’t stripped the seed.

There are a number of Oleander in the garden. White. Pink. & red flowers. I know these are poisonous and I am careful when cutting pruning and picking. But they are pretty tough and an attractive colour in the garden. And drought tolerant. You can guess that as they are a staple along the centre of the highways.

Oleander

We have one prickly pear cactus in the garden which I have been nurturing since we arrived. The cochineal fly has decimated these cactus in the Andalucia region and they are a sorry sight as you wind your way up the wiggly road. This one has done well and I worried that 5 months neglect would have seen it off.

But we have chumbos. The fruit of the cactus and commonly called prickly pear. These are edible and friends in the village were surprised last year that we had them as they are not as common as they were.

Chumbos

The jasmines are all but over. Some straggler flowers of the jasmine azoricum remain. The others have long gone over.

I think that the jasmine sambac which is so sweet smelling has a second flush of buds. Hopefully it will open before we leave again.

By the window in a pot is a lovely Stephanotis. It’s waxy white flowers and fabulous shaped petals giving off a heady scent in the heat of the day. I wasn’t sure if this would survive but it has and this year it has more flowers than the last three summers.

Close to the sweet smell of the Stephanotis is quite a different aroma from the growth under the old Olive tree. A smell of curry. The Helichrysum italicum ~ commonly known as the curry plant has grown like crazy. I usually keep it well trimmed but not being here it’s overtaken everything around it. Will have the chop soon.

But sitting on the terrace this week having an afternoon drink with the neighbours I was asked if I was cooking a curry. The intense heat of the afternoon and a slight breeze had the waft of curry coming across the terrace. Not unpleasant for 30 seconds.

Along with the obligatory rubber plant my parents had a Swiss cheese plant as house plants when I was growing up. Throw in a Christmas and Easter cactus a maidenhair fern in the bathroom and that was the extent of the houseplants. I never expected to inherit a monstera in the garden though. I have seen some in La Concepción Jardín Botánico-Historico de Málaga and they are huge. This one hasn’t grown much in 3 years but to be fair I’m happy that it hasn’t. I’m not over keen but it can stay where it is. Maybe it will grow on me.

The euphorbia candelabrum were Ians idea and are in pots on the terrace. I think we need to plant them in the ground on the drive. They have thrived but are slow growers. But I like them.

I’m also very happy to see the foxtail agaves doing well. We have three. This one which was in a pot when we moved in, a second that is in the ground at the rear of the house which is also doing well and one more that is small and in a pot. I really love the shape of the leaves and having seen one flowering down in Nerja virtually on the beach, the flower is awesome. A great big plume of flower is thrown out. I’m not sure if this agave dies after flowering or not. I need to check.

We have gone ferntastic on the terrace. We started with two. There are now 4 on the terrace.

Another two at the head of the pool. Two in the pool bed and one under the window. All are doing well. The smaller ones could do with potting up a size or two. If I have time ….

Hello Aeonium. I love these and my aim is to have a display like the ones at the front door of Ulting Wick.

I have had a move around of pots and the garden furniture to get as much shade from the overhead umbrella as is possible.

A walk to the roundabout that’s not a roundabout. Oh my. I’ve missed the wildflowers and weeds. All now dried to a crisp. Except the oleander and a couple of bit fat agave. I forgot to check the fig tree. That’s saved for another day.

There are some flowers seed heads. on one of the small succulents.

There are drying seed heads on most of the wildflowers.

It’s great to be back. Ian arrives in a weeks time with a friend of ours for 10 days. I need to concentrate on getting things ship shape before they arrive.! I have made a start.

For now. I’ll sit and chill.

Posted on February 23, 2020 by happyretiredblog

Hola February ~ Spain

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I was also taken with these ~ Asphodelus fistulosus ~ 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

And back to scouring the plant and bulb suppliers to find some new delights for the garden.

Posted on October 24, 2019November 9, 2020 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

Hello again. Hello Spain

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.

Posted on September 9, 2019 by happyretiredblog

Hello again Hello Spain

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!