planting – Page 4 – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on November 6, 2018December 30, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

The beginnings of Autumn España

Last year we had little or no rain right through Autumn and most of Winter. Until the heavens opened in March. Boy did it rain. But it filled the reservoirs.

We are still in October as I start to write this and the heavens have opened already. For more days than I’d like. Yes. We need rain. For the garden. For the reservoirs. To enable me to plant. Which I have. A lot. But give us a break. It’s been running down the streets. Towns have been flooded. Oh. So has Venice!

At least the garden looks lush and green. There’s a second flush of some of the flowers. Everything smells fresh and lovely. The birds are singing. So am I. But badly.

After a log hot summer and a dry one it’s wonderful to see the colours again. It’s amazing how quickly things recover.

I think that I may need to fleece the banana. Just in case. Usually we don’t get a frost even though we are 650m above sea level. What’s a bigger problem is the wind. It shreds the huge leaves of the strelitzia – but they are huge.

When we first saw the house I loved the lavender path. A curved path leading from the gate to the house and the terrace. The scent and the buzz of the bees sold me the house. Literally. Ian said ‘ you don’t even need to see the house do you?’ You know what. He was pretty much right. But the lavender was a bit woody in parts and I decided to replant at some stage and nearly 18 months later it’s done. 28 new lavender plants. Ordered. Delivered and planted.

The planting along the path

The replanted lavender path

As I was having the plants, compost and some feed delivered I was tempted to buy a decent sized cyclad. So I did. Convinced myself that it could form part of Ian’s birthday present. So it’s planted. I didn’t make the silly mistake I made when we first bought the house and ask if the pot was frost proof!

There continues to be colour dotted around the garden with the Lantana which there are three different colours. This one I hacked back as it was ‘if it grows it grows’ If not it’s goodbye. It’s grown.

The nispero /loquat is in flower. I thought it was early but I checked with last years photos and it’s roughly a similar time. Nispero are a bit of a messy fruit. Doesn’t travel or store well and this years crop was pretty rubbish.

This has been my favourite flower this year. By far. I’d almost given up as they started to flower as I left for two weeks. But they were still flowering when I arrived back and continued through the next three weeks. I suspect they will be over when I get back.

I’m going to order more. The only downside is that the flowers hang down and you don’t easily see the flowers beauty. But boy are they beautiful.

The border on the bank

I love this border. It’s at the base of the steep slope and is a real mix. Rosemary sits with bottle brush and lantana. With succulents my favourite agave. The foxtail agave. The rosemary is getting woody. Maybe time for replanting but not just yet.

I bought 10 new agapanthus in the sale at the end of July and have finally planted them. Five in pots to go along the white wall of la Casa. The other five – the white ones planted in a border. I’ll add some alliums to that border. Which reminds me to put it on my list. Bulb planting. Now we have had copious amounts of rain the ground is more workable. Plus we are having some top soil delivered this week. The soil is thin in parts. And poor. I’d like to be thin in parts too. Butbulb planting isn’t my favourite thing to do.

I have been staggered at the number of flower spikes the potted strelitzia has given us. It continues with the Autumn flush. There are another 4 spikes growing which will keep us with flowers until beyond Xmas. The ones planted in the garden don’t do so well. There are flower spikes but not as prolific as this one. I have replanted two into a pot. Let’s see how they perform.

I just wish the black/blue and white strelitzia Nicolai would have a second coming. I’ve been told to divide the two we have in the garden. I’m a bit nervous of doing that. I also need to see where they can be planted if I do.

These seed heads are gorgeous. But the tree is massive and will feature in the pruning exercise to be undertaken in January 2019. It May mean less flowers in 2019 but needs must. It’s just too tall next to the house.

Pineapple guava fruit

The pineapple guava are getting bigger. Will be some to eat when I return. I’ll let you know if I still like them.

Yes. It’s a citrus. A lemon. Citrus Buddha’s hand. Pretty rubbish for the kitchen if you want juice. As there isn’t any. No pulp either. But a fragrant fruit – a lavender scent with a lemon taste, the pith is used for cooking for drinks and the white pith isn’t bitter. So you can just cut off the fingers and use them in salads. That’s a whole new take on finger food.

A present for us from a friend who was staying for the week. A bit of a talking point already. Not her staying but the plant as you walk into the garden.

I only went into the garden centre to pick up a couple more lavender to fill in some gaps. Lucky for me there had been a delivery of plants. Come and have a look at what we have says Lorraine Cavannagh the owner. So I did. Delivery no 2 then.

This Colocasia ‘mojito’ was sat there. Waving it’s big silky leaves at me. So I had to. Didn’t I? It’s a beaut and I had the perfect place for it.

Colocasia ‘Mojito’

Busy bee

So I return this week after two weeks in London. There has been rain. Sun. Rain. Colder days and nights. More sun. So it will be interesting to see how the garden has fared.

Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll tell you!

Posted on October 27, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Six on Saturday. Espana

A new purchase. Citron Buddhas hand. A spooky little lemon! No pulp. No juice. Seedless. But a very fragrant pith. The white pith isn’t bitter so you can just cut it and use it in drinks. Salads. And is traditionally used for candied peel. Smells of violets. Tastes of lemons.

With a little bit of rain – well a huge amount there is a second flush of flowers in the garden. The Salvia Leucantha is Hibiscus moscheutis flowering again and is a lovely colour. Looks a bit like a caterpillar. Even better with a bee on it.

I couldn’t resist this at the garden centre this week. Colocasia Mojito elephants ears. The leaves are fantastic. And feel a bit silky. I have found a place in the garden for it already.

The pineapple guava are getting bigger. Will be ready to eat next month. A good crop on two small trees.

The changing colours of the the Hibiscus moscheutis. The flowers were huge this summer. The leaves slowly falling.

A new addition to the garden. A new cycad. A bit prickly to pot. Slow growing but a great architectural plant.

Posted on August 2, 2018April 26, 2020 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Somerset – Weeds and a Piet Oudolf garden.

Well. I’m not here or there. But I’m Back in Somerset. But do you know what? It would have been quicker to fly to Spain. I thought travelling on a Monday mid morning would be fine. Massive fail. Getting out of London was bad enough. Not finding a parking space at Fleet Services for a comfort stop disturbing. The final irritant. Stonehenge. 40 minutes to get from the roundabout past the Tourist attraction. Yes. I was in awe of it when I first started driving past it 26 years ago. Twice a week. But even the sight of ancient monuments can wear thin. Trust me. Sitting in that queue knowing everyone will slow down to look. Take photos. Is irritating. I have been one of those people. But not now. Thankfully a toilet stop at Common farm with tea and cake was possible 15 minutes before home. Oh. A toilet stop and then tea and cake. In case you were wondering.

Top tip. Don’t neglect a garden for three months when there has been rain. Heatwave. Rain. Sun. It’s no joke. It’s an embarrassment. My national collections of both ground elder and bindweed are magnificent. Truly magnificent. Why can’t weeds be like flowers. Struggle a bit now and then. Get eaten by snails. Slugs. I took one look and sat down.

I had to make a start. And make a start I did. I was thankful for the rain on Monday as it meant weeding was a little easier. My idea was to weed. Pile it up and let it dry a bit so it would fit better into the dumpy bags to take to the dump. There is too much for the compost heap and another long story about our compost heap and bonfires. I won’t bore you with that one. So plan A. Weed. Dry. Bag. Ian arrives on Thursday evening and he will need something to do I thought. So the garden has lots of small piles of weeds and stuff.

I then get an email on Tuesday late am. There is a viewing booked for weds. So that made plan A inoperable. So plan B. Go to the Walled garden at Mells for lunch to contemplate Plan C. Which I did. Are you keeping up?

So Plan C. Tidy the area closest to the house. Take bags to the dump. Shower. At home. Not the dump. Get out of house and find something to do for Wednesday morning. Which I did and more of later.

The garden wasn’t all bad. There were still some flashes of loveliness. Hidden largely under bindweed but once removed were in good enough shape for the odd photo or two. I’m showing you these now as the ones I took later and not in our garden are colourful and plentiful. You’ll get there soon enough. Trust me.

We didn’t prune the apples and plum trees last year. Yes Sarah Venn. It was two years ago we did the apples with you cracking the whip. Time flies. There has been tremendous growth spurts this year on them all. The plums will need a bit of a severe prune. The apples a bit of shaping and thinning. Yes. I know that there are different timings for them.

No matter how ripe they are I guarantee Ian will pick these apples this weekend.

We have grapes. Chateau Pitcombe. Not very sweet and quite small but they will make a fair bit of grape and rosemary jelly. Tasty on lamb. Or with cheese. I made it two years ago and it was pretty delicious.

So where could I escape to on Wednesday. With my camera. To be fair it wasn’t a hard decision for me at this time of the year. For two reasons. It had both gardens and an exhibition. Yes. Hauser & Wirth Somerset. Less than a 10 minute drive from the cottage. Unless you get stuck behind a tractor. A new exhibition and the garden in a mix of full colour and the start ~ earlyish of the faded glory of some of the plants. I like the garden at this time of the year. And in Autumn. To be honest, In previous years it hasn’t done anything for me in winter or Spring. But I’ve seen the Piet Oudolf movie – 5 seasons. Which is wonderful. If you haven’t you should. It may have been that the man himself was sat behind me at the screening ( though it took Ian to tell me) but it’s a fascinating insight to the gardens of Piet Oudolf.

You’ll need sunglasses for the colours in the flower beds at this time of year. Four years on from the original planting the beds are full to bursting. The colours always amaze me and the planting is intense.

If this is what drought tolerant is, then in Spain I’m making some mistakes. None of the photographs have filters except the selfie obviously. You wouldn’t want to see me non air brushed. Trust me. Even I don’t like looking at unedited pictures of me. I’ve done nothing with the colours in the plant photographs. They are as I have taken them. Snap happy.

The colour is amazing. An artists palette. If I have one criticism. I’d have loved to have had an opening in the Radic pavilion looking down the garden where you could view the planting from above. It would have given a great perspective on the colours and the planting if you were able to see into the centre of the beds. And the scale of the meadow.

Now is a great time to see the planting. Some are already starting to go over. But I’m staggered at how well everything is holding up. The ground around this bit of Bruton is heavy clay. You can see the cracks in the garden as you walk through. It’s so dry.

The Radic pavilion was originally in London at the Serpentine Gallery and is a pretty futuristic. Sitting at the edge of the Oudolf meadow it is a striking standout piece from whatever angle you view it. But …….. It would have been good to have that viewing spot. Just for pictures! More pictures. But it’s a piece of art in itself and you wouldn’t cut a piece out just to satisfy the whims of one taking photographs. Would you?

I could go on and on. And add more and more pictures. I was a happy snapper but I won’t. Except for the bee. To bee or not to bee. Interesting to see what plants were the attractors for the bees. What I didn’t see was an abundance of butterflies. Bees yes. Butterflies no.

So it’s back to my garden tomorrow. Another day in Paradise. Amongst the weeds. Dreaming of the colours of an Oudolf garden. A large meadow with a pavilion at the end. Dream on Andrew and buy another lottery ticket.

Posted on July 29, 2018July 29, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Summer in the City

Back in London. It’s July and we decided that we would probably not spend too much time in Spain in July and August because it’s too hot. That we would spend time in the Uk for those months. So I headed back leaving the heat behind me. For three weeks of decent temperatures. Not the high 30’s of the Pueblo Blanco. Right. How wrong I was? I did leave the high 30’s with air con to be replaced by …… London in the high 30’s. No air con in the house. On the train. On the tube. Sweltering heat. Am I glad I’m heading back for two weeks in August? At least even if it’s in the 40’s I will have aircon. Wine. And a pool.

Flying into London City airport it was clear just how dry and parched the countryside was. From the air it looked pretty dramatic. On the ground you realise it is.

It’s quite shocking when seeing it from above. Swathes of brown areas where they would and should have been grass. Although a drop of rain works wonders and grass recovers quickly if and when we get it.

I’ve hardly caught my breath this week. But it’s been a scorcher. Do you know what? There’s only so many times you can go into Iceland. With the sheer intent of standing over or in front of the freezers. I’ve been in and out of there all week. I’m so glad the weather has changed ~ my freezer is full.

I admit. At first I was worried. Then I was petrified. Had Ian watered the garden? I knew he would have. But he’s not a gardener. He would have watered. But not like a gardener waters. But I was surprised. Very surprised. The garden was looking good.

The pots were doing well despite the intense heat. So hot that life in the UK stops. Stations close, rail lines melt. The buses were hotter than would be allowed for transporting animals. I’m sure if you’d tried you could have fried an egg on my solar panel ( bald spot) when I travelled on the no 12 bus. But I didn’t try. I didn’t want egg on my face Did I?

I thought my canna were dead following the visit of the beast of the east. But they weren’t. And they aren’t. A beautiful yellow flower on one. Another one starting to bud and a red one with glorious big fat leaves. Patience is a virtue. Not one of my stronger points. Next year I’ll label.

It wouldn’t be me without a bit of agapanthus now would it. They are still blooming lovely with some still yet to open. A great mix of blue and white I need to look out for some dark blue/black to add to what I already have.

I hadn’t seen these before but they have done really well in a pot in the front garden. Once they have gone over the seed heads are a bit like dandelion heads. They have flowered for ages and I have bought a red one to add a bit more colour. We bought them at The Nunhead Gardener and I’ve checked the label. Garvinea ~ the garden Gerbera. I will plant more next year as they have done so well.

The window boxes have done really well despite the intense heat. I had planted them with just lavender as I knew I would be away a lot this year. I hadn’t expected the heatwave though. They have delivered and have been a great success. I love lavender but in Spain it’s struggling. I suspect it’s too much water rather than not enough. I will be replacing the lavender path in the autumn. With another lavender path.

Salvia Amistad has always done well both here in London and in the garden in Somerset. But again the beast from the east was cruel and I thought I’d lost it in London. One survived and is now reaching for the Sky with a lot of flowers to come. A great filler in the garden along with Salvia hot lips and Salvia love and wishes.

The tree ferns and banana are all doing well. It’s been a pain with watering every day. All the plants are in pots. They dry quite quickly especially in this heat. A bit like me really.

Back just a day and we were off to visit a garden open in SE London. I’d been following the owners of the garden and their story on Instagram for a while and was really pleased to be home and able to support them on their open day. It’s a fabulous garden. Small. Beautifully planted. Tree ferns; bamboo, oleander, fatsia, canna and the front garden is a riot of colour. I had seen pictures but trust me. It’s stunning. They will be opening for NGS next year.

I fell in love with the garden wood burner ~ and the log store which I looked up when I got him ~ Vesta Stoves. Both Ian and I are not fans of hot tubs but there was a wooden one almost hidden in the corner surrounded by some great planting, it may have just changed both our minds. The guys had posted on SM earlier this year that they were worried about their tree ferns. But they were looking great.

You couldn’t miss the house when approaching it. The front garden was a riot of colour. An absolute firework. A great wooden pathway leading up to the house with the garden full of bees and butterflies. The Dahlias were great. I really miss growing Dahlias. I suspect my Somerset ones will have failed.

Added to the gorgeous garden they had printed a comprehensive plant list to take away. Their garden is featured in Modern Gardens Magazine this month. A 4 page spread. I’m off to buy one later. Well done Alex and Joe.

It was a pleasure meeting Alex and Joe – not only is the garden fantastic but So are they. You can find them on instagram as The_Gardening_Guys and on twitter as @Gardening_Guys – go check them out you won’t be disappointed. The Gardening Guys

Not to sit still for long for fear of missing something – the following day I went off to meet a friend from up North who was in London for the weekend. Kings Cross St Pancras. Oh my what a change. What a redevelopment. Cafes. Bars. Apartments. But also some amazing open spaces dotted around the estate. A wander along the Regents canal expecting to see Mr Higgledy and his flowery narrow boat coming around the corner. ( reminder biennial seeds to be ordered)

Some great planting and glorious colours in the open spaces. All well used with seating areas for friends to sit and catch up. The plants mg areas were really well kept and tended

When I moved to London three decades ago the area was known for colour. Usually red. But the transformation is amazing.

It’s great to see planting complimenting the hard landscape of the redevelopment. It’s a great open space and one I only scratched the surface. I will be back for another wander when the sun is not so hot.

The final wander the week was into the city of London. We were having lunch with an old friend who we hadn’t seen in a very long time and I needed to do a check of where we could meet.

My walk took me last St Paul’s Cathedral and towards Leadenhall market. At the rear of St Paul’s is a small little green space. Another find in the city. Lovely planting. A bit of grass. Seating. But what surprised me was the planting of Rincus ~ Castor Oil plant. I’d first seen it in Jack Wallington’s garden at his and Chris”s NGS open day last year and I know that Phillipa Burroughs at Ulting Wick grows it where I hope to see it.

I want to grow it in Spain but have been a bit nervous as where I want to plant it is near the rear access road. The one near the roundabout. Which isn’t a roundabout at all.

This patch behind St Paul’s must have thousands passing by daily. Our access road has probably one or two families pass by in a month. Some months no one passes and there are no casual walkers. Those that pass are usually in a car. So why am I worried? Because all parts of the plant are poisonous. But there again so is the oleander that’s growing there. So maybe my mind is changing. If it’s good enough for London then I’m going to grow it in Spain.

It’s been a bi of a whirlwind flowery week. My tiny garden. The gorgeous garden of the_gardening _guys. Kings cross. The city of London.

But it’s not been all plants and flowers. It’s been a good week to be a tourist in London. Despite living here for 36 years I still find it exciting. Inspiring. More so now that I’m not working in the hustle and bustle. I have time to appreciate the buildings. The history. The architecture. The coffee spots. My big gripe. Try finding a loo when you need to,spend a penny. Spend a penny. It cost me ten bob in old money. 50pee. It’s all very well being told carry water with you. Drink water. But 50 blinking p! Daylight robbery.

But guess what? I’m not here for long. This week I head to Somerset to spend a week on our neglected Somerset garden and to spend a day at Common Farm as part of the dream team.

I was embarrassed recently to have two proper gardeners stay at the cottage, a garden writer whose most recent book sits on my coffee table and an award winner at the recent Belvoir garden show. They stayed on one condition ~ that they closed their eyes when in the garden.

They could use their sense of smell and sound. But please don’t tell my SM friends I’m guilty of neglect. They didn’t and were complimentary. But I know. My national collection of bindweed will need some attention.

Posted on July 28, 2018July 28, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Six on Saturday July ‘18

Six on Saturday. Back in London.

Posted on July 14, 2018July 14, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Six on Saturday – España again

I am still in Spain and the heat is searing. Earlier it was 32* in the shade. The ground is parched. Things have died back. Others are struggling. Me included. For months the locals were saying it was too cold. Unusually wet. Now it’s too hot. And they are right. I listen to the locals. Oh. And try and talk to them. My Spanish is getting better. Although there are certain words I need to watch. My Spanish teacher was laughing hysterically last week. It was a corker. No. Two.

The Stephanotis has finally opened. Just one bud so far but there are oodles and oodles to come yet. Most whilst I’m not here I suspect. But the scent is delicious. Truly delicious. No wonder it’s used in bridal bouquets.

The yellow of this hibiscus with its gorgeous red centre and beautiful stamens is in a pot on the terrace. The flowers are pretty luminous. Or. Pretty and luminous. I love the colours that these plants come in. We also have a red. In the ground. But not flowering as well. Probably as the soil is pants. I need to build it up. We know s song about that don’t we. Includes buttercups.

Durante Repens is a lovely colour in the garden. Not as showy as last year. But still pretty.

We have almonds. Not as many as last year. But there will be enough. Especially as I still have last years in the cupboard. Looks like I’ll be picking and drying them next month.

The pineapple guava is full of fruit. These are ripe when they drop off the tree. An acquired taste. One friend said they taste like germolene. Starts with a lovely flower. But I’m not convinced either with germolene. Or if I like them.

Back in the Uk I buy lemon grass to make a lovely cake. Coconut and lemon grass – a Ballymaloe cookery school recipe. Here I have this enormous ready to pick bush. How many times have I picked it? You’ve guessed. A big fat zero. Well I will tomorrow. And I’m promising myself that I will grow a pot in London.

Over and out with my six on Saturday. Next week will be a London one. If I have six things still alive when I get back.

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

Viva España

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hasta luego!

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

There and here. Here and there.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on May 12, 2018May 13, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Hola Hola

It’s been a funny old time weather wise. Not funny ha ha. But funny. Both here and there. Depending whether I am here. Or there. Or there or here. Here now is Spain where the words ‘mucho frio’ have been ringing in my eyes for weeks Because it has been. People have said it’s the worst winter and Spring in many a year. . Yes. It rained. We needed it. But the volume in such a short time. And the cold. Went on for ever. The good bit is that the reservoirs are full. And the hillsides are green. Oh And I bought flannelette duvet covers. Because. Mucho frio was a good description. It has been very cold.

So I’m back. Yep. As a friend said. Again? I am and it’s a pattern for the next few months. The hills and mountains are green. The verges are colourful. Wild flowers everywhere. Everywhere and in the back of the garden and on the roundabout. Which isn’t a roundabout.

The garden in three weeks I have been away has changed a lot. The weather has been ok. There has been sun. It’s been warm. This week positively hot. So hot the legs came out and will stay out now until November. Only in Spain though for now. Out came the gardening hat and sunscreen. I’m waiting for the return of the mozzies.

.There is an abundance of colour in the garden. And in the sky. A great ball of fire. For most of the day.

The gazania just love a bit of sun. They open as wide as they can and are gorgeous. There Are 8 flower spikes on the strelitzia – and the two that have opened look amazing. I love them.

But i was beyond excited to find that there is a flower on the black/blue/white Strelitzia. There is only one flower again this year but I’m excited.

The banksia rose is climbing the jacaranda tree and is full of flower. It looks great against the blue sky.

There’s been a bit of tidying to be done. The Vinca has been a complete pain in the posterior. It’s everywhere. Yes it looks pretty when in flower. But not when it’s strangling everything around it. I had a good clear of the bedding area at the side of the house and came across a plant I wasn’t sure about. Until I touched it. And got the smell of popcorn. There was no doubt. . This was a popcorn Senna. I have two on the bank which aren’t doing anything. This one at least had a fair bit of growth. And flower buds.

Now this plant is poisonous. Like a lot of the plants in this garden. The last time I touched a Senna didymobotrya I rubbed my eye. Yes I know. Basic school boy error. But we all do them. Don’t we? A quick visit to the pharmacy and some eye drops I was back. So I was aware of not touching it without my gloves. But I did. And my legs brushed it. So it was straight into the shower. So far. So good.

The alliums have shot up. More are on my list – the never ending list – for next year. These are from Peter Nyssen and they are loving the growing conditions here. I have dotted them all round the garden but need to be a bit more adventurous in the planting. I need to group them better next year. With a few different varieties in a great big drift of colour.. Makes note on order schedule. Right. Like I have one. Well this year I very may well do.

The white wall planter was crying out for colour. What better plant than the good old geranium. I bought pink. I gave them away. They were the wrong colour. They got lost in the planter. I needed bold. Brash. Bright. I wanted red. Now I know a lot of people don’t like them. Feel they are the staple of municipal planting. But I don’t care. It’s the right plant in the right place for me. And with a couple of permanent pelargoniums I think they look the business.

I have been cutting stuff back a fair bit. And I found a pomegranate. Yes. Found it. I didn’t know it was lost. Because I didn’t know it was there. But it was. Hidden. And. It has flowers. But will it bear fruit?. I’ll let you know. If it does. I’ll tell everybody. Because the other two don’t even look like they are going to flower and I believe that they have never fruited.

I’m assuming that these are flowers on the small palms that sit in the middle flower bed. Again I’ll keep you posted. Don’t hold your breath. I may forget especially if they aren’t photogenic.

The osteospermums get everywhere and I love this bit of randomness in the garden. Succulents and flowers.

Behind the house we have a steep bank. I’ll admit o occasionally I do climb down it. But I’m mad. You can easily slip into the transparante hedge below. There are some wonderful pines on the edge. A walk up the steep slope – the access road behind the house and you get a fantastic view through the trees to the mountains and in a clear day to the coast.

We found some nests of processionary caterpillars in the pines and had them swiftly removed and destroyed. They are lovely trees, a bit wonky. But like wonky veg there is nothing wrong with them.

I do and I don’t want the agave to flower. If it does. It does. If it doesn’t it sits there until it does. I like them. As long as they don’t get that bug that eats them from the base and they rot and die. That added to the destruction of the prickly pears from cochineal fly would be awful.

I have been out spraying the prickly pears I want to save with a water and neem oil mix. So far. So good. The prickly pears are doing ok. Me. I smell of neem oil. Maybe the cochineal fly and if I’m lucky mozzies will leave me alone too.

So it’s been a busy time in the garden. There is still loads to do. I haven’t touched the beds at the rear of the house. That’s for another week.

But I did have a chance to go and drool over my neighbours bee orchids. Which are small. Beautifully formed and gorgeous. Me. Jealous. Too right I am. I will just have to be content with the wild orchids I have in our own garden. Of which I have found another 4.

There is so much going on in the garden as things start to flower. There are flower spikes everywhere on the Aloe. The pelargoniums are in full flower. The orange blossom fills the terrace with wafts of its scent. The Viburnum opulus is heavy with flowers. This year there is an abundance of fat white globes hanging down. But the one I have been excited about is the one solitary flower on the Echium pride of Madeira. Wait till next year.

So I head back to London. But only for a week. Planning what next in the garden. Maybe. I’ll also have time to sit and enjoy it.

Posted on April 22, 2018April 15, 2020 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Tip toe through the tulips.

Yes I know it’s a Sunday Ian. And I know you haven’t had a lie in all week. But. I said I’d go to the open day for The National Garden Scheme – you know the one I missed last year. Ulting Wick

Yes. I know. It’s in Essex an hour and a half drive away. But. Trust me. It will be worth it. And there is cake. Lots of cake. 10,000 tulips. Reluctantly he agreed. Oh. I forgot to tell you. We have to leave early. It’s the London marathon so we will have to skirt the race to get across the river.

Me. I needed no encouragement. I have followed Philippa Burroughs on social media for some time. Have exchanged comments. Liked pictures. Swopped recipes. So I was in the UK at the right time and I was determined. Add to the mix that there would be a smattering of the twitterati attending it was a no brainer. I was keen to put names to faces. Find out real names rather than twitter handles.

I explained to Ian on the way. Its an 11 acre garden in a beautiful setting with amazing black tar varnishes barns. One open for teas. There are tulips. There are plants. Cake. Nice people. Oh. And it’s sunny.

We arrived. Talk of Tip toe through the tulips. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Tulips tulips everywhere. Forget daffodils. Today was the time of the tulip.

The planting is stunning. No other word. Stunning. The colour combinations are magic. I’m stealing some for next year. The combinations. Not the actual tulips.

Last week I was thinking, as I’m sure Philippa and Lou – Head Gardner Lou – @loujnicholls on Twitter – were also thinking – would the tulips be out. Would it be dry. Well. The sun was shining and it was a perfect day. The tulips were out and there were still a lot in bud. Perfect.

There’s the white garden. The pink garden. Kitchen garden. Old farm yard beds. The spring bed by the pond. The stream bed. The meadow. All beautifully planted. Colourful. And so well maintained. But not manicured. Well tended. Planted. And interesting.

Tulip varieties I’d not seen before. But will again as I will be talking to Karen at Peter Nyssen for next year. A note on the door to the magnificent listed barn mentioned that the Tulips come from Peter Nyssen. I’m a huge fan. Huge. And Karen is brilliant. Gorgeous colours. Colour combinations. Shapes. Sizes.

The tulip above was a favourite. Noted for next year for my window boxes in London. – Dior. I love it. Big. Blousy. A better one for me than Belle Époque.

These tulips were translucent in the light. With no filter. Just the sun.

Gorgeous whites in really stunning displays.

Ian loved this bed. He loved the colour combination so I think this will be another for next year. Maybe the pots in Spain. If I can work out how not to get short and stumpy. A bit like me really.

There were so many variations that I could go on for ever. Ian says I will anyway. I usually do. But everywhere you looked there were different tulips. I didn’t count them. But there must have been 10,000. ( I know. I read that somewhere). I moan at planting mine which are a fraction of that number. A mere fraction.

Well done to Philippa and Lou.

There is more to the garden than just tulips. I’m reliably informed that I should visit again for the August opening to see the perennial borders. If I can I will. This time we walked through the meadow – what a beaut it is. Full of cowslips. Beautiful yellow cowslips. So lovely to see a meadow of them and people obeying the signs. Keep to the paths. We did.

We had a wander around the garden with stops – plural – for cake and tea. Now for me. You Judge a garden opening by it’s cake and it’s tea. This was right up there. Chocolate and Guineas. Coconut and lemongrass. Gin and tonic. Lemon and lavender. The list was huge. Like the queue for cake. Word had got Out. The cake was good.

The perennials are starting to shoot. There is a fabulous row of ferns starting to get growth on the edge of the water. And more ferns. And more perennials. I want to go back and see the dahlias.

Add to the opening for the National Garden Scheme we had Barbara Seagall who was signing copies of her book with photography by the late Marcus Harpur – ‘Secret Gardens of East Anglia’ and features Ulting Wick. (Page 110) – which I will read this evening. One copy is for a friend. I must put it away.

I have followed Barbara on social media for some time. We have replied to each other’s photos. She has encouraged me with my blog. So it was such a treat to be able to meet up and to be able to put a face to the name. I’ll forgive her for recognising Ian first – which is magic as most of his photos on social media are of his back. As he said to Barbara. He must have a distinctive bald spot. But he was in deep conversation by the time we left.

Its not just flowers. There is a fabulous kitchen garden which I would love. But don’t have the space in London or the water in Spain.

All that was left was to pick up the plants I had bought and head home.

A huge thank you to Philippa and Lou. The garden was stunning. I loved the planting. The colours the variety and thank you for arranging the sun to shine and for the tulips to be open.

I shall be back. If you’ll have me.