jasmine – Page 2 – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on August 3, 2019August 3, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 8 Comments

Six on Saturday London

So we are back in London and the tiny garden has done well in that heatwave. We had sun and rain but as the plants are all in pots then they still need watering.

The cannas are doing really well. Canna Cleopatra seemed to have opened overnight. It’s a gorgeous flower with lovely leaves. Maybe next week the reds will be open ready for the next 6.

We have two hibiscus in Spain and I wanted one for London. We found a small kind of standard and it has these lovely orange large flowers. Two were open when we got back and there are at least ten more in various stages of bud.

This jasmine hasn’t been a great success. Jasmine clotted cream. It has plenty of growth and little flowers. I have fed. Pruned. Cut back hard over the years but to no avail. Sad but I think this is its last year. The other two jasmines the Trachelospermum and Jasminum Officinale. Both do really well.

Ignore the pegs and the washing line! The Ensete Maurelii has done well this year and virtually grows in front of your eyes. I have been better watering and feeding it this year. Along with the Ricinus it has given some interesting leaf shapes to the corner of the garden.

I love Monarda. There are some cracking colours out there but I love the red. Cambridge red is a favourite though I am unsure if this variety. Common name bee balm and it certainly attracts them. Shame the flowers are going over.

I know it’s six on Saturday but the 6 pegs on the washing line weren’t intentional. This is the last of the agapanthus for this year. They have been pretty spectacular and I’m not sure if it’s just a good year generally or my better feeding regime. Or luck. But they have had bigger blooms than usual.

Posted on July 20, 2019July 20, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 9 Comments

Six on Saturday July

Back in Spain for six on Saturday and it’s pretty hot. The garden is hanging in there and there isn’t a huge swaths of colour like we get in the Uk summer gardens. Too hot for annuals. Too dry for most. But there is some delights to be found.

The jasmine azoricum has had a second flush of flowers. It’s a delicate little flower but full of scent. A really slow grower here over the iron railings but that’s maybe because it needs more water.

I cut the hedge a while back a job I hate. One side is ok. The other a pain. But I’ve returned to find that an Ipomoea. You see them s lot here growing wild on really dry soil. A glorious fluorescent blue. Morning glory

We inherited a pot of Stephanotis. A large pot climbing up the wall. It’s a beautiful flower and one is only seen grown indoors in the UK. This one flowers for ages. Another lovely scent and creamy tuning into white waxy flowers. Often used in bridal bouquets.

Two years ago we had a fair few quince and I did nothing with them. Last year we had one. Just the one. So I did nothing with it. This year there are a plenty again and I’m determined we will at least get some quince jelly.

Our local garden centre closes for the month of August. It’s too hot here for people to be buying and planting so they reduce most of their stock by 50% in July. Also means they have less to water in August.

I had to buy some stuff of course. Yet more agapanthus. And I came across this lovely Passion flower. Passilfora holosericea. A new one to me which is now against the white garage wall. Fingers crossed.

The last of the alliums. I’ve had mixed results this year. The allium summer drummer were awesome again. The drumsticks great too. But the larger headed ones have struggled. We had a wet spell and then intense heat. We went from one straight to the other.

Posted on April 23, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

The rain In Spain.

You know. They weren’t telling the truth when they said the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain. We have decamped to the Costa del Sol for the Easter break. A friend arriving. Plans to do things. A garden to visit high up in The Alpujurra mountains. Costa del Sol. Where’s trade descriptions when you need them. Sol. Donde es Sol?

We are 610 m up in the mountains with a view to the coast. Unless the cloud has come down and you sitting in the middle of it and can only see as far as the hedge. This happens a few times of the year. Easter this year being one of them.

There has been sun. After the rains which have moved from the plain. Whilst the UK basks in sunshine and my social media is full of people enjoying the bank holiday in untraditional bank holiday weather. The garden visit didn’t happen. A two hour drive was too far to go to find it was chucking it down when we got there.

We did manage a trip to Cordoba. A 2.5 hour drive from La Casa. We had been before on a two night stopover and had seen the run up to the patio garden festival. The Alcazar and the mosque cathedral. This time was to visit what we could in the time we had.

The Gardens of the Alcazar are a treat. I’ve found that the planting in these historic gardens are very British. British in that many of the plants we grow in the Uk. Roses. Antihrinums. Lobelia – which I last saw in borders in my parents garden back in the 1980’s. And in their hanging baskets.

I love the use of water in these gardens the long areas of water and the rolls that run along every where. They had a couple of beds which had largely huge snapdragons Really tall. Really colourful. Much taller than I have ever seen them grow in the Uk. And much earlier. The weather here has been patchy these last few weeks.

Another plant from my parents garden in the 1980’s! I’m always surprised at how well roses grow here in Spain. When we first bought the house I noticed the house opposite had a fabulous red rambler over its wall. It was spectacular. I had to go and check it was real. It was. There were a couple of beds at the Alcazar which had roses. Not much else but roses and whilst the planting was patchy the actual roses were stunning

I would like to grow Roses in an area of the garden but think I’ll stick to the only one I have. its a bit too British for me – and my plan here is Mediterranean with a bit of British!! So for now one lovely yellow banksia rose climbing the jacaranda tree. All of a sudden it’s burst into bloom and looks awesome.

Banksia rose -Competa

My only complaint is that for me the ideal rose is scented. Repeat flowering and if possible as an addition thornless. The yellow banksia is not.

Only being here part of the time means I can miss some of the flowering in our own garden. This year I have been lucky with the banksia.

The symmetry of these gardens is as you’d expect. Similar in style as the gardens at the Alhambra and the Alcazar in Seville. This year so far I have not been to the Alhambra. Maybe later in the summer. Tickets are like gold dust but are available last minute if you keep your eyes peeled. I love the planting there but again in the past has been very annual plant based.

The mosque Cathedral in Cordoba is an amazing space. I love the feeling of peacefulness and calm in the mosque and the simplicity of the architecture against the bling and pomp of the cathedral,set within it. A contrast to the walk through the Alcazar gardens further along the road.

I did have time to potter about in our own garden. The sun. Rain. Sun. Rain effect has meant that it’s green. Very green. I can’t remember the agapanthus being as big as they are this year. The leaves appear huge. I hope that’s not a sign of big leaves. Small or no flower. I have started to feed them recently !

There is colour in the garden albeit a bit patchy. The ferns which we re potted a few weeks ago are growing well. There are six more spikes on the Strelitzia Reginae. The freesias from Peter Nyssen have been spectacular again this year and I’ve had success with succession planting. The last of them will have gone over this week. The dietes grandiflora – fairy iris has continued to flower and the new one I planted has also taken well now I know some people find the bottle brush to be a bit common. But I love it in a Mediterranean garden.

Last year I tried growing seeds direct into the garden with mixed success. Actually I am pants at seed sowing anyway and the results were as I expected. But. Flowers have appeared this year which have surprised me. Some Higgledy Garden sown calendula have appeared and look great next to the blues of the lavender. In a pot I have some Californian poppies. Both orange and white. They can only be Mr Higgledy sown seeds too.

Dietes. Bottlebrush. Calendula/lavender and freesia

So I am about to order more of each. The Californian poppies – Eschscholzia californica – remind me of my parents garden. There was always a patch of these in the back garden which self seeded like crazy. I should be so lucky. If I recall I didn’t like the smell of them if you touched them. Thinking back my parents had some cool plants as I was growing up.

We were lucky to inherit some fruit trees, a couple of fig, a loquat and three pomegranate trees when we bought the house. This year the fig looks like only giving a poor crop. But they are delicious. If your around the day that they are ripe. All of them at the same time usually. The nispero are interesting. Big leaves. Small fruit that look bruised even before they come off the tree. I will collect them and probably make jam and remember to photograph them!

The almonds are plentiful this year – probably to end up in the kitchen cupboard with last years. The olive crop in 2018 was non existent. This year the trees are full of flower buds. So fingers crossed. The quince had one fruit on it last year. Yesterday I counted 28. Whether they will all stay the course is anyone’s guess. If they do there will be Quince jelly. Maybe even membrillo. If I’m adventurous. Two of the three pomegranates have never flowered. Last year one flowered and started to set fruit. But we had none so this year I’m taking my tickling stick [ a tiny paint brush ) out to the tree when the flowers open.

Orange blossom. Olive flowers. Pomegranate flower. Quince

Both orange trees are full of blossom and the scent as you pass by is absolutely amazing. These trees are only chest height and as I’m short ( short for my weight) you’ll realise that they aren’t that big. But we picked some of the last oranges this week to make a chocolate and orange cake.

The bank at the back of the house and the drive is one place full of colour. The rain has spurred the wildflowers and the yellow jasmine and the honeysuckle to flower like crazy. The yellow jasmine serves a purpose but as it has no scent it’s not one I’d probably plant is such a big area. But it looks good. The wildflowers are going strong. Along with the fennel which I’m cutting back like crazy.

The pelargonium I hacked early this year has started to flower again. I know I should have saved the cuttings. Next year. The grevillea stands at the gate. One is growing tall and elegant. Yet to flower properly. The other sits under a ball of privet – don’t say another word- and is full of flower. The white snowball viburnum – Viburnum opulus has started to flower but the heads are smaller this year and not as many. Maybe I cut it back at the wrong time.

When you look at the plants individually there is actually more colour than I thought. But spread across the garden. The white wall at this time of year is one of my favourites – Red geraniums and the scented pelargoniums both in flower at the same time.

Rain is forecast for the next three days. Then a period of decent sunshine which will bring the rest of the garden on in leaps and bounds. The dahlias I planted in pots as an experiment are doing well. The canna are a bit patchy so far. The colocasia black magic is yet to emerge but the colocasia mojito has three new leaves. Patience is a virtue. Not a virtue I have!

But wait I must. There is nothing Imcan do about the weather but wait and sit it out. Tomorrow’s another day. Another plant emerging. Another flower opening.

Posted on March 28, 2019March 28, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 6 Comments

Garden and Wildflowers – Spain

I know I’m lucky to spend a fair bit of time here in Spain. We first visited here in March ’17. We spent most of our time in March ’18 on a road trip to Northern Spain – it was Semana Santa – but we have been here in Southern Spain for a fair chunk of March this year.

As well as being able to enjoy and work on the garden which with a spot of rain and some heat has run away with itself it has been great to see the start of a lot of the wildflowers on our own bank and the roundabout which isn’t a roundabout and round and about the area.

The colours and scents in the garden have been amazing. The freesia and the orange blossom together with the jasmine have filled the air daily.

The alliums are running away with themselves and everything is in a mad dash to grow. There has been a plethora of mimosa this year with the colour yellow as far as the eye can see.

The olive tree has started to form blossom and it looks that unlike last year there will be plenty. The same with the orange blossom now and the almond blossom before.

The almond blossom has now gone and the almonds are growing very nicely thank you very much.

I have repotted. Moved pots. Planted bulbs. Had a general tidy up. There is constantly things to do – not that I am complaining.

But I have ventured up and down the access road. Down to the bins on the road and up to a house at the end of the access road. Trust me. Going down the hill is fine. Coming up to the house and beyond – I need an oxygen mask and a lie down. You can hear my breathing from afar. Well. Gasping really. But it is worth it. There are wild flowers a plenty.

Last year I scattered about 2000 poppy seeds on the bank. We had. None. That’s right. Not one. This year we have three. Not thousand. Three as in 1.2 3!! bit I am not convinced these are the ones I sowed. Who cares. I have three poppies.

Excited. You bet. Excited for next year. And the year after.

But the wildflowers are the gift that keeps on giving. They have started and will continue for ages. New ones will appear. The ones now in flower will form seed-heads. It goes on and on. Last year I bought a book – Wild plants of southern Spain by Tony Hall which with my book on Mediterranean plants by Lorraine Cavannagh have been my go to books for the garden and the wild plants.

Most I have been able to identify.

The bank is overflowing with these beauties. A very pretty flower and a heavily scented leaf. If I’m right in its identification then the leaves should smell strongly of bitumen. They do smell strongly but I don’t quite get bitumen.

Now this yellow flower is everywhere. On the bank. On the drive. All over the slope as you drive down the wiggly road. A really pretty flower head. But so you think I have been able to find it’s name? Nope. I know someone will tell me.

Echium plantagineum and mallow

So this is an Echium plantagineum. Who knew? I didn’t. Well I think it is. I called it the pretty little purple flowers on the bank.

Not as many on the bank as I would like. Not yet. But there will be.

I was excited to see these pretty pea like flowers in the garden. A friend said ‘ wait a few weeks and you won’t be saying that.’ They were right. They spring up everywhere. Through the plants. On the ground. Stand still too long ( not a chance here) and they will be using you as a climbing frame.

Yes. They are pretty. Very. Small flowers. But and it’s a big but. They are pretty prolific.

These little pale coloured lupins were a real eye opener. I saw them first on our access road and pondered if they were actual lupins. Small. All of a similar size and colour. But they are. And lovely they are too. I shall be off to collect some seed when they go over.

This pretty bunch is not mine – not this year but I’m trying for next. It’s close by to the house and is full of little lupins. In the Uk I have never been able to grown Lupins. Slugs. Big fat slugs always got them.

Last year we had a few of these on our bank. One in a tub with a pretty spiky agave. And one under the hedge on the drive. This is one of the ones on the access road to the house. Why? Because only one of the others has appeared this year. We have leaves but as of yet no flowers. Fingers crossed. We may yet.

The roundabout which isn’t a roundabout is full of mallow. Pretty little ground hugging mallow. Add some yellow and purple of other plants and it makes a pretty damn good patch.

These are spiky little blighters. The leaves rather than the flowers. Pretty variegated geeen and white leaves with a lovely lilac to purple. They grow like weeds on the bank.

My go to book also mentions Cistus. The grey leaved cistus. We have one large plant in the garden. But I realise now that last year I was pulling these plants out of the area where the almonds grown – so far this year I am leaving them be. They are so pretty then can spread as much as they like.

The flowers are produced each morning and as the day goes by they look more and more like crepe paper. I don’t think I have seen crepe paper since my school days! But they are pretty damn fine flowers to have in the garden.

I’m keeping my eyes peeled for the bee orchids that come up in a neighbours garden. For my few orchids.

Oh. And of course for the 1,997 poppies.

I may be a long time.

Posted on March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

A tale of three gardens. Hola

It’s amazing how fast things grow when you turn your back on a garden. Weeds especially. I think we have the national collection of bind weed in Somerset.

I hadn’t done a winter clear as the ground had been too wet. We hadn’t been around much. And I’ve picked up a bit of mañana syndrome. But needs must and last weekend I knew I had to do one thing. Prune roses. They weren’t pruned last year at all. A fail I know but the year before was a good pruning. Especially as I had Mrs Shouty as a guide and mentor for pruning the apple trees and the roses. Mrs Shouty -= Sara Venn.

So I hacked the roses. Some are old. Some probably need to be replaced. I will review at the end of the summer to see what’s what after flowering. But I pruned. I got attacked by the curse of the thorns. I have had my tetanus jab.

I tidied up a bit – well I cut the perennials back to the ground and then the rain came. Lots of it. So it’s still there to be taken away. On top of the bind weed.

Yes. There is smoke. But it’s Ian burning paperwork. Old bills. There is a bonfire there ready to start next time. A great big bonfire.

We bought a mirabelle plum a few years ago. It has fruited. Now great at the beginning. Some years the frost got the blossom and there was little or no fruit. But they are delicious. This year there is blossom a plenty. But watching what ever storm was passing through on Saturday shaking the tree and scattering the blossom filled me with gloom. If it’s not the frost that gets the blossom it’s the wind. Hopefully there will be plenty of fruit this year.

There are benefits of leaving last years flowers through Autumn and Winter . The colour of this sedum is great. And I haven’t cut it back. Not yet anyway.

Oh. I was also distracted. By a dahlia talk at the local horticultural society.

It’s a different tale back in London. The only cutting back I’ve done is to the Melianthus major which was tall and leggy. So armed with information and a decent secateurs I cut it low. Fingers crossed I’ll get flowers.

The garden in London is different. It’s small. More a courtyard garden and is sheltered. We have a typical London micro climate. I still have geraniums flowering from last year and are gaining growth at a rate of knots.

The Bowles Mauve is budding up well and will soon have a lovely scent when it opens. It’s a solid little plant and does really well

I can’t believe we have blossom on the citrus in the garden. And lots of it. Hopefully a bit more sun. A bit more warmth and these lovely flowers will open and there will be an orange blossom scent above the chair. Not that I can sit and read there. It’s there for one reason. Well three reasons. It’s the cats chair. Well one of their chairs.

If I was surprised at the blossom I am even more surprised to see a couple of tiny small fruits developing. Fingers crossed they will get bigger. I’ve been out and poo’d my plants including the citrus. The first feed of 2019. Using Lous Poo – alpaca feed

There is growth on the clematis. Early I think but never the less welcome. It’s only in the last two years that it’s done well.

Ian’s not a gardener. But he knows what he likes. Tree ferns for example. It was Ian’s ides to have tree ferns in the garden. I didn’t expect to have 5. But we have and I love them. I need to feed these once I take out the straw from the crown!

But they have survived in the garden for about 12 years and last year I didn’t fleece them or put straw in the crown when the the beast of the east arrived suddenly. But they survived.

One of my plant loves is agapanthus and I’m lucky to have them in both the London garden and the one in Spain. Again they need a feed if I’m going to get a great big show off spectacle of flowers.

I have just bought agapanthus black Buddhist from Farmer Gracy for the Spanish garden which was delivered last week.

We have a lot of blue and white in the garden here and there. There and here depending where I am – but I’d like to introduce some different ones. The ones in the garden have self seeded here and there and spring up everywhere.

The tulips in the window boxes are through – I planted them late but are growing pretty fast. There are new colours this year. I didn’t grow any in Spain as the ones I tried last year were pants. That’s not a variety. It was the outcome.

The jasmine is almost to the top of the downpipe and is heavy with flower buds. You know those pinky red little buds that open to a fabulous white scented flower. Add a bit of Trachelospermum a bit later and you have a succession of scent. I lost one last year but the other two are doing ok. Add the scent of my straggly honeysuckle to next door’s rampant one poking over the fence and we have the summer scents sorted.

Spain is weeks ahead of London and Somerset. In Spain the jasmine is out already as the weather has warmed up. Though I see we have two weeks of rain coming. Last March was wet. Very wet. So far we have had a dry spell since October when the reservoirs filled to the top. Great for the garden. Great for the reservoir and our storage tank. But…..

The freesia are brilliant again this year. Bought from Peter Nyssen and shipped to Spain – they look and smell fantastic. I must try some in pots in London next.

It is such a contrast between the three gardens – which I will admit is one too many. Somerset is at the end of a season and the start of another. It needs a good cut back. London had a central city micro climate and its small and sheltered. There is no way I could grow tree ferns in Somerset or Spain.

Spain is obviously very different. Whilst we are 650 m above sea level in the cooler mountains the season is well under way with colour and scent in March already. Plus we have plenty of green with the agave dotted around the garden.

The almond blossom continues. Ours had been and gone and they were pretty heavy with flowers. The mimosa is starting to come out on our bank. In other gardens it’s over already. I’ve seen the leaves of the wild orchids poking through and the bee orchids in a neighbours garden. We had thought we may have lost some as we had

There’s enough to keep me going for now. There are lists. And lists of lists. My lists. Ian’s lists.

I have some more things to plant Colocasia Black Magic. Bessara elegans, Watsonia peach glow, Roscoea purpurea, Anomatheca laxa, Lycoris radiata to start and some Canna. These are for Spain and came from Farmer Gracy – great find.

I bought , on Ian’s instruction a big colocasia at the localmspsnish garden centre to add to the Mojhito that I bought last year.

Don’t tell Ian but I’ve got Canna on order from Todd’s botanics for London as well as some new white agapanthus.

There’s no peace for the wicked.

Posted on February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 3 Comments

Warm days. Cold nights.

Well there’s still no sign of rain. Heavy downpours were forecast for Monday. Was I excited? You bet. Something I’d never have thought would get me so excited. Rain. So I didn’t water the new plants Why waste an expensive commodity when it was going to chuck it down for free. Cats and dogs. Wet rain.

But guess what? We didn’t even have a drop. Nothing. A heavy dew. But the only thing that was wet was my bottom as I sat on the chair to have my morning coffee.

The early mornings are chilly. As are the evenings. Late afternoon has been lovely and a great time to get out and do. Things have started to move with a vengeance. Not me obviously. That’s more snail like.

So I watered. Not a lot. The ground is still wet if you poke around a bit. It surprises me what I see for the first time when casually throwing a bit of water about. Like this Dietes grandiflora – fairy iris. I planted two at the end of the summer and there have been flowers on and off since. This is a new one I planted after Christmas and it’s flowering. Well. I say flowering = there is one flower and another in bud. But it’s a pretty little thing.

I’m cutting the oleander back a bit. It’s grown quite tall and I have cut some of it back quite hard. ( hacked actually). But it will grow back again quickly. Careful when pruning as it’s another poisonous plant. But one or two still had their glorious seed heads or is it pods? They are pretty gorgeous. Not every variety in the garden has them. I know not why.

Talking seed heads – here’s one on the Jacaranda. I have a love/hate relationship with this tree. It’s too large and needs to be cut back. Not by me. But a professional. But this season it’s not lost its leaves. So it hasn’t been done. It still has some of its seed heads on the tree and they are a bit spooky. Whilst I love both the seed head and the flowers it’s the flowers that drive me insane. Gorgeous blue colour. Which don’t last that long and end up all over the ground. I can spend hours sweeping the path – I know. I need the exercise.

I love a bit of scent in the garden. I’m a sucker for freesia and planted a load last year which were brilliant. Tall strong stems. Gorgeous colours and a brilliant perfume. I planted more this year and they are going great guns.

I found a large aspidistra down on the coast. Not literally but at the garden centre. They use these a lot in the inner courtyards so I thought I have a bit of a shady spot on the terrace. So I did. We stayed in a lovely hotel in Seville and they had them in their open area in the centre of the building. That got me hooked. I need to sort the pot.

We have had the big ferns in plastic pots. I’ve wanted to repot them but finding pots we both likes proved difficult. We found these and bought them. We then realised we needed two more. Off we trotted to the coast. Again. I said we had the light option. Ian said that we bought the darker. It was only yesterday he said. I know but the two colours aren’t miles apart. He said the darker. I said the lighter so we went for the lighter. Got them home and it was the darker. Never mind. They will do as I’m not going round the mountain once again. .

There are a number of succulents in the garden. No matter how many times I look up theirs names I can never remember what I’ve been told.

This is one – a pretty orange. Looks a bit like lipsticks. But they will open in the sun. But try and get a decent picture when they open. I tried. And failed.

The bank on the access road has a number of trees, last year I was having an afternoon cuppa with the neighbours and we looked up to see what looked like smoke. So off we went to investigate. It was the pollen on the plants being blown away by the wind. So no smoke. But hay fever instead.

The citron buddhas hand is still hanging in there. Literally. There are a fair few new flowers about to open. But the fruit hasn’t been setting on the older flowers. I need to consult my citrus book.

The alliums I planted are all coming through. The allium summer drummer is running away with itself. I’m glad I planted more this year. This isn’t summer drummer. It’s either a white or globe master. Or maybe it’s…. I know. I said I’d label better.

I love a bit of scent in the garden and I love jasmine. White. Perfumed. We also have a jasmine azoricum which has the sweetest scent.

Jasmine

It’s not been all gardening. Don’t ask. It’s been a bit of a week. But I managed to get out for a walk along the road close to la Casa. Some interesting things to see. I should do it more.

There is a lot of Daucs carota about in flowering season. Now the ones that remain have been dried and look fantastic.

There are almond trees along the road and are in various stages of bloom. Surprisingly some have almonds forming already. The three I have in our garden are still flowering. Nowhere near having any almonds form. I’m hoping this years crop is better than last.

Almond blossom

it’s interesting to see what’s about. These lovely stone walls are fantastic.

Sadly my crop of olives equalled one. Yes. One olive. Last year I had enough to make a few jars of salt cured olives. Well this year I can put the one single olive on a cocktail stick and saunter to the open fire to warm my cold bones. And eat my one olive.

There’s nothing like a bit of Mimosa. There are two or three types around us here. This was in a garden on my walk. Again a bit of flower envy as our mimosa is still In tight tight buds. But when it opens then bank will be awash with yellow. Another that needs pruning after flowering. It’s a straggly tree.

We have also been to the coast. Up and down the wiggly road. In Nerja there are fantastic agaves along the beach. With tall elegant flower spikes. Which a friend said that looked like giant asparagus. Another says they look rude. Whatever they look like they look magnificent.

I also have plant envy. So much I bought another one for the garden. A friend bought one for us back last year. It’s still alive. But not doing much. So I bought one for a bit of instant colour. That did well. But now it’s looking a bit sad. Not like this one in Nerja. This is the one that got me started.

There is still so much to so. Hacking the pomegranate for one. Tomorrow’s another day.

Posted on February 16, 2019February 16, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 9 Comments

Six on Saturday.

The garden is certainly coming to life. The sun is shining. The birds are singing and we haven’t had any significant rain for a while. Though Monday looks like it’s going to be wet.

The jacaranda hasn’t lost its leaves. Which is a bit of a ‘b’ as we have been waiting to cut it back. It’s too big for where it is. Gorgeous blue flowers. Lovely seed heads/pods. Is it one or the other!

There is jasmine everywhere. The yellow jasmine has been flowering for a while. Pretty but no scent. This one is about to follow by the door and a window. Will get a lovely smell in the sunshine wafting indoors. We have another – jasmine Azoricum which is fab and for me has the best scent.

More scented bulbs. I grew freséis last year and they were a great success. Bulbs bought from Peter Nyssen and they have come back as big and as strong this year. Long sturdy stems with gorgeous bejewelled colours. Just as well I have planted a load more.

The fruit of the citron buddhas hand is looking a bit sad. I need to pick it and use the zest. Good for nothing else. Hardly any fruit or pith. But a definite talking point in the garden. There are a number of flower buds waiting to burst open.

Clivia

I love Clivia but In the uk used it as a house plant. Last year when I visited the Malaga botanical gardens I saw whole beds of them in shade. So the back end of July I bought some for the garden. Yey they are flowering in year 2 again.

A nest of processionary caterpillar!

Not all pretty pretty. I have found two processionary caterpillar nests in the garden. Up in the pine trees. So Monday will be a visit to a man that can.

They need to be removed and I’m not the man for the job.

Posted on June 30, 2018June 30, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 6 Comments

Six on Saturday – London

Six from our London garden

Jasmine clotted cream

Window box Lavender

Trachelospermum

Agapanthus

More Agapanthus

Honeysuckle Graham Thomas?

Posted on June 20, 2018June 20, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 3 Comments

Viva España

I can’t help but think of my dear old mother as I write that. Viva España. I can see her now listening to that on the radio and dancing around the kitchen. Usually as she was about to go away on her holidays. To Spain. She did it to annoy me I know. Little did she know I’d be singing it one day. I never thought I would either, at least once a month for the last 12 months. Often as I drive up that wiggly road to ‘Casa Verano Eterno.’ It’s an annoying ear worm.

Well the ‘Eternal Summer’ has been a long time coming. Three weeks ago when I left for London the word on the Plaza Almijara was ‘Mucho mucho frio’ It’s been a long wet winter and Spring. The locals had been saying it had been colder. For longer. The worst weather in years apparently. But now I’m back and it’s gone from ‘frio’ to ‘mucho calor’. It is. Mucho mucho calor. I don’t know if it’s because it’s gone from cold to hot without the bit in between but it feels brutal all of a sudden. There wasn’t the gradual acclimatisation. But we are never happy are we. Too hot. Too cold. Too wet. Too dry.

A week is a long time away from the garden at this point of the year. Both here and there. Ian and I were amazed at how quickly things had shot up in the garden. The agapanthus that were just starting to move have gone mad. Some are out. Many are still in bud. But they are tall. Taller than I can remember last year. They have done well.

I love agapanthus and we are lucky that they have self seeded here in the garden. Whilst they take an age to get to the flower stage they will. Patience young man. Patience. They do well in the dry and the heat so there’s no wonder they are everywhere in the garden.

I’m hoping the black one I brought with me will flower this year. Fingers crossed. There are plenty of light blue and white.

The main crop of alliums is over. Sadly. But I had to stop Ian from cutting them back. I love the seed heads as much as the flowers and eventually some will be picked and brought into the house. There are still two more varieties to flower. The drumstick alliums are dotted all over the place. Not in any kind of proper order. Just dotted randomly. Largely to see where they would work this year. They have flourished in some of the harshest places. I noticed two on the dry bank on the drive as I left the house yesterday. In amongst the grasses. I’d also noticed some when out on a walk a few weeks ago. Dotted in a really strange place. Side of the road. Dry. Amongst dry grasses. No sign of water. But in full flower.

I only noticed the ones on our drive as they had started to colour. I too planted in some very odd places. Probably where I could and where the ground was workable. I wondered why there was a pick axe in the garage – I soon found out.

I planted a few ‘allium Summer Drummer’. One has done great guns and is the tallest allium I have ever seen. It’s a late flowering one so is coming out after the others have died back. It’s a funny old thing really. I was expecting a much bigger head on it as it is so tall. And I mean tall. It’s just starting to colour up too. Definitely one for next years planting.

Now I know they will do well I will be on the old internet and onto Peter Nyssen to place the order for next year. But next year I will label and plant less erratically and in drifts. That’s not a promise. But I’ve promised myself to get a few more different varieties.

A staple of Andalucia and the planting along the central reservation of the motorways here is Oleander. When we were driving home earlier in the year they were cutting them back. Hard. Brutal even. I feared that this year there would be no colour. How wrong I was. They have come back with a vengeance.

The ones on the boundary with our neighbours were cut back too and I admit to thinking oh dear. But again. They are blooming lovely. As are the ones in the garden and on the drive. A variety of colours. Various stages of flowering. White. Pink. Red. There is a double flowered one somewhere. That one is just not out yet. But I will be out cutting them back hard next season as it doesn’t hurt to do it once in a while. I am reminded that all parts of the plant are poisonous. Just like nearly everything in this garden. I should be gardening in long trousers. Long sleeves. Hat. Gloves. Veil. But in this heat it’s impossible.

Interestingly our neighbours whose house is adjacent to ours mentioned that their two sons are keen gardeners and were on Instagram. They are keen indeed and grow some awesome and unusual fruit and veg in their London garden. Check them out – they are interesting to follow – freshbros_uk

The garden is a gorgeous mix of scents at the moment. The honeysuckle is still going strong and in the warmth of the evening is delicious as you walk up the path. The jasmine azoricum wrapping itself around some railings was a new one on me last year and supposedly has a lemon scent. I think it smells like, well Jasmine. It’s a bit of a slow one but is worth it for the scent.

There is a Trachelospermum next to the garage which reminds me of a trip to Italy over 15 years ago.

We rented a great place which had a wonderful pergola next to the pool. The pergola was covered in jasmine and the scent has stayed a favourite ever since. I love it when you relate a smell of a plant to a particular memory.

A bit like remembering that I hate the smell of tateges which takes me back to my parents garden when they grew all their own annuals – this was often one of them. This is their garden in the 1970’s. I think the front row may be tagetes. All grown from seed by them in the greenhouse I made them buy. Apparently.

I think if I had a front garden like this, one year I would do bonkers annual planting. Old favourites. And wild colours. But I don’t have the space in London to do it. Sadly.

I digress. Back to me. I noticed a clematis scrambling down the bank on the access road. A really pretty sweet scented white flower. Never watered. Rubbish soil. If you can call it soil. Surrounded by trees but doing ok. I then noticed one winding it’s way into the pineapple agave in the garden. I have looked in my Wild plants of Spain book and think it’s a clematis flammula. It’s small white flowered and scented. Climbs or scrambles. Sounds like an egg order.

Whatever it is it’s very welcome. I’m not sure if I removed it last year from the tree. I can’t remember seeing it at all. I’ve never had much luck with clematis back in the Uk though saying that the one and only one in London has gone mad this year. That’s the same for a lot of things.

Another thing I don’t remember from this time last year are the mozzies. They hate me. Well I think it would be more correct to say they love me. Apparently this form of garlic is a deterrent. I’m not convinced but the flowers of tulbaghia Violacea – ‘society garlic’ are pretty and apparently scented – I can’t smell them! I suspect neither can the mozzies.

I’ve been out spraying the prickly pears again. I’m determined if nothing else and it’s paying off. But note to self. Wear decent gloves. The prickles are a nightmare if they jag your hand even when you wear thin gloves. Oh. And I don’t like the smell of neem oil. Hopefully neither will the cochineal fly. Nasty little things. Tiny white flies which when you swot them on a white wall or a white shirt you see why they are called ‘cochineal’. Swot them and you instantly get a red dye on whatever you’ve swotted them onto. So small they get through the mozzie nets on the window.

I’m not sure I would have planted this if I hadn’t seen it in flower. Commonly known as the Brazilian Sky flower – ‘Durante Repens’ it was here when we moved in and I’m so pleased that it was. It’s a lovely colour addition to the garden. References say it’s blue. I say it’s more violet than blue. Maybe violet blue! But when it gets going it gets going. I love seeing these different plants that I’d never see in the Uk and there are some crackers in this garden

Ok ok. Talking of crackers. You’ve seen this before but now there are two. And maybe a third coming. I can’t contain my excitement. We have a lot of flower heads on the Strelitzia Reginae but it’s the Strelitzia Nicolai that excites me. I make no apologies for even more pictures of it. Sorry. Not sorry.

Everyday there are things to find. Things to photo. The above are some of the flowers that are out this week. With this heat many will soon be over. I’ve spotted some cornflowers coming out. Some calendula. I’m hoping that the scorching sun doesn’t kill them off whilst we are away.

I am here for another week then back to London for a week. I had a message from the cat sitter to say ‘ the front flowers were looking right bonnie’ – Ian has said nothing since he has got back. Makes another note. Remind him to water.

I said the heat is ramping up. It certainly is. Forecast for the weekend is 35/36*. Hmmm I’m not sure how the garden will take it the week I am away. I have said the garden is a Spring – early summer and Autumn garden. The intense heat of high summer isn’t great for the plants even those that are drought tolerant. Or for me! I need rehydrating. Often. Water not wine.

For now it’s watering late at night or early morning. Ten minutes gardening. Half an hour rest. I’ve taken to siestas big time. Oh. And time to do the housework. And ironing. And homework.

I think my Spanish teacher must think I’m boring. ‘Explain to me what you did yesterday’ she asks ‘ I worked in the garden’ and the day before? The same is my response. I’m sure she thinks I’m stuck for vocabulary. I’m not. I am that boring. And the garden is demanding.

I’m off for my class. The good thing. It’s Wednesday and there is an organic market at the nursery. That’s why I’m making a detour on my way back. It’s nothing to do with the email I’ve had saying they have new stock. Honest.

Hasta luego!

Posted on June 14, 2018June 17, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

There and here. Here and there.

So I’ve been there. And I’m now here. Or. Here and there depending on how you look at it.

I’ve had a week back in London. A busy week to be fair. I try and pack a lot in wherever I may be. Whether it be here. Or. there or wherever.

The two spaces are so different. Not just the gardens but the culture. Where we live. The house in each. Where I eat. How I travel. I’d forgotten how busy Oxford Street can be. Even on a Monday. Out of school holidays too. I had to escape down into Bond Street tube this week to get away.

So back in London it was time to potter in our small (tiny) courtyard garden and to check up on the pots and window boxes at the front. We are lucky to have someone go in when we are both away – largely to look after the cats – but he’s ace with a watering can and hose. Bruce and Christine have been looking after the cats for the last 15 years and are brilliant.

Having had the front garden ‘done’ recently – new wall, new path, railings and new gate we decided to do some replanting of pots at the front. We bought two new standard bays. A bit of a cliche really but they suit the space. I bought two new pots from The Nunhead Gardner. Got them home and realised that once the bays were in the pots they would be too tall for the space. Surprisingly I didn’t have to take them back. Ian said that we should repot the agapanthus into them. And buy two more. Result!

I always have window boxes but as I am away so much these days I wanted something that didn’t need a lot of water. The garden is my domain and whilst Ian waters he’s busy and it’s not fair on him to have to come home and start watering. So again this year I opted for lavender. It worked well last year but this year I just used lavender. It looks good. Ignore the bins. I haven’t told Fred yet. But we are looking for some bin covers. Next door has a fab one with a green roof. But. It’s expensive and the sides are open. Defeats the object really. And Fred would sit on the plants anyway.

Now I love agapanthus. We have two enormous white ones and a very large small blue flowered one in the front. All needed repotting. Sadly one of the whites struggled through the winter and in parts had turned to mush. The first time I’d lost an agapanthus. The big blue had already started to bud up.

I’ve said the back garden is small. It is. Very. Everything is in pots. Some neighbours have small lawns. And I mean small. But I’ve seen them re turf every few years. There is not enough sun in some of them. So the courtyard is paved. Tree ferns, jasmine, honeysuckle, banana, agapanthus,clematis,mock orange all in pots. It’s a small space. So scent is important. Makes watering a bit of a pain but when we bought the tree ferns we thought if we moved we could take them with us -15 years later we are still there. It’s one thing that Ian really loves – the tree ferns. I was lucky this year. I didn’t straw the crown or wrap them as I was away when the cold spell hit and I panicked that we may have lost them. There are 5 in the garden. The tallest is about 6ft odd. But they survived and a feed of alpaca poo works wonders.

We also have flowers on the olive trees. Again both in pots. A strong link between Spain and London are some of the plants we grow in each. I don’t think I’ll be growing large agaves or prickly pears in London though!

This is a pic from two or three years ago taken from the upstairs window. Things have been moved. Things have been removed. Others added. But it gives the sense of the space. Or lack of it. I must take an up to date one. Preferably when the washing isn’t on the line.

It’s been an odd winter /Spring in the London garden. Despite having its own micro climate I lost some things I thought would be ok. Some survived where I thought the wet and the cold would certainly kill them. Nature’s odd like that. I had geraniums flowering all winter. But some of the agapanthus in the back courtyard also turned to mush. But that means more purchases! My tulips were pants. My London alliums pants. All down to the conditions. Not the bulbs as the same bulbs in Spain have been awesome. Oh. That reminds me. I must go and check on Allium Summer Drummer here in Spain.

It hasn’t all been gardening. There’s been doctors,dentists, Orthodontists. Who knew I’d be getting a brace in my retirement.

A bit of a MOT. You also have to throw in a bit of a NGS open garden as well don’t you? Two glorious open gardens in Dulwich Village whose greenhouse would cover my garden in Camberwell. Beautifully planted. Stunning roses with such strong perfumes. Glorious colours. A pond. Plants and the obligatory cake. It wouldn’t be NGS without cake would it? I love open gardens. Probably because I’m nosey. I love seeing what other people grow. What combinations. Take away ideas for my own gardens.

I’ve wandered through the streets of Wapping after a haircut. My old stomping ground when I worked at Canary Wharf and in Fitzrovia where I lamented the fact you can’t go to the top of the BT Tower as you could up to the early 80’s. There was s revolving restaurant and sightseeing platforms. Leased to Billy Butlin! Security concerns led to its closure.

So here I am back in Spain. A bit of a journey. Train stuck 5 mins outside the airport for a trespasser on the line. Stuck for 40 mins watching the panic on people’s faces as they realise they may miss their train. Thankfully I like to get there super early. I can’t stand the panic of rushing and nearly missing a flight.

Added to that the plane was nearly an hour late and I was sat next to someone who was too frightened to catch your eye in case you struck up a conversation. Funny that. I didn’t want to! Interestingly Ian’s flight tonight is already scheduled to be 30 mins late. 12 hours before it takes off. How does that work!

So. I arrive up the wiggly road at 11.15pm. Open up. Lights on. WiFi on. Then water the garden. I can’t see very much but I can smell. I realise even in the dark that the Jasmine Azoricum is in flower. A delicious smell. The honeysuckle is in full bloom. But just as well I watered late last night. Today the pump for the water deposit has gone kaput. So no watering today. Well maybe. The plumber had just been and is to replace a part. I called in the office at 10. By 1.30 he’s here.

So I think I need to bathe in citronella at some point as the mozzies are a plenty. I’ve bought a very fetching orange slinky citronella bracelet. It stinks. But the mozzies. – must have been the wet spring as last year I wasn’t bitten once. Well maybe once. But so far today I’ve been bitten three times. So. I’m not lazing around for long. There’s too much to do. I need to turn into my mother and get dead heading. There’s a lot to do.

Oh. And I need to buy a new hat. Either this one is too small or my head is too big. But the solar panel on the top of my head ( crown or bald spot) needs some cover. I hate hats. They make my head itch. But needs must. I may be a very long time.