lavender – Gardens. Travel. Life.

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 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).

Posted on September 30, 2022October 1, 2022 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Hello Andalucia.

Well it’s been a while since we have been to Spain. We were due to go in July but it was too hot. Yes. I know it’s Spain. I know it’s the med. Whilst I like the heat when it’s so hot it’s unpleasant. We always avoid August but this year July was a no no too. I was there in a lockdown two years ago unable to travel back because of quarantine in August. I spent most of the time indoors in my pants watching Netflix with the aircon on. Too hot. Too expensive and not attractive.

The journey started badly. Half way to the airport our flight is cancelled and we are rebooked on a flight the next day. Generally not a disaster but we were travelling with a friend. She had been put on a flight that evening. The disaster was they had also changed our airport. Not hers and her car was already in Heathrow. We also live an hour up the mountain. The car was in my name. I’ve praised our neighbours before and I’ve always valued good neighbours. He’s the best. Drove down the mountain at 11pm. Drove her home. Made sure she was in safely and we arrived the next day. A new flight and delay compensation. Not a great start to the trip but it didn’t matter. Friends for 35 years and she bypasses the house rule. Ian says guests are like fish. They go off after 4 days. Mary stayed for 12.

It’s been dry in Spain. Very dry. There has been little rain. A local reservoir supplying Malaga has been declared dead. I feared the worst of the garden. We hadn’t been in two months and driving up the mountain it was clear just how dry it was. Parched landscape. The campo had been on water restrictions. One day on. One day off. In Spain that could mean anything. We are lucky to have a large deposito which fills when we do get water and we then have to pump it into the house. The garden had been watered but not as much as usual. It really hits home just how precious a resource water is. Washing up water has been used to water pots. The washing machine only used when full. The roundabout that’s not a roundabout had worried me all summer. The wildflowers had died back. The grasses were tinder dry and there had been wild fires around the edges of the village so we had arranged for it to be ‘cleaned’. Arranged two months ago I wasn’t sure if it had been done. Of course it had. The water position has changed. We now get mains water. Every three days. If we are lucky. I’m not moaning again about hosepipe bans in the Uk.

The planting is pretty drought tolerant. But I’ll be honest. Even drought tolerant plants need some water when the temperatures get into the 40’s. Every day. The garden path plants looked ok. A bit sad in parts but when and if we get some rain and cooler days they will come back. Some have died or won’t recover. I’m giving up on lavender. Planting number 3 was doing so well up to July. Now it’s very patchy. Most gone over and won’t recover. The creeping Rosemary has fared much better. One or two lost. But a massive Rosemary at the rear of the house Is dead. I must have anticipated as I’d planted two more smaller ones to take over in Spring. Looks like they will survive.

The curry plant ( Helichrysum italicum) which is in poor thin soil has fared better and I was tempted to plant the whole path with it. Not the path ~ the borders along the path. But it does give off a whiff of curry in the heat of the day and I’m not sure, as much as I like curry I want to be sat on a sun lounger at two in the afternoon smelling curry. It’s not quite the effect I want.

Thankfully the foxtail agaves ( agave attenuate) seem to be doing well. There are some to split in one of the pots and these will go on the dry bank once I don’t need a pick axe to dig them in. Seriously. A pick axe. I was surprised to see the colocasia mojito. It’s in a pot and is looking good. I love the silky leaves and it’s colour. But to be honest I never expected it to be alive. We have quince on the one tree we have. A plentiful crop but very small. I’m hoping enough for quince jelly. The gorgeous aeonium also in a pot has survived. Another plant that has surprised me is the canna. There are two large ones in pots. Despite the heat and the intermittent watering one was still in flower. And the leaves were huge.

The agapanthus have done well and I plan to plant even more. I’m lucky that they self seed although it takes a while to get to flowering. I can wait. I’ve cut some of the flower heads and left others if the seeds are about to be scattered.

I love this time of year in Andalucia. Cooler days and spectacular sunsets. Clear nights where you can see the coast of Malaga from 2000ft up the mountain and also the mountains of Morroco. When stars are clear in the sky. And hopefully the mosquitos are dying.

The two cactus which aren’t cactus but euphorbia candelabrum are in pots and are tied to the railings to stop them getting toppled over by the wing. Needless to say they are drought tolerant. Needless to,say they are still Ian’s favourite plants in the garden.

Whilst I spent time in the garden it wasn’t all about the plants. It can’t be otherwise I’d drive Ian mad. There was cake of course. Lots of cake. Cake for us. Cake for the neighbours. Cake for our friends Ruth & Dave. Whenever I use this cake stand it reminds me that a lot of these things came over in a suitcase. Usually Ian’s when he travelled without me as he knew I wouldn’t risk the breakages, but he happily tells the tale of when he was past Airport security and was called back to check in. Escorted down the stairs by security he was asked to explain what was in his case. “ That” he said “is a large solid glass vase. Alongside it is solar lights for the garden.” “And that” he was asked ~ “the organic matter alongside it all”. “OH Barry’s tea bags” . They suggested next time he checked in anything like that he may want to explain at check in exactly what it was. They saw the contents as a security risk. Looking at it I can see what they mean but it’s good to know that the system works.

There was eating out. We are fortunate to have so many good restaurants locally and we visited our favourites more than once. We also had the annual art walk over the weekend ~ local artists; photographers and all very talented folk exhibiting. We came away with some great black and white prints of local people scenes from our friend Dave and some amazing cards. The prints are being framed and will be hung when we get back. The cards are a mix of cards for the dreaded C word and birthdays. If I can let them go. They are beautiful.

I’m nothing but predictable at the local restaurants. They know what I’ll order before I do. This is one of my favourite starters from the amazing Cortijo Paco. Beetroot & avacado timbale. Beautifully presented and delicious.

Lunch on the coast at El Camarote overlooking the marina is another favourite just down the mountain at Caletta de Velez.

Lunch on the beach at Chambao de Vicente
La Herrudura

It wouldn’t be a trip if we didn’t go to Nerja at least once. Or three times. Lunch overlooking the small beach and a wander through the small streets. With a visit to the bank for a small withdrawal.

It was a busy few weeks. We had a holiday within a holiday ~ a weekend trip to Cordoba to have supper with friends visiting from the Uk. The visit is worth a blog of its own and guess what. There will be one. In Competa there was the Dia del tourists y del residente where our friends NIcky and Paul received an award ~ Residente del Ano ~ from the Ayuntamiento. Nicky and Paul have three holiday rental properties in Competa ~ Competa Escapes and they work tirelessly to promote the pueblo Blanco on social media and within the community supporting the events that happen regularly. A well deserved award.

I’m hoping for a drop of rain and a topping up of the deposito before I’m back. I have a week on my own booked which will give me a chance to get a few things done in the garden. We are lucky to have help looking after the garden when we aren’t there which I’m eternally grateful for.There will be logs delivered for the winter. Chimney sorted. Some wine to be brought back to the Uk. And the inevitable watching of Netflix. But as it’s not August I will be well wrapped up with a nice fire.

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

Another tale of 3 gardens

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Area behind the house under the almond trees

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pomegranate. Pineapple guava. Euphorbia candelabrum and Quince

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

Posted on September 16, 2021September 18, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

1Year, 365 days, 52 Weeks, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, 3153600 seconds.

Well that’s a mouthful. But that’s how long it’s been since we have been in Spain. I know. We are lucky. We have got this far without being ill. Have had a garden and open spaces to go to and have spent part of the summer in the garden in Somerset. But. There is always a but. We have missed our Spanish friends. The Spanish garden. Oh. And of course the food. Ok. The weather as well.

But yes. In the words of Peter Paul & Mary we were leaving on a jet plane. Don’t know when we”ll be back again. There was some truth in that. We do have return flights. Two. With the current Government travel rules we arrive into Spain between two travel updates. So we have booked an emergency return in case Spain goes red. As I sit writing this the update we expected yesterday has not materialised. Nor has it been announced today. So the emergency flight has been cancelled and we have even more vouchers to paper our walls with. Or maybe a refund. I have lost the plot.

To be fair we have some idea of when we will be back and forth for the next 10 months. Brexit and the departure from the EU means we now have to count our days ~ not just in Spain but in any Schengen country that we visit. We need to be aware of not overstaying our welcome of 90 days in any 180. For the first time our passports were stamped by border control as we entreated Spain. I have found an app ( isn’t there one for everything) to record them.

But ~ another but. . We are back. Travel is different now with airport checks are all done on line. Forms to fill in. COVID status to upload. Spanish entry forms to be completed. I even had to tell Ian the address to put on the form. Our Spanish address. We don’t get post delivered in the Campo so we rarely have to give our address. It goes to a mail box in town So t’s easy to forget your address. Isn’t it. Our original flights cancelled. Rebooked to London City which to be fair is our airport of choice. Everyone masked and I didn’t leave my seat for 2-5 hrs. And yes. I was wearing pretty attractive flight socks. But not with shorts and sandals.

I felt a tear as we circled Malaga and landed. I had desperately wanted to come but didn’t want to travel and get caught in Spain nor did I want to quarantine in a hotel prison if Spain became red. If I’m going to spend £3k plus on a hotel for 10 days it’s going to be one of my choice and not one where I only have room service; no pool and no company other than Ian. Sorry. Ian. But we would have killed each other.

Eternal Summer. It certainly was an eternal something. But the feeling of walking through the gates was one of joy. I loved the garden the first time I saw it. But I hadn’t seen it in a year other than a few videos and photographs sent by our friends who had watered the garden and checked the house. Trust me I’ll be forever thankful for good friends and neighbours. In times of a pandemic they are invaluable.

Behind the gates the lovely curved path was welcoming. The garden had been cleared. We knew that as when we pulled up into the drive there were 4 large dumpy bags ready to be taken away. We had lost things. The lavender path had struggled for the last two years. I had replanted it but still it struggled. So most of the lavender had gone. The gaura cut back or three feet tall. It was either one or the other. But to be honest. I was happy just to be home.

The house had been opened regularly. Aired. The bed linen taken to the laundry and was back on the bed. Clean. Ironed. There was milk and orange juice in the fridge. Bread. Cheese. Biscuits. A welcome pack from the neighbours. Have I said good neighbours are invaluable. Well I will say it again. And again. Because they are.

Slowly I started to put things out. The garden furniture. The cushions. The umbrellas. Just to make it feel like we were home fo a while. Pots moved around. Oh. And washing done. Endless washing but only during the cheap times. One other thing that has changed in the last 12 months. Electricity prices in Spain. Wholesale prices increased by something like 250%! Timers changed to the cheap periods. If you can work them out.

Many plants had fared better than others. There is very little colour at the moment. A bit of purple of the Durante repens. The scent of the white jasmine. A lilac of the ruella. But the heat has been hideous. Apparently ~ how would I know. We hadn’t been there in a year. I’m not sure if I’d mentioned it.

This is new in town and says it all and it is very true. Halfway up La Rampa where I’m still overtaken by people twice my age and who don’t need an asthma mask and a sit down when they get to the top. I’d like to say my fitness regime in the various lockdowns had given me the body of a Greek god. Sorry. It’s more like an Indian Buddha. There’s always next year.

This was one of the first views we saw on Plaza Almijara four and a half years ago. It was an omen. This was the welcome sight on our return as we sat at Casa Paco eating chuletas and chocolate mousse. Not together obviously. But an old favourite. Being told off in the restaurant to speak Spanish. The thing is being away has meant my Spanish has stalled. Well to be honest it’s gone into reverse whilst Ian’s progressed hugely. But it was right. I must get back to at least trying to put a sentence together. Even if I make mistakes.

Another thing I’ve missed. Sunsets. The view from the terrace as the sun goes down is a treat. At this time of the year they can be spectacular. But so can the mists. But I will never tire of the sunsets.

We have ventured out to eat. A lot to be honest. We have eaten out more in the first week than we have probably eaten in the last 6 months. Not surprising really when a lot of restaurants in the UK have been closed for months and are now struggling to get staff. Chefs are as rare as hens teeth at the moment. Maybe I’ll restrain. Maybe I won’t. Have I mentioned I retired. Early. One month short of 6 years ago. Not even lockdown made me want to return.

‘ Why are we stopping here’ says Ian. So I can take a photo. “How many more photos do you need from the same spot” He replied. .I haven’t taken one from here in over a year” So I can. The view of the pueblo Blanco taken from the viewing point on our way home from a night out. That sounds more exciting and later than it is. We’d been out to eat. But the food as ever was fab it may have been at El Pilon. At Cortijo Paco. At Casa Paco. We have been to them all.

The wearing of masks is still a thing here. Much more evident than back in the UK. In shops. In restaurants. People of all ages. To be honest I’m happy to continue to wear a mask indefinetly. ~ at least no one can see me sighing oh no. Not again. Or swearing. Or pulling faces. My worry is that I’ll forget when I’m not wearing one and get caught out. Like last week when

I was wittering on about some nonsense or other and Ian was thinking to himself ‘FFS shut up’ except he wasn’t. He actually said it out loud and was then horrified. It was hilarious. To be fair ~ I would have told me too.

It’s been great to see friends. Visit our favourite restaurants. Our favourite shops. To be welcomed back. Some things haven’t changed. The warm welcome. The great food. The wiggly and windy roads. The mozzies. . Gawd they are truly awful this year. You could draw pictures on the dot to dots on my legs after the first day.

We have been lucky having the house checked whilst we have been absent. A few things to do. Bulbs replaced around the pool. A few bulbs gone indoors. On the mention that I had to get new bulbs Ian’s reply was ‘ we have only been here 5 minutes and your on about ordering bulbs’ Wrong type Ian. Light bulbs~ but thanks for the reminder. That’s now on my list.

The hedge needs a cut. A job I gave decided to retire from as it’s a job I hate. It’s not an easy cut. Ok from one side but not great from the other. The cutting has been arranged as has the clearing of the roundabout that’s not a roundabout as well as the bank behind the house. There have been significant fires in Andalusia this last week which have spread far and wide and have lasted for days. . The summer has been dry and it is a worry when there is dry ground around the house which has two years growth.

But now we are on holiday. Yes. A holiday. I can hear you say but you’ve gone to Spain on holiday. For the last 10 days we have been sorting out a 12 month abcence. We have been washing clothes and linens. Sorting out the clothes cupboards. Dusting. Gardening. Rearranging pots. Ian had said that our trips should also include trips out of Competa ~ there is so much to see and explore. Spain has so many possibilities. This time It’s a three day trip to the Granada province. Just an hour and a half away to stay in Moclin a small town even higher in altitude than Competa. More windy and wiggly roads to conquer. Plenty more photo opportunities.

Next week is busy. Grabbing coffee with Niki & Paul from Competa Escapes They have two , soon to be three ( one in renovation) gorgeous rental properties in Competa. Have a look if you plan a visit to Andalucia. Supper with Sergio & Juanco from SF Properties who sold us la Casa. A well needed visit to see Ruth at Happy Feet Can you guess why.? These poor old trotters haven’t been sorted in a year. I need Ruth to work her magic. Lunch with friends who arrive on Monday. Add to that the work I still need to do in the garden it will be a busy old week. Oh. I forgot. I need to go and see Lorraine at https://www.viverosflorena.com You can never have too many plants.

Feet not authors own – from a Hobbit in New Zealand !

Then it’s a flight back to Blighty. To have our passport stamped on leaving. To enter the days in or Schengen calculator and count the days to our next visit. No Peter Paul & Mary here. I do know when I’ll be back again. I can tell you. It’s 21 days. If you are really interested I can tell you up to July 2022. Give or take a few weeks.

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

A Tale of 3 Gardens. Spain

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

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

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

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

Poo crew & dream team

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

Ian and I traveled to Spain in March 2017.

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

Competa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The drive

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

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

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

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

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

The garden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photographs from previous owners

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The roundabout that’s not a roundabout

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

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

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

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

A Tale of 3 gardens ~ London.

A tale of Three Gardens ~ part 1

Links to parts 1 ~ Somerset and Part 2 London.

Posted on September 5, 2020September 6, 2020 by happyretiredblog · 7 Comments

8 Weeks later

I can’t quite believe it’s been eight weeks since I arrived in Spain. After six months of being away from the Pueblo Blanco and the garden. When we bought La Casa we said we wouldn’t be here in August because of the heat, we did in 2017 as friends wanted to come and visit. 2017 was fine. 2020 was not. I like the sun. I like the heat. But to be honest there is heat and there’s heat. This year also meant that every time I stepped out of the gate on went a face mask. In extreme heat. Some people may look good. Hot. Sweaty. Posed. Me. Well I don’t look good at all. Try walking up la Rampa in late 30* heat. If I looked any way decent at the bottom ( of the Rampa ) I sure didn’t at the top.

But 2020,is no normal year. I arrived on an air bridge which two weeks later was taken away. There is no certainty in travelling this year at all.

It’s been a funny eight weeks. Five of them on my own until Ian arrived although there was,morning coffee and supper with the neighbours and supper in town with friends. I was there to garden ~ but try gardening in that heat. Watering at midnight or at 6am in the dark, trust me it’s not easy. When we moved in there were pick axes lined up in the garage. I thought. Hi ho hi oh it’s off to work we go. I now know why they are there. Outside the rainy period which is brief but often pretty heavy the ground is as dry and as hard as cement! Planting is nigh impossible. And you know when you read ” drought tolerant ” but really your looking for desert plants. This year well it’s been that.

I read my book constantly these days before buying anything. And take advice from the author who owns the garden centre just outside town. Back in February I bought a Colocasia mojito just as I was leaving. I asked if she would keep it in the poly tunnel until I was back in a month after returning from Mexico. She kindly agreed. Six months later it was delivered! She’d looked after it for us.

It wasn’t all sunning myself. Topping up my tan. It was none of that. Afternoons in an air conditioned room watching Netflix. With an occasional 15 minutes into the garden and then back inside. To lie down in a cold room. And I’m not joking. But I did manage to fill a skip. We had had the jacaranda cut back in March and the cuttings and branches had been left in the drive. There was an idea of cutting them up for the wood burner. That idea soon went out of the window. It was hard enough filing the skip before 8am and after 10pm. I wasn’t going to cut up wood as well.

Before anyone tells me. I know I shouldn’t have cut things back in that heat. But nothing had been cut in 6 months. Salvia were leggy ( I didn’t cut them). The gaura were leggy. ( they had been cut ) partly by someone who had been going in once a week to check the plants. But the Australian wisteria had gone bonkers and needed to be cut back from the gate. Some of the oleander were not only running away with themselves but with everything else. The yellow jasmine on the drive had gone bonkers. So I pruned. A little. ( lies. It was. A lot) on the basis that when I return to the UK who knows when I will be back.

Things needed repotting. The two ferns in front of the garage were by the pool. They had grown so large one had broken its pot so we had to re pot them. We bought the new pots ~ and I remembered not to ask the stupid question I asked in year 1. ” Are they frost feee”. But of course they were too big to go by the pool so 2.5/bags of compost each and they were placed in front of the garage. I don’t know why but the ferns gave f bonkers this Spring and Summer.

Having tidied the garage and kitchen beds and tidied the path it’s good for another few months.

I’ve had to remove one or two of the giant leaves off the Strelitzia Nicolai as you risked being smacked in the face as you came into the garden. I removed probably ten yucca shoots to give a bit more air and light from near to the gate and planted a few more gaura which have become my favourite plant this year. Inspired by a friends garden in Essex who has a gorgeous path planted with gaura I decided to plant some mixed with lavender along this path. The lavender was great for the first two summers but I replaced most of it as it had become too woody. Some has been fine. Some hasn’t. But the gaura has been gorgeous. Like little white butterflies hovering.

Gorgeous gaura

White gaura on the path. Red in the beds. Hopefully I will be able to cut them back properly and at the right time to get an even better display next year.

I’d waited nearly 6 weeks for the flowers of the Salvia oxyphora to appear. The plant needed to have been cut back a bit but it was too late to do it this year. So the plant is tall and leggy ~ unlike me ~ but it was worth the wait for the lovely flowers.

The oleander has gone over earlier this year. There is still some flower about but a number of the plants have already started to form their magnificent seed pods. Long and thin they open up,as they ripen with fabulous furry seeds inside. I have cut a number of them off before they throw their seeds around the garden. Oh and thanks to everyone that reminded me. All parts of the oleander are poisonous. But then again so are so many of the plants in this garden.

We have some pretty large agave on the roundabout that’s not a roundabout. I don’t want them to flower as soon as they do the large plant dies and I’m happy to look at other peoples plants flowering! These are spiteful devils. I’m sure they move when you are near and spike you given the chance.

We seems to have been lucky this year. No nasty little processionary caterpillars on the three pine trees on the bank. They really are nasty little blighters and we get someone in to remove them as soon as we see the tell tale white nests in the trees. Dangerous to young children and to dogs. The caterpillars. Not the people we get in.

The garden still has some colour and interests which is surprising as it’s been so hot for so long and without rain. The flowers of the. Have returned. The gorgeous leaves of the nispero or loquat are standing high. The black aeonium is looking good but let’s not linger ba on the one dahlia flower. The smallest dahlia I have ever seen. Come late September and October the garden will get its second wind. The osteospermum will be back in flower as will the salvias.

There has been fruit. As well as the almonds. I haven’t picked the almonds this year. I didn’t want to venture into the area where we have them as it had not been strimmed and the dried grass and wildflowers are scratchy and itchy. Call me what you like.

But to be fair I have last years and the years before In the cupboard. We have grapes which have been picked. All 3 kilos and frozen. Who freezes grapes? Me. So I can make grape and rosemary jelly when I have time. It works. Back in February I picked the windfall lemons from next door ( with permission as Laura will read this) and sliced and juiced them for the freezer.

Waste not want not. This year I made more limoncello. That too is in the freezer. Along with the juice in ice cube bags! The figs were poor again. Well I suspect they’ve been and gone but there were a few. The pineapple guava is just getting the fruit. I don’t mind missing them. They are ok. Ish. But a friend described them as tasting like germolene. I think that’s a bit harsh. But as I hate the smell of gerolene and TCP I try and avoid both.

Now I know I have moaned about the heat and to be fair I went down the mountain only once when I was on my own. Not because I was scared but because it was too hot and I was too lazy. But when Ian arrived he was more encouraging about getting out and about. As long as I was driving.

Twenty minutes drive down the mountain is Caleta de Vélez a marina and the main fishing port for the Malaga region. We usually eat at El Camarote with views over the marina and fabulous fish. Then a walk along the promenade toward Algarrobo. I love watching the fisherman lay out the nets and sew them to repair any breaks.

Oh. And the food is delicious.

Caleta de Vélez

One of the other places we usually take a drive to is down the other road. We have the windey and wiggly. People have their favourites. But we always head to Nerja. For a walk along the Balcón de Europe. I was surprised just how quiet it was this year. I know that we are in the middle of a pandemic but it’s did take me back. The little beach with the old fisherman’s cottage on the beach itself was being monitored. One person off. One person on. That’s social distancing etiquette for you.

No visit would be the same without eating out either in the plaza Almijara which I did numerous times at my favourite Casa Paco. Where my dietary requirements are well known. Where the fabulous staff can order direct for me.

Or to El PIlon to see my friends Dani & Loli.

Masks. Let’s talk masks. In Spain it was second nature. Leave the house. Teeth. Keys. Wallet. Mask. To be worn outside the house ( not in the garden obviously);whenever you went out. In the car if you were travelling with another household. In the shops. In the streets. And everyone complied. You rarely saw anyone that didn’t.

So we have made the best of our visit. The thought of quarantine doesn’t fill me with joy. But rules are rules and we will comply. 14 days is a small price to pay for 8 weeks in paradise.

Who knows when we will return.

Posted on September 9, 2019 by happyretiredblog

Hello again Hello Spain

We are back in Spain after a gap of 6 weeks. The longest I have been away in the last 2.5 years since we bought Casa Verano Eternno, We had decided that the month of August was too hot for both of us and that we would be better off in the UK. Which turned out to be baking hot. But still not as hot as Spain.

Still, we are back now and the weather. Well its a bit like a summer in the UK. A normal one, not one like we have just had. I went into town this morning in cloud. Arrived back home an hour later to bright blue sky. Drove to the coast hot hot hot. Back home to a thunderstorm and some rain. Not enough so I don’t have to water this evening. but enough to bring in the cushions.

Back to the garden. I set the irrigation system to come on whilst I was away. Being paranoid about the water bill and being tight I set it for every other day I also asked a neighbour to come in and water during the week to give the garden a good old soak the old fashioned way. With a hose.

Overall its not too bad. There have been one or two casualties alonmg the way but none that I can’t deal with. Some lavender along the lavender path have died. Why I don’t know when they are in the middle of the path and all those around them have done ok.

There is still some colour which at this time of the year is a minor miracle. The summer has been long. Dry. And very hot.

At the back of the house is a steep bank. I rarely go up there unless I absolutely have to. It’s steep and it’s not that the bank is unstable. It’s me. I have rolled down once or twice and it’s not a pretty sight. For you or for me. So I don’t attempt to do anything on there. But at the base is a lovely bed – although I can’t call it a flower bed as such as its not just flowers. There are succulents. A foxtail agave which is growing nicely. Some other agave. Rosemary. The dreaded fennel.

The lantana is a plant that keeps on giving. This has been in flower on and off for ages and has both flowers and berries. They come in some great colours and the red and yellow is known as Spanish flag. This is rather subdued but is right for this bed.

Alongside it as well as the succulents there is Rosemary which as you would expect in a meditteranean garden and it does pretty well This one has some lovely little flowers at the moment and is a welcome bit of colour in the border. Plus there is plenty if there are any grapes left for me to make some grape and rosemary jelly.

I love seeing these grow outside. We had a plant when I was growing up. Indoors of course. Both the plant and me. In another bed is a Swiss. Geese plant. I’m not keen but it’s growing well albeit slowly. So for now it stays.

When we were back in the UK we had a number of trips to gardens. Both private and public gardens. At Ulting Wick I was taken with the path lined with gaura. The gorgeous flowers at the end of the long tall stalks dancing away. It was stunning and something I would like to do one day. In the meantime we have some pink dotted around the garden. I need to find some white ones.

it’s goodbye agapanthus. I can hear the sigh of relief on social media. Hurrah. Maybe now he will stop bleating in about Agapanthus. Your right. I will. For now. There will be more. I bought ten at the end of season sale at the garden centre here. They close for the month of August and have a pre closing sale. It was agapanthus heaven for me. They are all in pots dotted about the garden and will be planted when we have the rains. Hopefully we will have rain in October or a November and I will be able to plant. Without a pick axe. I joke not.

I thought all was lost with my colocasia mojito. It had died right back. So I sulked and refused to dig it up. Until I saw that I had one leaf appearing. I replanted in a pot not hoping for much and on my return hey ho. It’s growing really well. Needs a repot into a larger permanent pot. But that will be my Autumn task.

I love these colocasia. I bought two black magic. One I potted and it’s grown really large. Big leaves. But they aren’t as black as I had hoped but I think that’s because they are griping bleached in the intense sun on the terrace. I need to find somewhere more shaded. Shame as I like it where it is. The other I lost. Yep. Lost. I couldn’t find it anywhere. It was to go into a pot. I knew the pot. Not personally. But I knew which pot it was going to be planted in. I gave up. Planted something else in that pot.

Today I have found the lost colocasia. I must have dropped it. Because it is growing under the jacaranda tree. Only two, lives but it’s growing. I am leaving it there for now and will dig it up and plant it in a pot. When I buy another.

This always amazes me. It’s sesbania punicea . Whilst there is only one flower on the straggly tree like plant there are a lot of seed heads. It self seeds but in the past I have dug them up not realising what they are.

This year I am nurturing some as I’d like some more plants around the garden. The flowers are glorious and the seed pods really interesting. The plant is straggly and the lower part unattractive. But these pea like flowers are lovely.

We had the almond trees pruned this year. The first time since we have been here. I had no idea what to do so I found a man that did. And he did know. A good prune and a fantastic flowering season later we have almonds. A lot of almonds. I thought we may have been a bit late in picking them but there will still a lot in the tree. Some had already fallen. So we picked a lot. Now to decide what to do. I have had a number of suggestions. But the biggest problem is cracking the blighters. A recommendation from an insta friend. Don’t be a cheapskate when buying but crackers. Buy cheap buy twice. Or three times. I agree. I bought cheap last year and gave up.

I’ve come to realise late to the party with the fruit and nut and olive crops. One good year. One bad year. Last year was a dire year for the olives and the quince. We had one quince on the tree last year. This there are at least 20. So it looks like I will be making quince jelly and may try my hand at membrillo. To go with the fabulous spanish cheeses.

Not being here all the time means that some fruit ripens and is gone by the time you get back. Like the figs. There are 4 on the tree. That’s breakfast sorted for the next few days. Not just a fig. But to add to breakfast.

So we have had a good collection of goodies to pick and eat. The almonds, the grapes,the chumbos and the olives.

The chumbos are the fruit of the prickly pear. Prickly they sure are. Get one of those needles in your finger and you know it. You also spend the next few hours trying to get it out. Apparently they are short in supply. The prickly pears around here are decimated by the cochineal fly. I have been spraying mine regularly and have two decent ones in the garden. Makes me feel special. We have them. But I’m not going to eat them. They will be re homed.

The olives won’t be picked until they are black and then will be salted. I did it once before and they were delicious. A recipe given to me by a friend who has a b& B in Portugal.

They tasted great and that’s from someone who’s not a lover of olives.

There are seed heads and pods coming all around the garden. . The sesbania. The jacaranda and the seed heads of caesalpinja gilliesi. Oh. And an unknown wildflower. The name escapes me.

There is a lot to do. I have taken the plunge in pruning the lavender. It looks pretty awful now but it will get better. Won’t it? It was planted a year ago and looked fabulous during the summer. Gorgeous lavender flowers with an amazing array of bees and pollinating insects. Oh. And it smelled heavenly as you brushed past on your way up the path. Dodging the bees of course.

So it continues. I have a lot of clearing to do. The olive tree makes a mess with its dropping leaves. The grapes drop. Their leaves drop. The agapanthus – oops. Another mention need a tidy. Some people leave the seed heads. I did last year and we have a lot self seed. This year I’m cutting them back. It’s a choice against tidy and untidy. This year I’m doing tidy.

One more thing that’s left to do. Order my Autumn planting bulbs. I have grown freesias in this garden for the last two years. They have been a huge success. Ordered and delivered to Spain by Peter Nyssen they have been tall. Strong stems and a fabulous scent. They need a bit of staking which along with labelling is a weakness of mine. But I’m going to have to. I want more.

We have rain forecast for Friday. That’s a bulb website day!

Posted on June 29, 2019June 29, 2019 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

Six on Saturday -Spain again

Back in Spain for six on Saturday. Next week hopefully there will be something to photograph in London.

I love the flowers of the pomegranate. It’s a shame that I think this is an ornamental. We get flowers but no fruit. But the flowers are worth having alone. Such a lovely colour.

I bought a colocasia mojito last autumn and it saw its way through until very recently. I also bought a colocasia black magic which I have grown in a pot. The leaves are a gorgeous dark colour and big. I’ve had to move it out of the full sun as it was bleaching the leaves. Since it’s had a bit of shade the leaves are darker. It’s a fabulous plant.

Dietes grandifolrum – fairy iris. There are always one or two flowers on this plant and it looks great alongside the lavender hedge.

I liked it so much I went out and bought two more. As you do.

We saw this alocasia hidden at our local garden centre in Spain and asked if it was for sale. It was and we brought it home and planted it in a larger pot for the terrace. It’s doing really well. Lots of new leaves. And the others are getting bigger by the day.

I had never seen Dianella before buying the plant. Flowers are pretty insignificant but the berries are interesting. Turning a deep blue – I like the berries more than the flowers.

Society garlic – Tulbaghia violacea Again in a pot on the terrace. Said to ward off mosquitos. I’m not so sure about that but they are very pretty flowers and in this heat you sure can smell the garlic leaves.