agapanthus – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on June 12, 2025June 12, 2025 by happyretiredblog

With a blink of an eye …June

With a blink of an eye we are back from Spain to the Somerset garden. There are obviously lots of differences but the biggest change this time ~ The temperature. It’s a massive 21* difference. I’ll be honest. We lit the fire. Fred the geriatric cat was very happy. I’m not sure if it was because we were back or the fire.

In Spain we had ceiling fans and open windows ~ apparently the last few days in May were the hottest on record for Spain for that time of year. For me it felt like a Mediterranean August. Which for me, August 2,000ft up the mountain is almost impossible. Back in one of the lockdowns I was stranded at Casa Verano. Trust me I’m happy to be stranded there. Just not in August. Early morning coffee in the pueblo blanco. Then home to shut the shutters, put on the aircon and watch Netflix in my pants until late evening when it was cooler to venture into the garden. Avoiding the mozzies.

I digress ~ as usual.

The garden in Spain was better than I’d hoped. We had had plenty of spring rain. The garden was looking great. But with the rain comes growth. So the roundabout that’s not a roundabout had gone bonkers so we have arranged for it to be cut.

The big worry is fire ~ the grass is so tall and so dry and it’s only the beginning of June.

Back to Somerset. Ten days away and the grass has grown. Obviously but like grown a lot. I didn’t mow most of it in May ~ a little bit of no mow ~ but I have mixed feelings about that. Second day back the grass was mown.

The one thing we don’t get in Spain as bad as Somerset are weeds. No ground elder. No bindweed. No major back ache.

Another difference in the gardens is that at this time of year there is plenty of colour in the Somerset garden. In Spain it’s kind of in between colours. The next big flush of colour will be the agapanthus of which there are many and the many oleanders dotted here and there.

In Somerset we are awash with colour. Roses, salvia, poppies, geraniums and geum. Annuals like calendula and lobelia. Coleus and cosmos in the front pots.

This border was full of aster. I’ve wanted to take them all out for ages as they weren’t particularly attractive , but hadn’t got around to it. With more time this last year it happened. Not my decision but Ian’s. He dug them all out and we had a new border to fill. A great opportunity for new purchases, although I don’t need an excuse. Six new climbing roses, 3 new steel obelisks with two on order and salvia and annuals planted.

Another new border

We have a small pond in the garden which was here when Ian bought the first cottage 30 odd years ago. It is due to be replaced but it’s on one of the lists. It has newts and the occasional frog. We’ve sorted the borders at the front and the back of the pond. Last year the front border was great, lots of daucus carota, some grasses and some sweet peas . This year it’s slightly different, but equally lovely

There are odd chairs and things dotted about the garden, which looks a bit odd when the plants are growing but look so much better when largely covered in plant growth

There have been new roses this year. Growing up my parents garden was full of them and I have bought some of the ones I remember from their garden. I also remember a lovely row of pink floribunda at the library opposite where they lived. So I have bought 3 Queen Elizabeth floribunda. They are yet to flower.

The above is Piccadilly which is just opening and is one I bought locally.

I planted this rose decades ago and typically didn’t label or remember its name, but known as the pinky rose with rose hips. It needed a good old tidy up which I did last year ~ but wasn’t sure it would survive. It did and flowers like crazy. I reached out on Instagram to see if anyone could identify it and luckily I was told it was Rosa Bonica. So another was bought and this year has also gone mad. A thank you to Michael Marriott for helping me out. The King of roses to the rescue.

I looked and looked for superstar ~ it was always a favourite in my parents garden. It’s pretty but not a great disease resistant rose. But I love the colour and it reminds me of my parents.

The roses so far have been pretty spectacular this year. A mix of the weather. Hard pruning and a good old feed. I’ve also turned into my mother ~ she was a prolific dead header. Didn’t matter if it wasn’t her garden ~ she couldn’t stop herself. She would walk up any path and deadhead. I’m not that bad. Honest. I won’t do it in your rose garden Siobhan.

The rector is having a good old ramble in an old largely dead apple tree. Another rose hugely cut back hard – and almost all ~ dead wood cut out. It’s certainly a prolific flowerer. Shame it’s not a repeat flowering rose. I’m greedy I know. I want colour. Scent. And repeat flowering. Throw in thornless and I’ll be happy. Hard to please~ me ?

There are a number of roses which are unnamed. Not actually unnamed just not labelled! If I admit to one bad gardening habit it’s labelling. Or the lack of. Siobhan my tulip partner in crime will ask ‘ what’s the name of that Astrantia. That rose’. She really knows what the answer will be. 🤷‍♂️

This year’s new ones will be written in a diary. and will be documented in a blog I’m sure. Ask me next year.

It’s been a good year so far for Geum. Geum Totally Tangerine has been a firm favourite and flower continuously. First seen on my favourite stand at any flower show ~ Hardys plants ~ always beautiful plants and such helpful and informative growers. But whilst deadheading helps ~ on small flowered plants it’s a pain in the butt. Which I can do without as I have a massive flare up of sciatic pain ~ so I need no more pain.

I left most of the canna in the ground over winter. Heavily mulched. Whilst slow to get going this year and sometimes hidden by the wild growth of the other plants they have been fed well and are now on their way.

This is one I brought from London. I now wish I had brought them all. But I have been buying new from my regular supplier Todd’s Botanics.

Ignore the background in the canna annei photograph. It will be sorted. But I love this one. It’s two added to the annei collection It’s one of my favourites and one I grew in pots in London.

This is a new one bought a few weeks ago and is on the terrace. There is one which is a bit behind this in the terrace border.

Some new canna have gone in as well to add to the ones we have ~ and I’m sure that they will be on their way too. I just need to make sure they are well fed.

You know when you plant something and kind of ignore the prospect of how large it may get. This was one of them. We have one clump of a red persicaria in the garden which was here 30 years ago and it has grown huge. Always reliable and also great for a bit of a cut flower to add to whatever is available at the time.

This one I bought 2 or 3 years ago. Its a great structural plant but make sure you have the room. A glorious bit of brightness but can be overwhelming.

Another plant that grows well in this garden are Astrantia. There are a number of them dotted around the borders.

You will notice that they are all called Astrantia. See what I mean about labelling.

The tulips have all gone replaced by summer bedding. Last year I grew dahlia for the pots. It was a nightmare ~ slugs slugs slugs. With this year’s dry weather I’m sure it would have been better. But I have only two dahlia. Both Octopus sparkle. Quite where they go is another question.

The planting is colourful although a bit municipal ~ but it works in the space available and will get even more colourful as it develops.

At long last ~ the new shed is going up. Placed on old railway sleepers to let some of any flood water go under it’s a long overdue addition.

When we first had the cottage there was a bit of a decrepit summer house there which was taken down decades ago. We desperately need storage for garden stuff. There are windows on both sides which will give light through it and I can see the greenhouse still from the house.

Next year’s project will maybe be the new greenhouse. That’s been on the list for the last 10 years. Each year there’s a bit more sticky back plastic holding it up. But every year some other expense crops up.

The veg is coming along nicely. Runner beans and climbing French are doing their thing. Ians planted onions, leeks and kale. The tomatoes and cucumbers are in the greenhouse and Ian’s herb bed is already full of parsley coriander and chives.

So they say we may be in for a dry summer. Which will mean it is likely that Jacks shute the spring at the front of the cottages may dry up. It’s already running slowly, and I have only known it stop once in 30 years. Which is a disaster for me as I use it for watering the plants.

There is still plenty of flowers to come ~ the funky sanguisorbia lilac squirell which I love. The canna, although for now the leaves are interesting enough, gladioli, pink and white phlox, red persicaria with others.

Now it’s time to get back to ordering tulips.

My partner in crime has already shared some of her wants for this year so it’s started !

Have I said I like tulips ?

Posted on May 29, 2025 by happyretiredblog

Buenos Días

Hello again hello. Or. Hola de nuevo, hola! We are back in Spain.

First things first. How did Ian book a flight that arrived in Malaga past midnight. I suspect it was cheap. Thinking it was mid half term week it may not be busy. Fail. It was packed. How come half of the South Sest children weee flying to Malaga mid week of Half term. With two hen parties. Not actually with them but on the flight.

Some of the party trying to stiff a carry on into the Easy jet measuring box and managed only when they tore off the wheels. Two of the party arriving in departures looking like they had their hair in curlers. Ian said they put on a face mask. I’m not sure if that was on the flight or in the departures hall. How did I miss it. Once boarded I put my mask on over my eyes and turned to Spotify.

What you can’t ignore or hide is the double chin.

I won’t mention the fiasco on picking up the hire car , but I was partially happy when they asked if I could drive an automatic. Which meant an upgrade.

We arrived home at 2am. That’s the last time that will happen. I’ve been a zombie most of today.

I didn’t even look at the garden when we arrived. That’s a first. This week 8 years ago we completed on the house. We were at Chelsea flower show when we got the news. I still get the same feeling when I arrive as I did the first time. Utter joy. I have probably mentioned before this place is everything I didn’t want. I wanted a bolt hole in the village. No garden. No pool. Walk to the restaurants. Ian saw this and said you must see it. I didn’t want to. 10 mins drive out of town. A large garden and a bit of useless land. A small pool. One bedroom less than I wanted. But once through the gates and up the curved path to the terrace I was hooked. Ian said then and reminds me often ‘ you don’t even need to see inside do you’

The view to the malaga coast and in autumn winter with the right light to Morocco did it. Along with the garden. So it’s Ian’s fault.

It didn’t take me long to take stock of where we are in the garden. We were last here in March and there have been a lot of changes Things come and go quickly. The freesia which were pretty spectacular this year have gone over. The agapanthus are starting to get fat flower buds. The banksia rose is almost over. The honeysuckle is sending out a delicous scent along with the jasmine azoricum in full flower with its sweet scent. Smaller dainty flowers than most.

The path from the garden past the garage is covered with scented pelargoniums which have grown huge with the autumn and winter rains. The benefit of these is that as you brush past there is that waft of citrus. Which mozzies hate. Whilst they love me. The mozzies. Not the pellies .

Round the corner we have both creeping and upright rosemary lolling over the path. With grasses in the mix.

When we moved in the path was a gorgeous lavender path. But after the first two years we replanted a new one. The old one was rarely pruned so what we had was unruly woody stems. Sad to say the replant failed so we resorted to rosemary instead. More robust. More reliable and I love the creeping variety. thanks to Pepper Pot herbs for the heads up on that one.

Sometimes we are lucky ~ we may see one or the other. This week we have both. I love the black blue and white of Nicolai. Its a really majestic plant.

Such a pretty flower and this year the small tree is covered. Whether they will tun into fruit is another question. A friend staying a few years ago said that she thought the fruit tasted like germolene. I kind of get it. I hate the smell of germolene and don’t even mention TCP.

These two pots were planted up 18 months ago and have been flowering ever since. But this month they are pretty spectacular.

The scented pellies were planted last summer.

We have a number of these dotted around the terrace and outside the garage doors. This one is in direct sunlight at the hottest part of the day. Yet it’s grown massive. A consolation for the tree ferns we left behind in London

A friend of mine said she thought that the bottle brush was common. I like it. A lot. It brings a great splash of colour to the border behind the house and it’s a huge bee magnet. Anything that can attract the bees is good with me. Another plant that could have done with a good prune in earlier years.

We have a number of pine trees on the bank ~ apparently protected ~ not that I’d want to get rid of them. Except for the needle drop! Oh and the processionary caterpillar nests.

Aloe Maculata on the bank as well as in the side borders.

Great to see them en masse in flower this year.

Both of the above need shaping. I’ll wait until the curry plant has finished flowering. The gardener is in charge of the the olive tree. I’m not allowed.

Set around pots of agapanthus, ferns, society garlic and strelitzia the garden seating has been set up. Until there’s a mad rush to bring in the cushions.

One of my favourite plants continues to grow bigger and bigger. The gorgeous foxtail agave.

I’ve taken the baby plants and planted 5 at the rear of the house. Tomorrows another day and I’ll check them then.

Posted on August 9, 2024August 29, 2024 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Could it be Summer?

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog. Not one specific reason stopping me but many. None earth shattering but sometimes life just gets in the way.

We have decamped to the Wet Country for the summer. Wet with the silent S. I know it rains here in Somerset but usually it’s not all the time.

For the first time in years the geriatric cats have travelled west too and have settled well.

The Somerset garden has been a challenge even though we are here full time. I have said before that we have the national collection of bindweed and ground elder. It’s been the bane of my life for over 30 years. We get rid of it. It comes back. Turn around and it’s 4 feet high again. Two of us constantly weeding. Constantly moaning about it, but to be honest enjoying the country life.

There have been results. We have colour in the garden at long last. Some things have done really well with the weather. There have been losses ~ not a penstemon survived the winter. No echinacea have appeared. There have been new plants purchased obviously to replace those that have been lost.purchases because I have seen things I like. Not need. But like.

The astrantia as always have thrived. Huge clumps in parts. Smaller clumps in others. Someone asked me to name them but as I’ve said before I start off well with labelling. Then fall off the cliff. It’s an astrantia ~ a pink one ~ there are white ones. A Shaggy. A Hadspen blood ~ and others. Just don’t ask me the variety.

We have One agapanthus in the garden which is unusual for me. Have I mentioned I like agapanthus? But they rotted last year after the flood. This one in the photo is a new one. But then again they have gone bonkers in London. It’s agapanthus heaven.

One plant that has gone bonkers in the Somerset garden is sanguisorba lilac squirrel. A small plant last year with a few pink fluffy hanging flower tails. This year it’s tall and full of flowers. It’s become one of my favourites. Was a new one to me last year and has turned out to be a great choice. Of course I’ve bought more. I knew you were thinking just the one?

I think someone in the hamlet had this plant which spread and then they gave one to nearly every house. We all have them. Very pretty but spreads like fury. It was here in the garden when we moved in 30 odd years ago ~ and trust me there have been some odd years ~ there’s enough material for a book.

As usual I digress. I like these but they take up too much space for a flower that lasts a day. Like I’ve said for the last 20 years. They need thinning out. This year is the year.

The garden is pretty eclectic ~ if I like it I plant it. So it’s a bit of a mish mash of plants and colours ~ a bit like my tulip pots, the subject of which I’m ignoring at the moment. I’ve looked at bulbs. Done a list. Changed the list. Messaged Peter Nyssen. Messaged my partner in crime Siobhan. She was my friend. But she has already ordered her bulbs. I’m deleting her.

The canna are showing their leaves. Canna Annei one of the tallest is a favourite and one of the many I have bought from Todd’s Botanics.

The dark leaves red is flowering as is the orange. Great colours for the garden and the leaves are great for structure too.

I love these when they appear but hate planting them. The bulbs are too small for fat fingers to be planting. Also I think I’ve seen just these two out of the many I planted. Give me allium summer drummer any day. Big bulbs. 6ft tall when grown and excellent flower head. Great for drying too and they come back. There are also great in the garden in Spain.

Looking at these dahlia which are all in pots in the front of the cottage you may think oh. Look at those amazing dahlia. Well. This is largely it. I planted tubers. Potted them on. Planted these pots. Made a new dahlia patch. You know what. Slugegedon. Munch munch munch. I have a few flowers in the pots and slug eaten dahlia in the garden. Last night alone I collected 25 from the garden and 12 from the greenhouse. How come we have a mass invasion of slugs yet the pollinators are obviously away on vacation. I’ve used nematodes. Wool pellets. Coffee grounds and beer traps. I’ve been out in the dark with my torch. Yet the slugs are now all coffee addicts swigging the beer in wool coats. Whilst still munching the leaves and flowers. I have to think again for next year. But everyone has said it’s been a nightmare with slugs. I potted up 24 tubers. Grew them in in the greenhouse. Planted them out. I now have 4.

One plant used for the first time in decades last year and again this year is a revelation. My parents used it in their hanging baskets and I’ve added it to my pots again. A great colour as you approach the front of the cottages. Lobelia ~ and next year I may just do annual planting in the pots. But then again I won’t decide until the last minute

My parents grew all their own bedding plants. Spent hours in the greenhouse pricking out the plants. If I had borders along a path I’d recreate their 1980’s borders. They planted lobelia. Allysun. Godstia. Nemesia. Snapdragons.

Where have the pollinators gone. April time wasn’t bad. Today there have been two bumble bees. A few butterfly. Nothing on the butterfly bush ~ Buddleia which is usually crawling with butterflies. But they are slowly reappearing. Fingers crossed or we are doomed.

I bought a few Daucus carota at a local plant sale and they are doing really well. I need more. They really do so well in the border here.

Of course I didn’t need another plant. So I bought two new Rudbeckia from the local garden centre. 1000’s may have it but I like the colour. Yet to be planted probably in two of the pots which had dahlia. If they aren’t cutting the mustard at this stage it’s time to cut my losses. I have in fact done exactly that. It’s too late for the ravaged plants to go anywhere. Except the compost heap.

We have had a greenhouse for decades. Was second hand when we got it and it was used a lot. But then we weren’t here as often in the summer and it became a bit Steptoes yard.

This year was the year it was going to be taken down and at some point a new one may be considered. But. It’s had a reprieve. The broken glass hasn’t been replaced but I found a roll of plastic which I have used to replace the broken windows.

We planted tomatoes and cucumbers. So far so good. We have been picking cucumbers and giving them away. We have picked some tomatoes < the sungold are way ahead of everything else.

There are a few different varieties.

A plum tomato liked by chefs apparently. I haven’t tasted it yet but I know I won’t grow it again next year. It’s a bit of a thug and not a great number of fruit.

Tomato sungold. The gift that keeps on giving.

You know when you are at a garden club plant sale and you just buy randomly. This was one purchase. But the fruits are large and the blurb I’ve read say it’s a taste explosion. But they are a bit pink apparently. One is just starting to ripen.

Another random purchase at the plant sale but they are growing well. Dark tomatoes. On the large side too.

A gift from a friend who grows them every year and rates them highly. If they are good enough for nanny Annie then they are good enough for me.

Ian bought the cucumber plants. 3 different types. The jury is out on the yellow until we taste it. Apparently you have to peel it. And it’s round.

I’ve planted three sets of runner beans. 3 because the first two failed. Weather. Slugs. The last batch is climbing away up the canes. Flowers. Tiny beans forming. But I did find enough for supper last night. Hiding behind the leaves.

But I can hear my father ‘ the problem is you didn’t dig a trench. You know I dug a trench every year for my runners ‘ ‘ Um. No dad. You mean you got me to dig it’

We have apples. Two trees are excellent the other is pants. Pears. Nothing. Soft fruit ~ red currants were plentiful. So were the gooseberries. Black currants not great. But it doesn’t matter really. Because 10 days away and there are nine berries left. Pigeons. Next year there will be a fruit cage. At least we can live off frozen redcurrants. Last years crop was awesome.

The front garden pots are doing ok despite the slug damage. The three dahlia are flowering and at least it’s colourful and brightens up the front of the cottage.

But next year will be re thought and there are plans to move things around at the back. Until then it’s more weeding. More slug hunts. ~ maybe an Olympic sport for 2028!

Posted on March 19, 2024March 22, 2024 by happyretiredblog

The wet country

It’s been another wet few weeks. I don’t think there’s been a day without some rain. Some days more than others. Whilst in Spain there has been about 2 days only in the last few weeks. Mind you when it rains it rains. It’s not just on the plain either. One day last week there was 71mm of the wet stuff and they say the reservoirs will be collecting for the next 2/3 weeks. But it will only make a marginal difference to the levels. Whilst in Somerset aka the wet country it is the complete opposite. The ground is still soggy. The river flowing fast and dirty. The run off from the fields continues.

But first there was London. Not as wet. But wet enough.

It’s time to poo my plants. A bit earlier than usual but the plants are all in pots and I’m sure the constant rains have washed all the goodness out of the pots. So alpaca food for the Agapanthus it is. And alpaca nuts for the tree ferns. I have been bold and taken out the straw ~ so get your hats and coats ready. The weather is bound to turn around and get frosty. For now they will remain fleeced.

I’ve checked the straw. You don’t want icy straw. I am hoping the worst of the frosts have been and gone. But to be honest there haven’t been many, if any in the tiny London garden. It’s very sheltered.

Have I mentioned I like tulips. Maybe once or twice.

For the next few months I might mention tulips and agapanthus a fair bit. Before I start on dahlia and canna. Like a broken 78rpm. Ask your mother ~ She will explain the difference between a 78, a 33 & a third and a 45. Maybe ask your grandparents about the 78.

I planted the London pots a bit late. But they are coming along fine – these photos were early March ~ they have grown a fair bit in the last two weeks. Better than the ones in the window box. I’m not sure who has poo’d in the window boxes. It’s either a squirrel or a fox and the jury is out which one. Cyril the squirrel is partial to a dig but I’ve never known him poo in his own pantry. and if it’s him he’s a pretty big squirrel.

So onto the wet country. Wet wet wet. Love is all around. Not in this garden. I’m not loving the wet soggy ground. The constant weeds. The squelching noise as you walk down one end of the garden to another.

The one thing other than the weeds which are doing well are the tulips. I always worry about them ~ will they grow. Will they flower. Will the colours be ok. So far the growth is fine. A little early but fine. I must remember to water them if we have a dry spell. Even though there may be a little rain in the next two weeks it doesn’t always get right into the pots. A hint and a tip from a fellow insta chum.

A reminder of last year’s pots of joy.

I planted this outside the kitchen years ago and kind of forgotten about it. It’s been a bit spindly. A bit unimpressive until this year. It’s full of bud and flowers and is fabulous. I kept saying it’s a Daphne. It’s not. It’s a viburnum. Gorgeous buds and colour as they open.

There have been a few things I have loved and lost in the Somerset garden. A few pairs of secateurs. Glasses. Gardening gloves.

I have said it’s a wet garden. When we first arrived at the cottage 30 years ago ~ I know. We were young then. Sort of ~ there was a lovely yellow ball buddleja in the garden. To be honest I didn’t know what it was then but loved it. A great pollinator and was a mass of flowers. At some point over the last few decades it disappeared. I replaced it with a white one. But I have found both an orange ball buddleja and a buddleja sungold and both are now planted. We used to have a Philadelphus Belle etoile. Lost. But now a new one has been planted. I love the deep coloured throat. And the scent. Hopefully it will survive.

I’ve had a delivery ~ now there’s a surprise ~ from Peter Nyssen ~ dahlia, particularly a selection of Honka, some bessera elegans, Gladioli The Bride and a load of Acidanthera. Which I hate planting. Small bulbs shouldn’t be allowed. Or I should have someone else planting them.

All I need to do is plant them up.

It’s not been all work and no play. We have been for a few walks at The Newt. Cold and damp walks to be fair.

A visit to the first Rare Plant Fair of the season at the Bishops Palace Wells. Great plants from a number of sellers. Did I buy anything? Of course. Two climbing roses, 3 papaver Pattys Plum , the Philadelphus so just a few. But they have all been planted on the day I bought them. That’s a first.

A wander around the palace gardens and the gorgeous colour of the Edgeworthia red dragon. This one goes on the ever growing list of wants. I need two columns. One for the want. One for the where.

There was much more than these two pics. Oh. I forgot the glorious magnolia.

I am hoping for a few drier weeks. To dry out the grass. To cut the grass. To bring on the new shoots of the perennials. And to stop the backbreaking monotony of digging out the bindweed and ground elder. That’s not too much to ask is it?

So a few days in London. No soggy ground. No weeds. But plenty to do in the garden for sure.

Posted on October 8, 2023October 9, 2023 by happyretiredblog · 3 Comments

Managing a Spanish Garden

I admit it. I’m never happy. It’s either too hot or too cold. Too dry or too wet. Just as well i garden where I get it all. Greedy? Yes. Happy no. What I would like is a little bit more or less in each place. The garden in Somerset and in London has been wet. So wet in Somerset we were flooded in May. So hot in Spain that many of the plants were scorched. We had water restrictions. Officially one day off. One day on. But let’s remember we are 2,000 ft up the mountain with ups and downs for the Water to flow to get to us. In reality on the On days we may only get a dribble at the end of the day. Thankfully we have a large deposit which keeps us going.

So as I said. I’m never happy and in true British style talk about the weather.

But as we arrived after about an absence of 7 weeks the heavens opened. But only just after I had soaked the ground. It rained for two days.

That rain dance certainly worked. Whilst Somerset and London sweltered in the highest temperatures sent from The Mediterranean.

To be honest I was surprised at how well the garden had fared. Yes. It’s watered twice a week in parts. In others it’s do or die. Some plants had shrivelled in the heat. Two out of four echium had died. The others around them were a bit sad but with the rains th de ey perked up. The weather changed and the temperature dropped a good few degrees.

A bed of agapanthus had given up and the leaves had shrivelled back. But once cleared and the rains had soaked the ground they looked refreshed.

I may have lost a few which is disappointing but I did have replacements which had been delivered in pots and put in a shaded area at the end of July. Our local Viveros Florena closes for August and there’s an all mighty sale. Lorraine messaged me and said I know you aren’t around but is there anything you want. Somehow 8 large agapanthus, 8 smaller agapanthus black buddhist and two others appeared in the garden.

If I thought I’d be making quince jelly this year I needed to think again. There was one quince tree and anything that was left were cooked. On the tree.

But we did have grapes. Enough for a feast for two days. But the vine will come out and be replaced this year with two new ones. It’s had it’s day.

The olive tree is being pruned to give a topiary shape. I was asked how I wanted it cut. For fruit or looks. I said both. He said you can’t so I decided that the olives just drop when we aren’t there. I often salt cure them and then don’t eat them all. So shape it will be. It’s under planted with 3 curry plants which i I have previously cut back hard. I lost the flowers but they are a bit insignificant anyway. It needs cutting again. I think I’ve said that I was going to plant up the path with them. They are hard workers but the scent of curry on a hot August day as you walk up the path was a little off putting.

The area at the back of the casa gets the least care and attention. And the least water. There have been two losses of significance. A newly planted bottle brush and of all things that have died. A Buddleja. How on earth did that happen. I thought buddleja were as tough as old boots. But even the toughest need some water until we’ll established.

There are few large agave left around the garden and a further 3 have succumbed to whatever eats them from the roots and makes them die. So they have been cleared away. Any new ones that start sprouting will be pulled too. It’s not worth the hassle. I need to keep the bugs away.

But I have planted 5 new foxtail agave from the pot of the large agave ~ they take easily and will suit this space.

The large foxtail has done well in this pot. I have taken at least 6 away from here and planted them around the garden. Slow growing so they will probably be heee long after I am not.

After the rain the area below the olive tree and the curry plants is looking well. I love the variegated yucca in the centre which is growing fast and furious. In a yucca kind of way.

A second flush on the Durante repens. It’s such a lovely colour and brings a great joy to what is a difficult area.

I couldn’t resist this – I have tried to break the habit of plant buying but somehow it’s a losing battle. But it’s a glorious colour with a light scent. Unlike the yellow below whose scent is strong.

Both great plants in pots for the terrace. But I’ve decided. No tulip pots this year. They were pants in last years heat.

I know I’m mean but if there was one plant I wouldn’t miss it’s the Swiss cheese plant. A staple house plant growing up along with a rubber plant, Xmas cacti and maidenhair ferns I never expected to have one in the garden. But then again I didn’t always imagine having a garden in Spain. But it’s survived the summer again despite being planted in the wrong place.

The cactus that is not a cactus as usual survived. It’s cactus like after all. Even if it’s a euphorbia.

I’ve been trying to save this plant for the last 6 years. Most have been ravaged by the cochineal fly and wither and die. I have hosed off the fly as they appear and this one’s not in bad shape. Good enough to produce ‘chumbo’ as they are known in Spain. Edible fruits. Not tried by me.

There’s a flurry of pests and diseases going through Spain. The latest is hitting some of the pine trees. So far we have been lucky. We have 5 on the dry bank and they are doing ok despite the heat and the lack of rain. The water table is pretty low too at the moment and I have crossed everything.

With the heavy rain came softer ground which meant I could plant. First a new strelitzia Nicolai to match the one on the path by the gate. Ian likes structural planting so I try and keep him happy. That way I can sneak in other plants whilst he’s not looking.

6 years later I still love this gate. Ian said I knew as soon as we went through the gate it was the casa for us. He was right then and he is still right.

It wasn’t all gardening and socialising. We did have a few trips down to the coast. An evening down the wiggly line to Algarrobo Costa. To a small chiringuito on the beach ~ tourists had largely gone. A lovely meal and a fabulous sunset. And a great photo opportunity.

Sándwiches anyone. Where’s the flask of tea. No it isn’t us before you ask. Two people on the beach as we walked along the promenade. But as I say to Ian ~ it could be us. And probably will be.

Talking of sunsets it’s the time of year for the amazing Cómpeta sunsets. Something I don’t think I will ever tire of.

We also took three nights away. A 2.5 hour drive to Jaén an area known for its olive trees. Some 60 million of them which produce 23% of the worlds olive oil. That’s a lot of oil!

Olive trees as far as the eye can see. It’s pretty spectacular.

We stayed in Jaén and did a day visiting Úbeda and Baeza ~ both UNESCO world heritage sites. Both are very Italian renaissance and Baeza was my favourite. Both have beautiful buildings.

I was so tempted by the beautiful pottery in Úbeda. But I resisted. Maybe if it had had a plant in it.

Back to Cómpeta to the 14th Art walk where 49 artists and photographers exhibited their works. It’s a great celebration of the work by the local Artists. We were surprised to walk into one and find the work of Susan Brown on the wall of two people we knew. A fabulous take of an art deco interpretation of Ian and I. Needless to say it will find its way onto our wall.

I always love the black and white photos of Cómpeta Portraits. Dave Shannon takes what I call proper photos. You remember using 35mm film and he prints the photos himself. I owe a lot to Dave as he has encouraged me with my own photos.

So the garden has been left again. The heat has continued and the water tables in the reservoirs hasn’t improved.

Whilst in Somerset the rain continues, and I order this years tulip selections for London and Somerset.

Posted on June 15, 2023June 15, 2023 by happyretiredblog

Viva España.

It’s been a busy few weeks. We have been to Lisbon via Porto and then headed down to Spain to relax. Well relax and garden if I’m honest. It’s great to be back at Casa Verano especially as there has been some rain Quite a bit of rain to be fair. Some heavy downpours which have been great for the garden and hopefully has made some difference to the water table levels and the reservoirs. Not rain like in Somerset which I won’t mention again. But enough to make the garden here look green.

I know I’ve said it before but if you read these blogs you’ll be familiar with things. I repeat myself often. But when we viewed the house 6 years ago I knew it was for us when we opened the gate and walked up the path. In many ways the house was irrelevant – the garden and the view sold it. Not withstanding I originally wanted a town house with no garden and a walk to the shops and restaurants. Fickle. Me. Yes. But give me a garden and I’m easily swayed.

It doesn’t take long to settle in. Washing machine on. Seat cushions out. Feet up and relax. Another thing on repeat is good neighbours. We arrive to the essentials stocked in the fridge. Milk for our coffee. Bread cheese ham and biscuits. And all the windows open and the hot water on.

But it’s the garden that has come on leaps and bounds since I was here a few weeks ago. The rain has certainly brought things to life. The garden has a lot of drought tolerant plants but even they need a boost. We have a gardener come in to do a lot of the cutting back of the larger shrubs and trees and he has cut back the oleander and the hideous transparente a lot this year. The extra light it gives is amazing. So many people are afraid to cut back hard but it has its benefits. Earlier in the year he cut a climber back on the gate and I was mortified. That will not grow back I said to Ian. It’s a goner. I promptly bought another. Which died back. The original has run away with itself and is thicker and stronger and healthier than before. I apologised. He knows what he’s doing. He told me an agave would be a goner with a month or two. He was right. We arrived back to the large agave in a pot laying on its side. The dreadful bug that has been attacking the agave from the roots had got the one in the pot. Which had now departed the pot and the garden.

Another pruning earlier this year was the olive tree. How do you want it pruned I was asked. . For fruit or looks < both was my reply. You can’t have both. So I chose ornamental ~ and it’s being pruned and shaped. The olives are lovely but are usually ready when we aren’t. Stain the terrace like crazy and need constant sweeping. Oh. And to be honest how can I spend so much time in Spain and dislike olives so much.

Underneath are 3 curry plants which last year I shaped. I think they need it again this year as they are getting massive ~ on a warm day you get a whiff of curry as you walk past. I’m glad I didn’t replace the lavender with a whole path of curry. Instead of the lovely scent of a lavender path it would be like Brick Lane on a Friday night. If you’ve ever been. You’ll know what I mean.

I’ve mentioned before the problem we have had with lavender on the path. I replaced the old lavender a few years ago and the new has never taken. I plant 20 plants and half of them don’t survive. I did it twice and had the same results so the year before last I planted Gaura which I loved but didn’t survive the cold winter so I planted grasses ( think ex PM hair or ex President ) which have survived and are looking great. Well I think they are.

Interplanted with creeping rosemary which is a great plant in the Mediterranean garden. Although last winter many of us lost large established plants.

I had asked friends to keep an eye on the ‘big plant’ by the gate and let me know if it flowered. When we bought the house I thought that it was a banana plant. Massive leaves. But I was very mistaken. It is a bird of paradise. It looked like it would flower when we left las time but it’s never flowered before. It did and I had fingers crossed that it would still be flowering when we got back. It was and still is. Along with another one on a different plant. They are beautiful and magnificent ~ strelitzia Nicolai. To me even more beautiful that their orange counterparts and a quite common sight along the coast in Torre del Mar.

The tulips had all gone over ~ well the ones that had actually started. Have I ever said I like tulips ? Tulips here are hit and miss for me. The ones planted in the white wall were ok. A big short. Like me. But to be fair it meant they didn’t get snapped in the wind. But the pots were pants. I say now no tulips next year but we will see. So it’s time for the trusty geraniums to be planted. I like them but can’t help feel they are a bit like municipal planting. But you get a zing of colour for the rest of the summer. And to be honest. I love them. It also reminds me of my mother ~ especially for her dead heading skills. A prolific dead header and it mattered not if it wasn’t her plants. She was a terror for walking up a path and deadheading. I find it therapeutic.

Throw in a bit if pink for the empty tulip pots and that’s all of the summer bedding in. Geraniums only.

I’m just off to wash my prickly pear I said to Ian. You don’t want to shout that out too loud was he’s quick reply. We have two in the garden both of which I have been trying to save from the dreaded Cochineal fly. When I am here it’s a hose down to get them off. It’s worked so far of a fashion and they are still alive and getting fruit. And flowers. Another plant that has been decimated in the area. It’s a sad sight driving up the mountain and seeing them dying.

I love the variegated yucca and have both fingers and toes crossed that the bug eating the agave doesn’t start on them. A lot of palms are being decimated as well. Soon there will be no large plants around. Just to the bottom left of the photo is a hollyhock. I planted it about 3 years ago and it’s been stunted. All of a sudden it’s sprung into life and flower. There used to be a glorious show of them ~ lovely red colour on the road to the house. On the side of the road 2,000ft up the mountain. No water. Rough ground. But there are none this year. Winter was a funny old time. Low temperatures. Little rainfall. Plants lost. Some you expected to lose survived.

The pineapple guava didn’t flower or fruit last year. It has this year although a lot of the flowers are small but there is some fruit forming. The fruit is a bit marmite. Not in taste but in liking. A friend who was staying a few years ago likened the taste to germolene. I could see what she meant though it’s not something I’ve ever really eaten. It’s one of two smells I can’t stand. That and TCP.

But the fruit is ok cut up in yoghurt. A friend recently posted some pics of one growing in a central London square. If I’d realised I would have potted one for the London garden. Too late now.

Talking of the Loquat or the níspero ~ I love the size and shape of the leaves. The fruit I can live without. Which in this garden is just as well as it flowers then fruits and then they either drop off or shrivel. Good for Jam if you can catch them in time.

We just caught get the last of the Jasmine Azoricum for now. A bit slow growing and a different growth than others. But a great scent. It’s an evergreen with white, lemon-scented flowers from late spring to late autumn though i find the flowering patchy. It’s supposed to be tender but it’s done ok here.

Drumstick Allium / Allium sphaerocephalon

Ve have had only two good years out of the last six when it comes to alliums. They have been really hit and mostly miss. Only the drumsticks ( Allium sphaerocephalon) do well and are popping up all over the garden. In places where I didn’t think I’d planted them. To be honest I hate planting them. The bulbs are too small. The ground is usually like cement when I’m trying and. there are some where I’ve probably just given up and thrown them around. But they do well.

I have one other large allium on the dry bank. In an area that’s not irrigated or gets water. Unless it rains. I noticed that it is in flower and tall. Quite how I don’t know when the ones in the beds have shrivelled and died.

A mix of aeonium , Clivia which are just finishing flowering, rosemary about to start , agapanthus and the leaves of the strelitzia in the path bed. The garden has benefitted from the earlier weeks rain and the couple of days rain when we arrived. But it won’t last. Temperatures are rising.

The oleander had been cut back hard this year like a lot of things. I’m no longer nervous when I arrive back and things have had a massive haircut. I’m always told that there will be some cutting back though in Spain it’s described as cleaning rather than cutting. I’ve been told so many times how poisonous the oleander is. It’s is. But it’s very pretty and I try not to eat it. Wear gloves when pruning and never burn it.

The agapanthus always do well. Some better than others and the good thing is they self seed. There are varios colour from white through the blues to purple. I have to admit I add more each year. Not too much water require. Are perennial. Great flowers. Only thing missing is a scent.

Bougainvillea, Hollyhock,Lantana, Durante Repens

I love the period of mid May to the end of June in this garden. It’s at its most colourful which dies down in the hotter months of July and August with a bit of a comeback in September. It’s a bit like me. I find July and august too hot. My enthusiasm to di anything fades in the hotter months. In one of the lockdowns I spent most of August stuck in Spain. Too hot. Too many mosquitos. I’d go out for early breakfast. Shop. Come back home and close the shutters. Turn on the air con and sit and watch Netflix in my pants. Too much information I know. But it’s the reality. So now we avoid it. Spain in August. Not Netflix.

It wasn’t all gardening to be fair. There were trips down the wiggly road to Malaga to catch up with friends and shop. There was also the chance for churros and a coffee bombón. A coffee so sweet that you can only have one. Condensed milk on the bottom. A shot of espessso. Then frothy milk. Served in a glass cup. Looks pretty and then you stir it. Churros. Well. They are the Spanish equivalent for me of nata tarts. One is never enough.

There weee drives down the windey road to the coast. To Nerja. To La Herradura. Lunch in each. Not the same day obviously. A drive along the coast. The coastline is lovely.

Oh. I forgot a drive down the windey road to Torre del Mar. The wiggly takes you to one coast. The windey to another. It’s the same coast just different directions but also dependent who’s in the car decides which of the roads we take. Some like wiggly. Some like windey. I don’t care. I’m driving. I’ll go down both. Depending on what I want out of each.

There were loads of photos ~ the usual photo of Ian. This time at night looking for ice cream. We found it. We have a great geleteria in Cómpeta.

Baywatch on the beach at Torre del Marr. No one was in the sea.

The lovely night view from the Cómpeta car park after a night out.

There was the obligatory cake. One cafe. One home made.

But in the blink of an eye it’s over for another time. In the words of Peter Paul & Mary. I’m leaving on a jet plane. Unlike them. I do know when I’m back again. And I’m not counting sheep ? Tho Grandad is shearing in Somerset on Saturday) but counting sleeps.

Posted on March 31, 2023April 10, 2023 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

The Mediterranean garden

After a short break in Barcelona we are back on the Costa del Sol. Back up the wiggly road ~ 2,000 feet up the mountain to Cómpeta. An easy but packed flight where we had the offer of being off loaded with compensation of €250 each and being put on the next flight. If seats were available. Tempting but we thought the flight was overbooked because Spain were playing in Malaga in the Euro qualifiers. So that would mean the next flight would be full too. So it was a no for us. And I was wrong about the football flight. Very few to see but a plane full of saga travellers. Me included.

We are coming up to our 6th anniversary. Not us. We have lost count. But having the house here and I just wish we had found the pueblo blanco before. My love for the village the house and the surrounding area hasn’t diminished. We are here less since a certain event which will remain nameless. So we need to make the most of our time travelling in Spain. And in the garden. And with friends.

Let’s talk about the weather. A British obsession. It’s abnormally hot for March. Bonkers hot. Easter here can be a rotten time. Cold. Wet. And it doesn’t matter if it’s March or April. But not this year. The weather is hot. There hasn’t been rain in ages and there is still no sign of rain in the forecast. Unlike the UK. Where it hasn’t stopped and the reports say that March has been the gloomiest in decades. To. Be be fair Britain is the gloomiest it has been in decades. Not just the weather. But to be fair you often hear our Spanish friends commenting on the weather too. ‘hace frio’ you hear. Whilst we are still in shorts and T-shirts. The Spanish in polo neck sweaters with scarves and gloves.

So we arrive at the house. The mimosa tree by the gate is in flower ~ it started as a shoot from one that had been cut down and is now glorious. As long as you don’t have allergies. But I’ll take an extra anti histamine as the colour and effect is awesome. And there will be armfuls picked for the house.

The garden through the gate looks great and I sigh with relief. We are lucky to have friends who water the garden when it’s needed ~ these borders are largely drought resistant ~ but believe me. They still need some water. It may only be 28* now ~ yes. Only 28* but the scorching months of July and August means the most drought tolerant plants need the occasional drink. Last summer the temperature touched 40 in the garden. So I was told. We don’t come in those months. I did in the first lockdown. Well I got caught here for 9 weeks and trust me. The sun may be out but I spent most of my days indoors. In my pants watching Netflix. Air con on. And large bills. Not to be repeated.

There are times I wish we had smelly vision for social media. The curvy path is full of freesias. As well as Clivia and rosemary. But it is the whiff of the freesia that you get as you walk up the path. Bought over the last three years from my friends at Peter Nyssen they get better and better each year. The bulbs. Peter Nyssen couldn’t get any better in my eyes. The Clivia are gorgeous and there are still a few to flower. I did have a yellow one as a pot plant decades ago. Now I want one for the garden. One dozen.

I planted a row of scented pelargonium along the path. To fight off the mozzies. Mozzies love me and last year this path was a nightmare at times. We have cut a lot back. We as in the Gardner who comes in to help. Opened up the space so hoping this year we will be in a better position. This area gets late afternoon shade but still gets as dry as Jerusalem. There are two large strelitzia Nicolai here. One has flowered since we have been here and the smaller of the two looks like it’s going to flower shortly. Excited? Hell yes.

Now the above won’t excite you. Trust me I’m ecstatic. I think this is the new flower which will no doubt flower when we aren’t there. It’s a lovely black and white bird of paradise flower. It’s a particularly gorgeous flower. Black and white large flowers.

The main part of the garden border which has a variety of plants. Yucca which I’m in fear of losing. Small palms. A bed around the olive tree with creeping Rosemary. Creeping. Not creepy. The curry plant. The olive tree and agapanthus all co exist. There is also a lilac which is struggling. I have to think again and go check it daily re flowering. If it doesn’t then it’s time to say goodbye. It’s no use having something that takes up room. And not produce.

Have I ever said I like tulips. Only once or twice. Or a thousand times. I’ll say it again. I like tulips. Here. There and down in Somerset.

These are tulip palmyra. a little short but I don’t care. They are planted in the white wall and are prone to hit by the wind. So shorter than expected are fine. A glorious colour against the white wall. They are a bit early for me to use in the UK.

I planted two pots which included these. Dutch Dancer. These two are also shorter than I’ve grown before. But I love them. I have some in Pitcombe again this year. Well hopefully. I’m yet to see the pots in person.

A bit of a contrast to tulips. My favourite agave. Ever. The foxtail agave. It’s a beauty. This one is in a pot. Obviously. You can see that. I’ve already taken two out of the pot and planted them in the garden. There are a few more to do when I have the time. My worry. That it will flower. Why? Because whilst the flower is lovely like a long fox tail as soon as it flowers the plant dies. I’ll forego the flower for now.

I love these. Lovely black aeonium which has survived the heat of the summer and the low temperatures of Spring. The one I had in London has become mush. My fault as I should have brought it in. Two bits that broke off have been stuck in the ground and are growing well. It’s one thing that I never get tired of. Seeing what we can grow in the garden here.

Hello Prickles the prickly pear. These are all dying off in our area. It’s the cochineal fly. Ravages the plant. Squash it on the white wall and you get a red blob. Get it on your white T-shirt. And it’s a nightmare to get out. I hose it down with the hose to get the fly off. Covid breaks took its toll a bit but it’s still there. And it fruits.

You know I said I like tulips. Have I also said I like agapanthus. Well I like agapanthus. The garden is away with them. Mainly blue. Some white and the latest addition popping purple. They self seed too though it does take a bit before they are mature enough to flower. I have to admit to buying 6 more this trip and planting them at the rear of the house. It’s dry. Very dry so they should thrive. Added as well a medium sized bottlebrush. A friend once commmented that she though the bottlebrush was a bit common. I think in the right place with a beautiful blue sun it’s fabulous. It’s also a great pollinator and gets covered bt bees. Gorgeous and a bee magnet. Win win.

We have two large and a small nispero growing on the bank. Also known as loquat it’s the big leaves that do it for me. The fruit is ok. But they can and do go a bit mush on the tree and don’t keep well when picked. Nispero jam is pretty lovely though.

The view from the bathroom window. The strelitzia Reginae strategically planted. But not by me but by the previous owners. Now in full flower

Thankfully so far the large pines on the bank have survived. Many around us haven’t as the water table has been so low. Also absent this year are signs of the processionary caterpillars. Vicious little bathplugs. In previous years we’ve had the nests removed from the trees but this year there weren’t anybody there wasn’t the number in the trees on the windey road either.

The first time the double doors have been open since last September. Opened so the fly screen can be checked. Cleaned and the doors closed again.

The circle of planting under the olive tree. Osteospermum. Curry plant. (Helichrysum italicum). Rosemary and some succulents ~ a gorgeous crop of Carpobrotus edulis ~ a fabulous bright pink flower on long succulent arms. Not yet in flower so next time. Oh and some freesia.

Euphorbia candelabrum. Prickly pear. Foxtail agave.

A selection of plants taste dotted around rue garden. The cactus that’s not a cactus ~ the euphorbia candelabrum.

A selection of flowers giving the garden some early colour.

But it wasn’t all gardening. It was the start of Semana Santa. Easter is a huge celebration in Spain. Not huge. Massive with celebrations and processions. Each with a different meaning. We were around for one only. Palm Sunday. The procession travels through the village to the Plaza Almijara and to the church. Each procession is very different. There is the men’s procession on Good Friday very early in the morning. The children’s procession. And one for the women of the pueblo Blanco. Plus others. It’s a spectacular sight and one that is carried out all over Spain. We were in Salamanca in 2018 and saw the one there. The first three photos are Competa 2023.

But. The weather. Let’s talk about the weather. First time the legs had been exposed since October. A drive down the wiggly road to the coast. Nerja. I’m surprised how many people know where it is. An old colleague when I told him we had a house 30 mins away knew where it was. He’d been there in his honeymoon over 30 years ago. Ex neighbours in Somerset told us they went there often and came for lunch when they were last there. It has grown on us.

Then along the coast is Torrox. Apparently has the best climate in Europe but we don’t spend enough time there to validate it. But it’s a great long walk along the promenade. It was another warm day. And no that’s not us on the beach. I don’t want to see myself in swimming trunks in March let alone make others suffer.

It wouldn’t be the same without the pueblo Blanco. It’s six years since Ian booked a trip where we unexpectedly ended up staying in Competa. We had booked Frigiliana but it was cancelled a week before we arrived and we ended up staying in Competa instead. The best cancellation ever.

These steps are always a gem. Always bright. Always full and colourful. The planted balcony. Always catches you as you turn the corner in the narrow streets. The gorgeous blur pots of Casa Beaumont with the planting changing as the seasons change.

Competa by night. Competa by day. And in a blink of an eye another visit is over.

Casa Beaumont.

Posted on February 22, 2023February 26, 2023 by happyretiredblog

Hello. Where are you?

I love it when photos pop up on one of your social media accounts as a memory of where you were this time last year ~ or in this case in 2020. Today was a reminder the last time we really dressed up and went out out. When we were invited to a fancy pants dinner ( no dancing) at the Mansion House in London. A dinner for the Worshipful Company of Gardeners. Guests of two fabulous gardeners. Good fronds and excellent company. They know who they are.

How time flies. At that time we were going out and about to travel to Mexico. Pre pandemic. There’s been a lot happened since. Three years. Three prime ministers. And three or is it four vaccinations.

I had a message at the end of last week. Where are you? I can’t keep up. The trouble is neither can I. We are here and there and over there. Answering in Spanish when we are in Somerset. We were in Somerset. Essentially A five day gardening trip with some appointments with builders. Supper with friends and tea and cake with others. Ian’s highlight of the week. The arrival of godson Bradley to take two mattresses to the tip. I kid you not. It’s been on the list for ever. Taking up room under the bed. I still can’t get my head around the little baby I once fed ( bottle} now drives tractors and a car big enough to help us out.

We have travelled the route from London to Somerset for more years than I care to remember. The good thing is that I can. I should have counted the number of times we’ve passed Stonehenge. The number of times we have been stuck in that Queue. But it’s always been worth the trip. This time to a garden that’s always neglected in the winter.

Despite the neglect there are some things that reappear year after year other than us. Like these crocus. I have no recollection of planting them. I’m not a great fan of planting small bulbs. Thankfully tulips are os a suitable size otherwise I’d be in a bit of a pickle. But these have multiplied over the years and obviously I have accidentally moved some as there are patches popping up elsewhere. If you see me ordering small bulbs stop me. You should have last year when I bought teeny tiny alliums. Never again. Big fat bulbs of Allium yes.

We as in the royal we have had a good old tidy up. There has been cutting back. Clearing. Emptying pots of compost where the plants have given up the ghost. I should have put them in the greenhouse but to be honest it’s probably warmer outside. I had planned to get a new greenhouse.p 8 years ago. I’ve been patching it up badly I might add. A new one is on the list. The never ending list of lists.

There is a large terrace at the back of the house with some nice paving. Well when it’s clean it may be nice and that’s a job for another day. Or week. Don’t look at the fence which at the height of sumner you can’t see. Don’t ask about it either. It’s a jointly owned fence. If it wasn’t then there would be a new one. I’ve uncovered the slime off the tops of the agapanthus pots to discover tulips popping through. I’m convinced I’ve lost the agapanthus but I’m not giving up yet. If I have then I’ll get some more. They light up the terrace in the summer and are drought friendly so ideal.

I watch in awe as friends post on social media of the snowdrop frenzy at this time of year whilst being thankful we don’t have any. Except we do. A small clump under the ancient and dead apple tree covered tightly by the rambling rector. There have been a few of those in this parish over the years. Rambling rectors whose sermons have rambled on. . This one has been in the garden for over 30. The rose. Not the rector.

I tried to get a decent Photo of the snowdrop in the garden. Give me the chance to photograph an agapanthus any day. There’s no getting down on one lneee or both to get ‘that shot’. Getting downs not usually too bad. Getting up is. I will stick to standing photos only. But this flower is rather lovely but I’m going to resist going down that rabbit hole of snowdrop desire. Well I will try anyway. Says the man who already has started his 2024 tulip list.

One benefit of the cutting back and a grand tidy up is that the primroses and the bluebells are getting some light. Primroses remind me of childhood walks along the Rusty line ~ an old disused railway line whose banks were littered with primroses. I bought some more last year to plant in a grassy area but also think I should plant some on the river bank. Or should it be wild garlic. Or lovely blue wild chicory. Or all of them. Where’s my list?

Blue bells. ~ but are they Spanish or English. Interestingly ~ well for me anyway. I have never seen a Spanish bluebell in Spain in fact I’ve never seen any bluebells in Spain. . A few years ago a neighbour whose garden I love and who is a proper gardener, indeed an expert said that I hadn’t asked her to come and see the garden. I know. For me it would be like asking Picasso to come and look at my paintings. Or Mario Testino to look at my photographs. But I said if she’d like to come and look then she was always welcome. Right she replied. I will be around on Sunday at 2pm. Cold sweats. Hot sweats. Weeds pulled. Nail scissors taken to the grass and she did come and have a look. But I always remember her saying. I hope they aren’t Spanish bluebellls. If they are you need to dig them up. Every year since I look.

Pulmonaria grows like a weed in this garden. I could cover the garden with this ground elder and bindweed. It’s now growing well on the river bank and is always a welcome colour splash at this time of year and with it dotted all around the garden and is a great attraction for early pollinators.

The garden is wet in the winter. Even with the rainfall this winter the ground is wet. Bulbs don’t do very well in the back garden as they generally rot. So there are not many of them. The dahlias I left in are useless. Some years they are ok but this winter has been at times both wet and very cold. So it’s no surprise really. I’ve lost the daffodils along the greenhouse as well ~ a few are through but don’t look promising. I get asked why I don’t plant the tulips in the garden when I empty the pots after they have died back. I’ve done it once and it wasn’t a success. Too much effort for little gain. Last year I bagged them up and people who wanted them for their garden took them. But I must remember to water the tulip pots. They benefit from a weekly watering if you want decent flowers.

Once the lawn dries out a bit it will have its first haircut. Not a short back and sides but a gentle trim. I hate how at this time of year there’s a well worn path compacting the grass on the walk to the bottom of the garden and the compost bin. That’s along with the cat walk ~ not us practising our model walk up and down the garden ~ but the local cats path through. That and then badger when he can get across the river.

Im trying to plan a few things differently this year. Where to plant the runner beans. I’ve got an ear worm of my dad telling me I have to dig a trench. Growing up one of my jobs in the garden was to dig the annual trench for two rows of runner beans. This would be filled with all the peelings from the veg and newspaper. My father was disappointed to find that I didn’t continue to do it in my own garden. But as I’m a creature of some habit I suspect the two rows I put in will be in the same place and the ideas for the dahlia bed will not materialise either. I will have dahlias as I love to pick them for the house.

But we have made one decision and that is a new log store. Ordered and a place identified for its position. It’s all part of a bigger plan but that’s for another day.

There’s still a lot to do. We put in this inexpensive arch decades ago and it’s now smothered with the scent of honeysuckle. Not now obviously. But at the height of summer it’s glorious. But it needs a bit of a haircut ~ like me. It’s in front of the pergola which was put up two decades ago when we bought no 4 to make the two terraces flow. My big mistake then was bad planning for growing over it. but I have a plan. There’s a theme in this blog. Plans. Garden. House. Cottage. Oh another arch is planned toward the bottom of the garden.

So the work will continue this week. Some digging. More tidying. Cake eating. But. I have a day planned in Bath on my own. Except for my camera. And dreaming of tulips. Like the ones at Columbia Road Flower Market today.

Posted on February 11, 2023February 26, 2023 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

A cold & wet Mediterranean garden

Another eventful trip done. A trillion miles walked ~ OK that’s a bit of an exaggeration but that’s what it feels like when you squeeze as much into 4 days as you can. Am I complaining. A bit ~ I need to learn to pace myself better. I’m not as young as I was. Or as I think I am. I was reminded that I have shoes older than some of the people on the paella lesson we had in Valencia.

We were lucky with the weather in Valencia. Warm days but cooler nights. We knew that when we got home and up the mountain it would be cooler. First we had to battle the obligatory boarding chaos that seems to happen often. I blame cabin baggage and the fight to stuff as much as you can in the overhead lockers before anyone else can. We were away for 4 nights only but still had a carry on. A bag that is. When we come straight to La Casa we can travel with a tiny bag.

The drive from Malaga home takes an hour. The main roads in Spain move freely nearly all of the time and this route skirts along the coast of the Costa del Sol with glimpses of the sea and the mountains. It also means that on leaving the airport the temperature was 16/17* When we arrived 2,000 ft up the mountain the temperature had dropped considerably. Some 8 or 9*.

The campo houses aren’t built for winter. They were primarily used for the summer with the families spending winters in town houses. Poor or no insulation means when it’s cold it’s cold. Not ice on the inside windows which we had growing up but cold. Especially when all shuttered up. The sun warms the house during the day even in winter. But when the sun drops. I repeat myself a lot. So does Ian. He tells me often the same thing. Usually. ‘Andrew. You’ve already said that.’ But I’ll say this again. Good neighbours are worth their weight in gold. They are diamonds. We arrive home and there are the basics waiting for us. Bread. Milk. Biscuits for me. Orange juice. And because it’s cold the fire has been lit.

It’s a very small thing but to us it’s huge.

But once the tea is poured I have my own routine. The garden check. It’s been a month and even at this time of year a lot can happen in the garden. We have help. It would be impossible to maintain the garden if we didn’t. There are large parts which look after themselves but not the main area around the house. At this time of the year it’s pruning time. I have nether the knowledge or the time to do all of the pruning. But we are fortunate to know someone that does. We arrived to the grape vine pruned. A lot of the oleander pruned and the transparente cut back hard on a bank I just couldn’t manage myself.

There are two things I’ve learnt about having someone else do the cutting back. They cut far more than I would and two is that it’s ok. It grows back thicker and better. Unlike my hair. The gardener had cut back an Australian wisteria earlier this year. Cut it back to bare wood on the gates. I stood and stared and said to Ian. ‘That will never grow back.’ To be fair it had a lot of bare wood behind some green growth and flowers. Now we had twigs. I went out and bought a new one as I was so unconvinced it would grow back. How wrong was I. We arrived back and bingo ~ one side ~ the sunnier one showing great new growth. A lot. Lesson learnt.

The other thing you get is more light which means better growth for the plants. And a better view of the pine trees and the bank.

There’s no better place to deposit my money. Viveros Florena our local go to place to buy plants. To get advice from Lorraine. I may have told the story of the book. The book bought even before we had exchanged on the house. Expensive as I bought it on line in the Uk. When Ian rolled his eyes at my spending money on yet another gardening book only to unroll them when we arrived at the house for another viewing the book in hand to be told by the vendors that The author of the book was the owner of the above. 10 mins drive from the house. Quicker if you take the short cut. Which I don’t. The book and Lorraine’s advice has been invaluable!

Back to the garden. We have had rain. Some pretty cold spells with sleet and frosts. Expected in the Somerset garden. Not what I expect here. There have been times when the temperature has been colder here than in the garden in London. But it’s green. We both commented on the drive up the wiggly road just how green it was. That’s when I could see straight ahead. I still don’t take my eye off the road for one minute ~ sharp bends and big drops.

I love the variegated yucca in this bed. I much prefer them to the green. But I’m going to have to come to terms that we may lose them. There is a bug that has been attacking the large agave and it’s now moved into the yucca. Not just in this garden but all around. First it was the cochineal fly decimating the prickly pears. Then the large agave were dropping. With cochineal fly you could see them. With the agave and the yucca it’s hidden. I have remove a few smaller ones but I have to realise that these may go the same way. It’s incredibly sad that a lot of large mature plants will die. As you drive from La Casa to the town there are visible signs of the agave problems. We had an access drive with huge agave. Now all gone.

These were Ian’s request. The cactus that’s not a cactus ~ euphorbia candelabrum. growing in two smallish pots and tied to the railings so they don’t blow over. I love them. Good choice Ian. I keep thinking I should plant them in the garden but I don’t know where. They need to be pretty stable and not blow over.

The curry plant. Trimmed back last year which meant I lost the yellow flowers but it had gotten too straggly and pretty ugly. I may give it a slight trim this week to keep it in shape. The cold weather means no curry smell unlike the heat of summer. There are three under the olive tree which has hard a hard trim. It’s been haircut time all round.

It’s almond blossom time and it’s lovely driving through the campo and seeing the pink and white blossom. We have 5 trees at the back of the house. All planted before we arrived and one is flowering. The others are only just budding up. There are two different types of almond trees in the garden but don’t ask. I have no idea. I’m sure the question is in my list somewhere. I think one is a bitter almond. Every year I pick them. Dry them on a tray in the sun. And then do nothing with them. Talk about taking a hammer to crack a nut. I gave up the will to live.

The cape honeysuckle which originates from S Africa is flowering well. It’s at the back of the house up,with the almonds and I don’t get to see it very often. It’s a great evergreen autumn ~ winter flowering stalwart in the Mediterranean garden. I suspect it need a bit of a trim too. I have bought another. Along with a host of other things.

There is a very old banksia rose climbing through the jacaranda which has starting flowering since we were last here. very delicate yellow,flowers with even more delicate buds scrambling from the tree across to the white walks of the garage. A welcome sight at this time of the year.

I love the leaves of the loquat or nispero as it’s called here. The leaves are large and archtectural. We have two,trees with a third appearing over the last two years. There is fruit in the two,larger trees which is a surprise. Not because it dies t fruit but beaches usually the flowers go mouldy and the fruit dies t form. There is still time for the fruit to do the same. These trees are a fairly common sight in south east London on our walks and I can think of three that we pass regularly. I’d like one for the Somerset garden. Adds to yet another list.

I was hoping this mimosa tree would be flowering when we arrived but I think it will be another few weeks. This wasn’t here when we bought La Casa ~ 6 years ago ~ there was only the remains of the old one. A dead stump. Now we have a sign I can’t tree which will cause more sneezing than I would like. It’s pollen is a real hay fever starter. But it looks absolutely glorious in full bloom.

I have been trying to save this prickly pear for the last 6 years. It was going well until lockdown and we have had a bit of a set back with the lockdowns when we weren’t allowed to travel. It’s a hard task but I’m determined. You can just see a bit of the white fly ~ cochineal fly. Tomorrow that will go.

I mentioned that the oleanders have been cut back hard. Except one or two. This is one and it still has last years seed pods attached. They are fascinating setting off as red seed pods and when ripe bursting to throw the seeds out into the garden. Everything in the Mediterranean garden seems to be poisonous. The oleander particularly so. three years ago I had a run in with one. Don’t ask. I don’t know which one but I rubbed my eye when gardening and it swelled up badly. A singularly unattractive look.

The glorious melianthus major standing tall in the back or front of the border. Depending how you look at it. I pas a large clump on my way to Peckham Rye station in Holly Grove gardens and have wanted some here. These were bought last night and flowered. When we weren’t here. I suspect that will happen again this.

Echium candicans. I’ve tried echium before and last year was my first success. It looks like there will be flowers but not this one as I only planted it today. Along with 5 others. Why leave 5 back at Viveros. When I can find a home for them. Mostly disease free.. Tall. Drought tolerant. With lovely blue flowers. Great. If I get them to flower.

Maybe the massive violet carpenter bee will be attracted. The bee is big and beautiful with gorgeous wings when the sunlight catches them. You can hear them coming. They have the noisiest buzz. A common sight in the Spanish garden.

The sun comes down on another trip. It’s been a busy one. Meeting up with friends. Lunched and suppers. Gardening. More gardening.

Who said retirement would be boring!

Posted on October 25, 2022October 25, 2022 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

Here. There. Over here.

So I’ve had a break. Yes I know I’m not long back from one. But this time it was solo. 7 nights at la casa. Alone. When we first had the cottage I’d occasionally go there on my own. My mother, who rarely went anywhere on her own in the nearly 70 years that my parents were married, would say. ‘ But won’t you be lonely.’ My reply ‘ No mum. I’ll be alone. That’s a totally different thing. To be fair Ian and I haven’t been together for 32 years by spending 247 together. Ask him how we have got this far he will say ‘ at first different counties. These days different countries. To be fair. He’s right.

It was an eventful flight over. The flight was full. Totally full. I found myself getting cross at some of the passengers. Then realising I was probably older than the ones I was getting cross with. The flight was 65% Saga and 20% 16-18 ye olds on a school trip. The first group was a Saga group which I was reminded that I am old enough by a long way to be a member. I’m a ditherer whenever flying. Checking the whereabouts of my phone. My passport. Ian. But multiply that by trillions and it was this flight. Not helped on arrival where we had to board the bus. Sadly I remember travel where you had to stand alongside the plane as the luggage was offloaded and you had to pick yours out. These days I rarely put luggage in the hold. It’s amazing just how light you can travel.

As usual I digress. But a quick run to pick up the car hire bus. Not pick up a bus. That would be silly. But the bus to take me to pick up the car and I was away up the mountain. Up the wiggly road whilst continually thinking just how dry everything was. Crisp I think was the word that went through my head. Still no significant rain. And still no sign of it coming. Oh and still we don’t have mains water permanently. This trip I gave up trying to work out what day we got it and what days we didn’t. Or even what times of the day.

I still get that feeling as I pull into the drive at the house. Usually the feeling after the drive up the wiggly road of needing the loo but always the joy of arriving to the gate. No. It wasn’t open for me ~ this was taken after the toilet stop.

When we first bought the house I had arranged to have a lock put on the gate. We completed and had a flight booked for two weeks later. Did I wait? No. Two days after completion I was here. No lock on the gate. I woke the next morning to find the gates being put into a pick up and about to be driven off. I went to the gate and realised they were going off to have the lock fitted. I asked in my Spanglish when they were coming back. How rude when the driver stuck up two fingers. Until I realised he knew my Spanish was pants and was trying to tell me that they’d be back at 2. They did come back. Not at 2. I realised at that time the meaning of the word manana.

The name of the house has this this year been accurate. Casa Verano Eterno. The house of Eternal Summer. This years summer has and still goes on. And on. And on. A bit like me to be fair but at some point the weather has to turn. Speaking of turning. Years ago I was having Accupuncture. My mother knew I hated needles. ‘What are you having that for? ‘ she asked. ‘To make me a nice person’. Really? She replied. ‘Does she have enough needles’ Apparentlyq not!!

The garden is so dry and it’s amazing what does and doesn’t survive. It’s such a huge learning curve for me. I keep saying it. There are drought tolerant and there are drought tolerant plants. I’ve lost things like gaura which have burnt to a crisp. The leaves on the agapanthus are scorched. Some salvias have survived. No flowers. But still alive. At this time of year there would normally be rain and there would be a further flush of colour. But there’s no rain forecast for at least another month. We are still on a day on few days off mains water cycle. But it is getting easier now the summer demand for water is reducing.

I’m always staggered at these ferns. They get some water but not a lot. They are in bright hot sunlight. Yet they are pretty magnificent. I’d never be able to replant them in new pots ~ one I’d never move them and two they are big enough. Three. I can’t actually be bothered. There are other things on the agenda. On Ian’s lists. Yes. They still appear.

The one thing about the heat is the slight whiff of the curry plant as you walk past on the heat of the day. I hacked these back pretty hard in Spring on the basis if they died they died. But they haven’t and have become more bushy. . Very few yellow flowers this year but I can live with that. They are under the large olive tree and the soil here is pretty rubbish too. But they do well. I did consider a curry path. But….. it’s not really the scented path I imagine.

There were very few grapes on the vine this year but the little there have been were eaten by the birds. I’ve realised I have the last two years vine prunings in the garage. They are great for lighting the wood burner. I’ve you bought any kindling this year. Is nearly doubled in price. Sadly we sing have grape vines in Camberwell.. I know nothing about vines and we had the Gardner from Vivero Fkorenas to prune for us. He’s Spanish and knows his stuff. We said we didn’t think it had been pruned for two years. He looked and counted. He said 5. He was right.

I spent most of the week in the garden. Weeding. Dodging the mozzies. Driving back and forth to the garden centre to collect compost feed to add to the soil. The soil on the garden is pants and needs work. I think I carried 21 bags back. Not literally. But in the boot of the car in a couple of trips. On Saturday I realised that I needed to go and get some more as the garden centre is closed Sunday and Monday. I had one bag left on the path. I thought I’d worked really hard lugging the bags around. So I headed off. Bought 4 more bags. Two more Clivia. And said to Lorraine ‘don’t worry. The car is down the ramp I’ll put them in the boot.’ I opened the boot and there were 4 bags. I hadn’t even taken the last lot out! Anyway. All bar one has been scattered on the garden. But look at the bags. To be honest I didn’t know whether to smoke it or scatter it. I’ve cautious. So I scattered it.

I did manage a short sit on the chair in the sun but I’m not one for sitting and getting burnt!

The view looking up the curvy path. I’ve lost the lavender again this year. So I’m giving up for now. It had two chances. And used them.

The creeping rosemary is doing so much better so I will continue to replant that. I have lost two very large rosemary bushes but I suspect they were pretty ancient. This path had some gaura. All gone. The agapanthus. The Clivia. The birds of paradise all doing ok. I have planted a new sesbania ~ an ornamental shrub with reddish-orange flowers. It has deciduous leaves and grows to a height of 15 feet. It says it likes water but the one we have already gets some but not a lot. The garden centre had some of the seeds from me and have grown them for me. Fingers crossed.

I make no excuse in including yet another photo like this. Growing in pots. With a fabulous view to the coast. As long as you don’t look at the dodgy hedge. I think we need some more for the bank. Not a cactus. A euphorbia.

Have you ever tried stripping the leaves off these yuccas. Well not these ones in particular but to be honest I’m very happy for you to. A bit of a nightmare especially without gloves ~ which were sitting on the shelf in the garage. But it cleans them up and I officially love the variegated yuccas.

There is always time for a cuppa and a piece of cake. The only trouble is that once I sit down it’s an effort to get back up. Sometimes I just don’t bother and stay there until I can. Watching crap tv. Or just loving the view. From the sofa. Especially on a solo trip.

A reminder of my years living with my parents. Except this plant is in the garden. Not in a pot in the house with the obligatory rubber plant and the spider plants. There are swathes of these monstera ~ Swiss cheese plants in the Botanical gardens in Malaga. And they look fabulous there. I’m not keen in the garden. In Malaga they are magnificent. But as long as it survives it stays. So far it’s done 5 years.

To be fair. Don’t feel sorry for all the hard work. All work and no play and all that. I did venture into Cómpeta. A few evenings at favourite restaurants. A walk around town.

Early morning light over the roundabout that’s not a roundabout. It was all cut back at the end of the summer and I’m hoping it will be awash with the wildflowers again next year. There are still wild fires happening around Spain which are worrying. That’s why I have the roundabout cut back. It worries me.

There are few flowers in the garden at the moment. I must ask what the first one is. It’s written down somewhere. UPDATE ~ you know when the owner of the local garden centre qheee i but my plants in Spain has read the blog. You get a message. ‘And the Red flower is jatropha integerrima’ Thanks Lorraine.!

Whilst there is little colour in the garden there are plenty of interesting leaves. Colour. Shape and texture. The large leaves of the black and white bird of paradise. Strelitzi Nicolai The gorgeous texture of the Colocasia mojito.

No garden post would be a Cómpeta post without the fabulous foxtail agave. I have replanted two and this pot contains a few more that need moving.

When we were in Cómpeta the last time we went on the fabulous Cómpeta Art Walk and Ian purchased these great black and white prints from our friend Dave at Cómpeta Portraits. These aren’t in their final place ~ maybe they are but Ian will need to decide. Along with two more that Dave has just framed for us.

So the week is over. A glorious last night view from the terrace down the mountain to the coast. An early night and an even earlier morning.

What idiot books a flight for 8.10 from Malaga for a Tuesday morning. Yep Ian. But for me. To be honest I don’t mind. I was up and out 4.45 to drive down the mountain and I met two cars untilI I got to the main road.

Back to the UK where a young boy with his father was at passport control and his father was joking with his son about the lady behind the desk saying she knew everything as she was friends with Father Xmas. ( sorry. Mentioning Xmas when Joseph doesn’t even know Mary is pregnant yet)

I couldn’t help myself. When it was my turn I said I couldn’t help overhearing that you are friends with Father Christmas. Could you do me a favour. I’ve been a good boy too so can you ask him to sort my b***y passport out. It never works on the E gates and I’m always sent to this naughty step! She laughed. ‘ sorry. I’m border control. If I was from passport office I’d love to help!

As I arrives back I get an email to say a parcel has arrived for me at the shop where all our mail is delivered. That will be my Peter Nyssen bulbs. I have returned home to boxes upon boxes of tulip bulbs. I may be quiet for a while. ( No chance).