planting – Page 5 – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on April 18, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Just a walk through the park

I can’t remember when it changed. But it did. I can’t remember when I started enjoying the park at the end of our road. Or when it became alive. Children in the play area. Teens playing football. Families picnicking. Trendies sitting on the grass chatting. People playing on the fixed table tennis tables. But it did. So very different to the 80’s when the park was threatened with a cut and cover tunnel for the planned Euro star route. It never happened. Thank the lord. A community grew up.

This year a sea of daffodils has appeared. Beautiful. Colourful. Interspersed with blue.

It’s a joy to walk through the park on the way to the station. Past my favourite tree.which is now staring to bud.

This year there are plans to plant wildflowers around the edges. There are hanging baskets to be hung on the lamps posts along the path. The wildflowers by the Friends of Warwick Gardens. The hanging baskets by Southwark Council.

Outside the gate and along the path are cherry trees. The white blossom being scattered in the wind. Beautiful at this time of the year. Three or four in a row. Here a sea of white.

Leaving the park you head towards the station. Via the Holly Grove shrubbery. Or via the road. As often as I can I walk through the shrubbery. A small bit of green along Holly Grove. Naturally. That’s where it gets its name from. Just to check out what’s flowering. What’s there to surprise.

A Narrow space. Some seating. Houses to the left. Black railings to the right. A curved path down the middle.

I didn’t know when it was planted. Or who planted it. But for a council owned space the planting is interesting. Very interesting. Some great perennials. Unusual ones for a local green open space.

A little research shows the land was purchase in 1897 by Camberwell Council for £996 planted and opened to the public in 1897. Its opposite the listed houses which were built between 1816 and 1822.

The details of the purchase of Holly Grove shrubbery give additional details.

There’s ceanothus. I’ve never been lucky with ceanothus – not in Somerset anyway. Maybe too wet. There’s Forsythia. A memory of my parents garden. They had one bush. I’ve never quite got forsythia.

There’s melianthis major. I intend to have some in our Spanish garden after seeing them in Malaga Alcazar.

There are hellebores. Two colours. There are bulbs interspersed with dandelions. Just inside the black iron railings. I’m surprised that the railings weren’t removed during the war years.

Things have come alive. There is colour. The lime green of the Euphorbia. The pink of a plant I can’t identify. The whites. The yellows. There are blackbirds in the bushes whilst those pesky parakeets screech overhead.

It makes a lovely walk through first Warwick Hardens and then Holly Grove on the way to the station and the noise and clutter of Peckham Rye.

At the end of our street the other way is Camberwell Arts College. A newly refurbished frontage of the college which is adjacent to the South London gallery. A bright frontage. Lit at night.

In front of the college on the wide pavement area they have created beds. I have walked past here a lot. I can’t remember what was here before. But now there are flower beds. The front ones have been planted with beautiful white daffodils. With what looks like white vinca. And the prospect of alliums. Hopefully white too. Genius planting. Not to have your usual bog standard yellow.

It’s is lovely to see such fantastic planting. Who ever is responsible – well done! Behind the front beds are beds on a slope. It looks like these are full of alliums. I will keep a look out for the flowering as I go to the Sainsbury’s local when I run out of Milk. Toilet rolls. Or cat food. One of the three.

We may be inner city but there is plenty of colour. Some lovely planting. And at long last. Some sun and warmth to bring it all on. .

Posted on April 11, 2018April 11, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 6 Comments

Rain. Snow & a Spring. Garden

Another trip over. Another delayed flight back to London. But at least this one has left Spain with no overnight trip to Horrorleminos. Thankfully.

We have spent over 2 months in Spain. On and off. A trip back to London here and there. Had fun on a 2,000km road trip via Cordoba, Cacares, Toledo and Salamanca. Witnessed the spectacle that is Semana Santa. And a spectacle it certainly is. I was a bit Semana Santa’d out by the end of the trip. Its big. Its busy. Great marching bands. Huge traditions and a huge family event. Also a bit scary at times. But a fabulous spectacle.

Started Spanish lessons on a one to one with a spanish teacher in Competa. Nervous at first. Back to school. Rubbish pronunciation. But I’m getting there. Slowly. Some words I need practice on. One slip of the tongue and I’ll be ordering something off menu. Something very off the menu. Ian is scared. To be honest. So am I.

The trip was tiring. But an amazing adventure. . Cold at times. One minute in sunshine. The next driving through snow covered mountains wondering if we need be worried that there was a snow plough car park. The terrain was green. Very green. The rivers were flowing. Which is unusual after a few dry years.

I’ve said it before. The rain in Spain doesn’t mainly stay on the plain. It’s everywhere. Especially for three weeks here in Spain. It didn’t just rain cats and dogs. It was the whole ark. Great for the plants. Great for the reservoirs. Although some plants may have drowned.

So back to the village and home. Its always good to get home. Which ever one it may be. I’ve said it before a hairy gardener does! He knows who he is.

I’ve managed two weeks in the garden. Hedge cutting a priority. – I will never win prizes for my topiary. I realise that hairdressing is also not a new career choice for me either. I hate hedge cutting but needs must. Its like edges on a lawn.

I was so envious of the immaculate and straight lines of the hedges at the Alhambra.

Oh. Yes. Did I mention I’d been to the Alhambra. Again. To be fair it’s only the third time since Xmas. No 4 is in 3 weeks. I may as well get a guides job. But the uniforms not flattering enough. Oh. And that’s the last of 2018. Well maybe. The garden joy this time – fritillaria imperialis – they were magnificent. I may just try them myself. Next year.

I would be interested to see the bedding later in the year. It’s different to last year so maybe …..

Back to my garden. Highlight of Spring has to be the Peter Nyssen freesias. They have been brilliant. Tall and elegant. Perfumed and colourful. Unlike the short stubby tulips which I will add are not from Peter Nyssen. I think it’s a mixture of the weather and late planting.

I’m making my order list for the autumn already. I have just made another bulb order to add to the summer garden.

Some tulips are ok but overall I’m disappointed. The Belle Époque which were big bold and beautiful last year ( but in London) just haven’t done it for me this year. The brown sugar and Ronaldo are ok but a bit short.

The alliums are running away with themselves – I can’t wait to see them in flower. At least I will see some of them. The trouble is if you are away for a couple of weeks things can come and go and you think they haven’t flowered.

The pomegranate trees has leaves. Plenty. They will have flowers. Plenty. But no pmegranates. I refuse to believe it’s an ornamental. Or that both trees are ornamental. So I may have to go out with my tickling stick to encourage a bit of pollination when the flowers arrive. No photos please.

Who thought that in my retirement I’d be oiling my prickly pears. The cactus are shocking in Andalucia. Blighted with cochineal fly they are ravaged and it is such a shame. Further up into Granada they are better. Maybe the height. Maybe the cold.

The ones on our bank may not be worth saving but there are two at the side which are. So armed with a neem oil and water mix I have been out spraying them. It looks like it’s doing the job so now I will move onto some small ones on the other bank. Worth a try and exercises my balance on the slope.

I shan’t be oiling these though. In fact I stay well away. They have a habit of jumping out and stabbing me.

The osteospermums are spreading. And when the sun is out ( which occasionally it has been ) they look great. A bit of colour in the garden. The oranges are ripening. I find it strange that there is still fruit on the tree and there is also new blossom. Lots of blossom and the heavy rains have helped the new year fruit set. The scent on a warm day is breathtaking. We were in Malaga – which isn’t just a sun sea sand and tourist resort but is actually really interesting. I digress. But the scent of orange blossom by the Alcazar is amazing.

Back in the garden – the pine trees are doing well. We found some processionary caterpillar nests which we had removed. Nasty little blighters. There are plenty of new cones and the colouring is really cool. I’m only used to seeing the mature cones. Tip. Great for starting the log fire.

I uncovered some succulents from under the honeysuckle. This week I found them about to start flowering. Hopefully when we get back it will be in flower.

I planted two popcorn senna – Senna didymobotrya – on the bank a while ago. There has been little sign of life so I ventured up the bank ( or down) to see what was happening. The bank is steep. I’m not slight. And there have been a couple of slips. Not a pretty sight at the best of times. . Me. Not the bank thankfully. I found some new growth. And a flower starting to open. It will be a yellow flower. The whole plant indeed does smell of pop corn. Top tip. Don’t touch it without gloves. Top top tip. If you do. Don’t rub your eyes if you do. I did. Big fail. A trip to the pharmacist. She spoke no English. I spoke no Spanish. So it was Spanglais – before my Spanish lessons. But it meant I could pretend to be a pirate for a few days. The one eyed idiot from up the mountain.

The garden is definitely more a Spring and Autumn garden. The heat of the summer is harsh. Even I wither. Not literally but I used to think that villages were deserted. Shutters shut in the mid afternoon when only mad dogs and English men venture out. But they are being sensible. There were times in July I shut the shutters. . Turned on rubbish TV – I’m not saying what – and went back out when it got slightly cooler.

By cutting back the bank last year we have had some wildflowers come through. I found this glorious wild orchid on the roundabout which isn’t a roundabout.

So there has been colour. Glorious colour. There has been scent. Lavender. Jasmine. Freesias. Orange blossom.

There have been birds and bees. Oh. The birds and bees.

That made me think of my mother. You do know about the birds and bees she would say. Oh I did indeed. There has been rain. Sun. Rain. Sun. The succulents are coming alive. The seeds I had sown before our trip have shown themselves. The calendula art shade from Mr Higgledy are up and saying hello.

The poppies I scattered in their thousand have em. Done nothing. Still time yet but there are lovely red poppies on the road edges. Not that I look. You have to see the road to understand why I don’t. But I did when we were being driven by another. I’m hoping that if not this year then next.

You’ll get fed up of that plant they said. It grows like a weed. Huh. If its on the bank and is pretty it can continue and it has. Looks like a tiny sweet pea.

I’ve sown Tithonia spurred on by seeing some in a NGS garden in Camberwell last year. I am hoping they look like the ones I saw.

I have planted some Echium Pride of Madeira on the bank. Inspired by Jack Wallington garden – open last year and this for NGS . They are not the same as Jacks – a friend arrived bearing a gift of one. So I had to buy 4 more. Didn’t I? It will be interesting to see what flowers I get this year. I shall be off on the hunt for some different varieties when I’m back. They have settled in on the bank and if they will self seed I’ll be happy. Jack also identified a plant I had posted on Instagram – melianthus major. I had seen them in the Alcazar in Malaga and loved them. Another for my list.

There hasn’t been a lot to pick for the house and I refused to pick the freesias. But there was Mimosa.plenty of Mimosa.

Mimosa is abundant on the bank. Glorious yellow flowers and been a bit of a riot of colour on the way up to the house. A bit prone to wind snap but I’ll cope with that.

So there is colour. Lots. As its Spring it seems predominately yellow.

The fruit is ripening and setting. The loquats with their big leaves are starting to get fat and some are ripening. Please wait three weeks. They all come at once. Like the big fat black figs. Which are just leading up.

We have had a huge harvest of Olives on the one large tree. I don’t like waste so I have salt cured some. Apparently they are good. I’m not a fan but Ian and friends have tried them and say they are great. So I salted another batch. And brought some back to London to do the same here. Waste not want not. They will last 6 months in the fridge. Longer if you freeze them.

So. It’s London for the next three weeks. . Doctors. Dentists. Opticians and a haircut. Oh. And a visit to the Vets. Cats. Not me. Though it’s easier to get an appointment at the vets.

A spell in our London garden ( small rear patio) – its a mess though we have almond blossom out – before another month in Spain. Well nearly.

Life’s hard when you are retired.

Posted on March 18, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Rain rain go away

We are back in Spain. Again. So soon after the last adventure. We arrived back. The suitcases arrived with us. We arrived at the right airport. The bad weather came with us too. Not the snow. But rain. It was raining when we left 10 days ago. To be fair it hasn’t stopped. We needed it. The reservoirs needed it. The plants needed it. But please stop. Right now. Thank you very much.

The hills are green. Much greener than I have seen them at any time me in the last year. Thos was taken as I waited for my Spanish lesson which continue. Who knew this time last year i’d be talking spanish weather. In Spanish. In Spain. ‘ Especially comments ‘Donde esta el sol. ‘Mucho lluevia’ ‘frio’

There are still things In not allowed to say. For fear of poor pronunciation. A slip of the tongue having me order something not on the menu. But Ive progressed past saying please and thank you.

It’s been a busy week. By coincidence – friends from Somerset were staying close to Malaga. Plus Old friends we haven’t seen for 12 years staying in Nerja. So there was a lot of catching up. Lunch. Checking out the house and garden. Moving in presents. Fizz and plants.

They liked Competa. And – It stopped raining for part of their visits. The sun shone a bit but its always bright in town. Its a pueblo blanco after all.

The plants I’d planted before we went back were well watered. The banana plants were fine. The mew agapanthus had settled well. The bulbs were pushing through fast. Tulips. Allium. Foxtail Lillies. The new little rosemary hedge on the path at the side of the house had taken. Rosemary does so well here. .

There are signs of Spring. Especially the spring leaking from the bank at the bottom of the hill onto the road. Water water everywhere. Much more and the plants may just drown. But there is colour. The freesias are a blooming. Great freesias from Peter Nyseen.

Ive never seen such long stems. Glorious colours too. The osteospermums have been spreading. When the sun shines – briefly so far- they all open together.

The pomegranates have started to bud. I had cut them back hard. They have lovely flowers but no fruit. I’m not convinced they are ornamental so lets see if we get any – just one would be nice- this year.

I wandered up to the roundabout. Which isn’t a roundabout at all. What do I find. A solitary wild orchid. I think we have some more at the back of the house. In the orchard which isn’t an orchard as it only has half a dozen trees. Fingers crossed. They are glorious and such a fabulous colour.

We have some pine trees on the bank. I love them. The fallen pine cones are a great starter for the log burner. But before we left last time i spied three nests of processional caterpillars in one of the trees. Thanks to Twitter I had read about them. Not these ones obviously but I was aware that they were nasty little blighters. And not for me to deal with. So there was a man that could. And did. And they are no more.

I love the garden after a bit of rain . And there have been plenty of times this week. I love the rain drops like little diamonds just hanging on the leaves. On the the flowers. Just not all of the time.

The cistus in flower in the bed behind the bank. A glorious bit of colour. The petals looking a bit like crumpled crepe paper.

The solitary lemon is getting fatter. The clivias are in flower or in bud. The wild sweet peas are wild. The Australian wisteria is still blooming lovely over the garden gate. I’m hoping that Fibrex Nurseries still have one when I get back for London. There is lavender along the path. Which may be cut back hard next week. I cut some back nervously before xmas and its done really well.

The ferns are happy. Other than the one I drowned. Don’t ask. Schoolboy error. My fault too.

The dodonea has some flower buds but i understand that they are pretty insignificant. But the colour of the leaves are pretty awesome.

The new gazania are flowering but would do better for being a bit drier. A bit more sun. But then again so would I.

The strelitzia continue to flower – this ones going over but the plant which is in a large pot has a further 6 flower spikes in various stages of growth. The ones in the garden have had their flowers bashed a bit. But I love them. Maybe one for the micro climate of our london garden.

When friends arrived on Friday they came bearing a plant. ‘We aren’t sure if you have one’ they said. ‘We bought it in the garden centre on the way up.’ No’ I replied. ‘ I haven’t but Ive always wanted one’ It was true. I wasn’t just being polite. I’d seen Echium at Jack Wallington & Chris Anderson’s NGS open garden and had said. I want. . Ian said No. you’d like. No I replied again. I want. So it has been planted on the bank. With the other 4 I dashed off to buy. You have to don’t you? They will look amazing when in full flower. So there are now five Echium fastousum planted on the bank. They will look striking in full bloom. Working on the bank is a struggle. Stoney. Steep. And in parts slippery. But thought of the tall blue plumes made it worthwhile.

Even Ian has been out in the garden. Probably looking to see how many new plants I’d bought. Oh. And to make sure I have planted them. Only three to go. Oh. And the seed to scatter on the bank. I was planning to do that yesterday but its been a bit too windy.

We are off on a Spanish road trip. To Cordoba. To Toledo. To Casares. To Salamanca. And back to Competa for Semana Santa. The Easter processions and celebrations are huge here and I haven’t seen one single Easter egg. So Bags packed. Raincoats in. Hats at the ready. And brollies. . Of course brollies.

Top tip. If you ever go to the Alhambra in Granada and there is any chance of rain. Take an umbrella. On our first trip two years ago it was entry price €12. Umbrella price €25. It was either buy or wander round like a reject from a wet t-shirt competition. The said umbrella. No one wants to see me in a wet t shirt. Least of all me.

Posted on February 16, 2018February 16, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Hola again Hola

How time flies when your having fun. One week down and it’s been a bit of a whirl. Theres been a visit to The Alhambra. My first of 2018 and there are 3 more booked all with friends who are staying over the next few months. A trip to the Botanical Gardens in Malaga. Trips to the coast. Oh and the garden.

It’s amazing how quickly the garden changes when there has been a bit of rain. And a bit of sun. And a bit more rain. There has been both. So what’s new in the garden? Loads.

Well the Dodonae viscosa purpurea is looking mighty fine. The colour now is fantastic especially when the sun hits the plant. The leaves are awesome. Flowers insignificant. And it self seeds like crazy.

I believe this to be white lilac. The week before we arrived it was a bit on the colder side. Now the sun is out the lilac may start to unfold its glorious scent. I hope so.

My mother would never pick lilac to bring into the house. Our neighbour always said bringing lilac into the house meant bad luck. So I don’t either. Superstitious? Me? Never. I just get an ear worm – if she’s not saying ‘ your not like your father. He tidied up as he goes along. In the garden. In the kitchen’. Now she’s saying ‘ don’t pick your lilac! I always told her it was an old wives tale. So why am I listening!

I’ll be keeping an eye on this one.

There are still some seed heads on the Jacaranda tree. Funny looking things these seed pods. A real hard brown outer shell. Slowly opening like a mussel shell. I’ve just noticed a couple of green seed heads there too. The tree is a beauty but is on the large side. Note to self check for pruning back and when. Not a job for me though. Ladders. Me. Heights. Never.

The aliens are still doing well. It was interesting to go to the Botanical Gardens Malaga this week and to see many plants there which we have growing in the garden here. Not on their scale though – the Botanical gardens are huge and I have a feeling a bit of a blog may be coming on that trip. There were loads of photos.

So Plecatranthus It is Adds a bit of colour at this time of year and spreads.

I have had my eye on this plant Pyrostegia venusta – Brazilian Trumpet Vine – every time we go to either Nerja or the garden centre. Both have magnificent specimens. This one is the Nerja one and is mighty impressive. The colour is just amazing. The friend staying bought me one and planted it against the white garage to replace the bougainvillea which is not doing very well at all. So it’s planted. Fingers crossed. It generally is pretty rampant.The Australian wisteria is out in full force. A glorious colour and a huge attraction to the bees. Its growing over the gate into the garden and its a riot of colour. The colour purple. I had never seen it before we bought this house but I have now also bought a pink one. I have found out that there is a UK stockist Fibrex Nurseries who has said it is in their conservatory section and it would be ok in our London sheltered garden. ( the wonders of twitter)For london I’d go for the purple as its more striking. A bit more show off. It will replace a Trachelospermum which has died. My fault entirely. Hands up. I shall be ordering from Fibrex before we return to the Uk.

Osteospermum. What to say. Other than they are out in force and spreading. Lovely flowers. A few different colours. All welcome. Gotta love a self seeder.

The succulents are starting to flower. Please don’t ask. I don’t know! .

Its been a real bit of trial and error for me in this garden. I certainly am out of my comfort zone but its fun and I am loving it.

Last time I was here I planted this leptospermum. (Tea tree) Still looking ok. So far so good. Such pretty flowers.

Oh. What to do with the lavender. I love it. But its a but sad in places. Before xmas i cut some back really hard following advice from the twitterati. Do you know what? The ones I cut back are doing well. If only I had the courage to do them all. Maybe after next weeks visitors I will take the plunge.

We did s bit of clearing and pruning this week and came across these lovelies hiding underneath. Gorgeous little things aren’t they. In Spain. Being Welsh you have to love a dadfodil. A leek. A bara brith and a welsh cake. In no particular order. Well. The cake may come first.

You will know I am a fan of Peter Nyssen This year they delivered my bulbs to Spain. Allium. Freesia. Chionodoxa. All planted and the alliums are pushing through at various stages. The first of the freesias has opened and the rest have big fat buds. I am so excited to have all of these bulbs here and I am grateful to Karen yet again for her advice.

I am having some success as well this year with foxtail lilys. I planted six. Five are up and reaching for the sky. The sixth maybe too. I just need to remember where I planted it. I know. I know. Labels dear boy. Labels. I can’t wait to see those towering spires when and if they flower.

Its also good to have a someone else cast a fresh eye over the pots. My friend Michael was here for a week and he made some suggestions. About the plants and the pots. Michael and I have been friends for over 30 years. I met him when he first moved to London and met him for lunch. His first words to me were ‘ooh allo’ and thats been his name ever since. Ooh Allo Mike.

So we have had a bit of a move around and it looks better. Its not the end. There will be more moves. I probably wont be moving a lot by the time I’ve finished. Iv already rolled down the bank once this week and trust me. Its not a pretty sight. Me. Not the bank. Anyone need a garden roller?

We have been having Spanish lessons. Ooh. Its been a hard slog this first week – one to one tuition for an hour a day. Three days a week. With homework. Ian is a glutton for punishment. He’s doing two hours a day.

So today i said that I would pop to the garden centre to pick up some liquid fertiliser whilst he had his lesson. On my own. Oh dear. With no Ian to stop me I filled the car. 3 Clivia – an awesome plant. One I first bought 20 years ago from my neighbour and friend Clare who opened a shop. A trained horticulturist and ex Blue Peter gardener she introduced me to quality plants. Clivia was one of them. Cornish daffodils another.

I added 3 lavender just in case – 4. Agapanthus as you can never have too many. Some iris. A lovely one called burnt toffee. Iris don’t seem to have done well here this year but I’m going to plant them but just not sure where yet. Two new Hardenbergia – why two I don’t know as I really only need one. And two sweet little pots for the garden tables.

I couldn’t hide them. The car was full. The accountant in Ian couldn’t help but say. ‘How much’?

The Clivia are planted. Two of the four agapanthus planted. The rest are soaking. Oh. Did I mention a brugmansia. Because I bought one. When we were clearing last week I found one. I know. How can you lose one? Not only did I find one. But I knocked the top off. I’m sure it will come back. More crossed fingers then. Great for my arthritis.

Ian has been the foreman this week. He has taken more interest in this garden than he ever did in Somerset. He loves the cactus, The succulents, the big palms and yuccas and has suggested- yes he has suggested – that we head to Torrox to go and see the large palms and the cactus as he has earmarked a spot for one. I’m practicing.

‘How Much?’

Posted on January 16, 2018January 21, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Hola Jardin Mediterraneo

So Christmas has been and gone for another year. So has New Year which was spent in Spain – a few days at the house and then a few days in Seville. If you haven’t you really should. It’s awesome.

Then back to Londinium to check on the builders – a quick trip to Somerset to check on the Estate Agents, a cuppa with the Flower Farmer and we are now back In Spain.

Sadly my old mans pass doesn’t cover all of the travel. I can only wish.

Having negotiated choices of front doorsteps, chosen tiles for the path and watched the front garden torn up we have left London with a bit of a bumpy ride with a keen tale wind to boot. A 2.5 hour flight where I didn’t get out of my seat once and was reminded of a bumpy flight decades ago where I had gone to the loo. Captain announced that everyone should return to their seats. Belt up. There was turbulence. There was indeed. I hadn’t realised I hadn’t actually fastened the door properly, i did when the plane went bumping along and the door flew open. With me regally sitting on the throne. That, in truth is the reason I rarely leave my seat on a plane. I was traumatised. For life. So I expect were the rest of the passengers.

So back we are. Driving up the wiggly road the first thing I noticed was that things were looking greener. Large green patches and swathes of yellow under the trees. It seems that we have had a fair bit of rain. Which is good news as I had left the irrigation system off for the last 10 days in anticipation. That and the fear of the water bill. Which hasn’t been paid by the bank and a copy of which we haven’t had, so I was hoping that we still had water when we got to the house. Hurrah. We did. Shame we had no electricity. A defrosted freezer. And the house was so cold! But it wasn’t long before the the fire was lit the wine open and the water heater on and I was in the garden to take some pics. I had bought a tripod. Mmmm. Best say nothing about that for now.

It was evident there had been rain. The ground was wet. Obviously. Things had started to move in the garden. Some bulbs were starting to poke through. Some I knew some I didn’t. If I was going to make a New Years resolution it might be label. Label. Label, but I didn’t and I haven’t. I know where I planted tulips and what they are. Brown sugar and Ronald in the pots. Belle Époque in the white wall planter. But they haven’t shown their face. Not yet. Another NY resolution might have been staking. It wasn’t. But today I have staked – well tied up the freesias that I planted. They have got really tall. They were the first thing we noticed last year when we were looking at houses. There was the delicious scent of freesias in the warm air. So I bought some. And much to Ian’s surprise. I planted them. All of them. Don’t tell him I have found some other bulbs – the stragglers I call them in the garage. Tomorrow. I promise. Not that I’ll tell him. I will plant them. Honest.

So the garden is getting a bit more colour. The garden is more a Spring garden. The heat of July and August oppressive and watering is not easy on ground that is as hard as a rock. So the cooler months bring colour. Not that there isn’t colour in the summer. Its just different.

This has been flowering constantly all year to be fair – needs a bit of a trim but the colour is a welcome one a grey day. Not that today was grey, sorry to mention that.

Another hard worker is the ostepsermum which is spreading like crazy. Turn around and another pops up. Great little fillers in a number of colours one of the few photos to be taken on that tripod.

Hello hello. Or Hola. We have one potted Bird of Paradise – strelitzia which is in the second flush of flowering. Today I counted the flowers waiting to emerge and there are 9. I love the colours and the shape and to have 9 on this one pot is awesome. Not to count a further 6 on plants there are in the garden which are doing Ok but not as large or strong as this potted one. I don’t know what I’m doing but whatever it is I am going to continue.

We also have a blue and white one – strelitzia Nicolas – which I have given a severe talking to. We had one flower spike last year. I almost missed it. The plant tries to pretend its a banana. It’s not. But the leaves are massive.

The lavender path is still flowering. To be fair it hasn’t stopped. I took advice from my gardening friends on Twitter and cut a few back really hard. I didn’t have the courage to do it to the whole path. But. The advice was right. The ones I did cut back ( hack) in November are doing really well. To be fair if I cut the rest back and its a disaster then I will just have to replant.

Now please don’t ask as I simply cannot tell. It’s top secret. So secret even I can’t remember. A recent purchase. A succulent. That I know. This is a bit that broke off and planted. I will look for the receipt _ I’m sure that I added it to my planting plan. Yep. Another failed news years resolution. An annual one. Label Label Label. Garden plan. There’s always 2019.

We had difficulty opening the gate yesterday when we arrived. The Australian wisteria – Hardenbergia violacea – had entwined itself over the gates and had started to flower. As bit earlier than I expected – its a lilac / mauve colour and actually quite pretty. It’s full of flower which I understand lasts quite a while not as showy as the English wisteria nor scented. A great colour though and perfect as its drought tolerant.

You may have heard me mention the roundabout. Which isn’t a roundabout at all. But a piece of land at the back of the house above the bank and across the access road. It has two figs trees, a scrappy almond tree and various succulents oh and sad Prickly pears. But since we had it strimmed last year the oxalis has taken hold and its about to become a sea of yellow. Is that a thing. A sea of yellow? I suspect not. But the yellow is a bit acid yellow. A few people don’t like yellow flowers. I will take all I can get on this bank. Believe me.

The bank at the rear of the house is steep and I’m mad to be doing anything on it. There’s enough to do in the main garden but I’m a bit of a butterfly. A rather heavy one at that but I tend to flit here there and everywhere in the garden., I need to be tied to a length of rope and allowed to garden in wherever that stretches to. But I suspect Health and safety would be an issue. My health and someone else’s safety. But the view from the bank is great. Provided you don’t stand behind the pine trees. Don’t get me started on the pine needles. There’s a reason they are called needles. They are everywhere. But the fallen pine cones are good for starting the log fire!.

The house is nestled below. The large jacaranda tree towering above. I love the tree. The blue flowers. The awesome seed pods. But the flowers drop like crazy and the path is a lovely blue. But it stains the path. Not for long but you are forever clearing them up. The poor old prickly pears are dying on their feet. I remembered to wear gloves as I was close to the Popcorn Senna. Last time I touched it I rubbed my eye and had to go to the Pharmacist and get some drops. Not easy in Spanglais believe me.

This cactus looks like its got measles. I know not what it is but we have two of them. I think we have two anyway. Yes I know I should know the Latin names but I often struggle with the English ones. Throw in the Spanish name and I’m totally confused. This is the better looking one. The more photogenic. Probably poisonous as well. Like everything in this garden.

There’s a spiky lemon tree at the side of the house. I never knew there were so many varieties of lemons. But there are. I k pow because I have a book that says there are. This one did nothing last year but has some flower buds this. Just the two so far but that will be enough for a couple of gin and tonics. Along with the one lime and the two grapefruit we have growing. A pink grapefruit at that. We have oranges a plenty and we are looking forward to them when we are here in Feb. One of the orange trees has an abundance of orange blossom. The trick will be in keeping it going and getting this years fruit to set. Tips on a postcard please.

So a day and a half here and its been a garden fest of sorts. There is plenty of clearing to do. Leaves to rake. Some light pruning. Some choices of some new trees for the patch where we have the almond trees – which have no sign of flowering at the moment. A visit to look at plants. Not buy. That comes in Feb when we are here for more than a week. We’ve swept the terrace. Twice. Watered the tulip pots – yes. There has been rain but pots still need a drink – don’t they.

The electrician comes in tomorrow. I go to the Town hall to sort out the water bill. Friday we have logs being delivered. So No. We are not on holiday again! There is work to be done.

Posted on December 14, 2017December 17, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

The Rain in Spain

Its a myth you know. The rain in Spain isn’t mainly on the plain. Well it certainly wasn’t on Sunday night and Monday morning. The rain and the wind was up in the mountains. Whistling around the house. Lashing on the roof. Overfilling the gutters. I know. I was outside. At 4am. Checking the gutters. Whilst Ian slept soundly through it. It continued as I drove him to the airport later. The rain. Not his sleeping. Am i complaining? . Not about the drive to the airport. Certainly not about the rain. We need it in Spain. For the garden. For the reservoirs. And we need more.

What it meant was that the ground was workable. With a spade rather than a pick axe. Time to finish the planting of the alliums. Plant some foxtail lilies. Move a plant or two. Which I did.

It’s still exciting seeing what plants are popping up around the garden. What’s flowering now. Whats to come. The excitement of knowing that there are bulbs coming up. When we were looking for a house back in March – was it only March! – some of the houses we walked past had the wonderful scent of freesia. So I have planted 50 around the terrace and the path. To add to those that there are already there.

I have planted tulips in the white wall planter. Last year in London I had a great display of Belle Epoque. So I have planted them here hoping for a similar show. Amongst the red trailing geraniums which continue to flower and which you can still buy and plant. So strange but they are better in the Spring – summer just gets too hot. A bit like me really. I’m a spring flower.

The pots have the lovely Brown Sugar and Ronaldo. I can hear someone moan. Not more pots. Yep. More pots.

The bank at the rear of the house was cleared in the summer. Largely as I was paranoid of fire and the temperatures were soaring. Which has meant that some of the plants that are there have been growing steadily now the grass and weeds have gone. I have moved some of the baby agaves to the bank in the hope that they will take. I think they are on their way. There are some massive ones on the bit i call the roundabout. Which its not. But is a piece of ground that we have behind the house and across the access road. We had that cleared too and it and the bank at the front of the house is now covered with oxalis. So the roundabout will hopefully be a blob of yellow. I’m slowly weeding them out of the the main garden as it will become invasive.

I’ve also been tidying around the various succulents generally whilst being stabbed by most. Checking the cactus. Even the cactus which we call a cactus but is actually a euphorbia. I have said it before. And I’ll say it again. I wasn’t a huge fan of cactus and succulents. But you can not love them when you have a mediterranean garden. In Spain. Which has many.

Someone remind Ian please I need new gardening gloves! I swear these plants see me coming and ever so gently move. To stab me at every angle.

The citrus are doing well. At one point in the summer I thought we may lose the orange trees. It was so hot. I watered. Never sure if it was too much. Or too little. But the fruit has set and will be ready to pick in the new year. Just as well we are there for a month in Feb! They are also now quite heavy with blossom. I can’t wait for them to open. A bit of a warm day and the scent of orange blossom. Bliss..

The pink grapefruit I planted is heavy with fruit. Well. Heavy with two fruit. Admittedly they are fat. We have one lime – not on the grapefruit tree. Obviously. We were advised to take off the fruit this year. But I had to leave one. The potted mandarin has a lot of fruit. I think it will be ok. Big schoolboy error when I forgot to check that the new pot had proper drainage. It didn’t. Whispers the last bit and hides.

The winter jasmine is just starting to flower. A welcome bit of colour. Such a shame there is no scent. I only realised there were buds when I found some fallen flowers. The garden has a number of Jasmine. Whilst I love the colour of this ideally I prefer a scented one any day.

There has been lots of colour in the garden – mostly leaf colour but the flowers are starting over.

The fallen leaves of the grape vine driving me mad. The lovely colours of the leaves of the non fruiting pomegranate. Lovely on the trees. Not so lovely on the ground. The unusual blue of the plecanthrus suddenly flowering in abundance. The berries of the myrtle. My huge excitement of the strelitzia all in bud. I have counted nine. I love the rich colours as the flowers get fatter and are getting ready to open.

Ive been out on the bank collecting fallen pine cones from the few pine trees that we have. The contrast of the pine and the sadness of the sick prickly pears. I have managed to save two at the side of the house. Which are pretty cool.

Tthe autumnal feel of the colour in the garden continues with the colours and seed heads. No doubt poisonous as everything that you seem to grow in a mediterranean garden is!

Its not been all work. I have stopped and sat and admired the garden. Ate chocolate biscuits. A whole packet. To myself.

The groundwork and major planting done by the previous owner. I’m just adding things and tweaking to suit our use. To suit the lack of water and the fact we aren’t there full time. It does feel like it though.

We also managed a walk out along the road. Its just that once we are behind the gate we rarely move. Well out of the garden. I do actually move. But venture out we did. For a walk. And the views were great. We found quince fallen from the tree just off the side of the road. Makes note for next year to add to the six fruit we had in the garden.

Looked back at the house from a different angle and realise that we are well hidden!

So I am excited about the Spring. The bulbs. The colours. The almond blossom on the three trees we have. The fig trees getting their leaves back. The nespera fruiting and being able to pick them this year. The soon to be planted new pomegranates near the almond trees. To plug a gap.

The excitement of not quite knowing what the garden will bring from now until May when we will have done a whole years garden cycle.

The town is gearing up for Xmas. We had the fair at the garden centre. A great place and the owner is the author of my go to book for identifying the mediterranean plants in the gatden. We have had the fair in the town. And the town itself. Covered in poinsettia. Which I view often as I sit in the Plaza Almijara drinking coffee.

The steep road up to the square has a wall covered in bright pots. Filled with poinsettia . With more along the railings. I like the plants. But only for two weeks over Christmas.

I have closed the gates at the house for another two weeks as we head back to spend Christmas in London. To return for our first of what I hope will be many more New Years.

Posted on November 10, 2017November 12, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Summer and NGS open gardens

So summers over and it’s a time to sit and reflect. A time to go through the mountain of photos I have taken over the summer. My own garden and the gardens of others. One thing I’ve been thinking of is the National Garden scheme visits that we have done this year. I’m a bit of a nosey one me. That’s why the NGS open gardens is a dream. I get to see other people’s gardens. Get ideas. See new plants. Take photos. Oh. And eat cake. There is always cake.

This year I didn’t manage many. I missed some which I have been desperate to see. The garden at Ulting Wick. I missed the tulips. The thousands of tulips which looked magnificent. Then I missed the later the openings as I was away both times. The 2018 dates will be in my diary. The one I bought today.

The ones I did see in London were all very different and all were in South London this year. Choumert Square in Peckham is a treat. The Peckham peculiar has 46 facts on the 46 cottages that comprise Choumert Square.

The square opens every year for NGS and despite living in the area since 1987 this is the first year I have managed to be here for the open day. On saying that can I admit to sneaking in and taking a peek occasionally. The open gardens is a bit of a fair day. There are cake stalls there is honey for sale. Plants. And a general feeling of great friendliness.

The entrance to Choumert Square

Lovely colours in the Square

Great herbaceous planting

The gardens are small and are all at the front of the cottages. At the end of the rows is a small communal space. It’s a lovely friendly place to live and the planting in the gardens is so all very different.

From Choumert Square we ventured to Camberwell Grove. One of the best if not the best example of Georgian houses in London. I’ve always wanted to live in this street. It’s a lovely wide tree lined street. The garden open here was very different to the Choumert Square gardens. A long oasis with a view of the spire of St Giles church at the end of the garden. The garden is covered in roses and colour with a lovely artist studio in the garden. Lots of lovely perennials in the borders adds stunning colour.

Altogether a very different garden to the ones at Choumert Square.

I have followed Jack Wallington ( not literally) but on social media for a while. Jack and Chris had taken part in the Monty Don series Big Dreams Small Spaces and I’d remembered their story. It’s still on you tube if you want to take a look. It’s really interesting – Series 2 episode 2. A small garden in South London crammed full of plants. With a fern wall. So I was excited to see the garden and to meet Jack and Chris. The weather in the run up to the opening wasn’t great but the Sunday was dry and fine. Oh. And what a garden treat. Yes. The garden is small. But the planting and the variety of plants is awesome. Jack was on hand to answer questions. Which I asked and he answered. The plants were labelled and there was a plant list. Oh. For. A plant list and labels in my garden. And clean nails.

I loved the Echium and I’m looking for some for our new Spanish garden. Everywhere you looked there was something different. Astrantia. Dahlia. The fern wall which I had seen Jacks father making the supports for in Big dreams Small Spaces was brilliant. I know Jack can tell you the number of varieties on the wall. Did I get any tips?. You bet I did. I think of Jack as Mr Dahlia. He grows some huge dinner plate Dahlias on his allotment the photos of which are amazing.

Ps. Jack. Perhaps there should be an open day for your allotment!

The opening of gardens for the NGS is synonymous with cake. You can always get a decent bit of cake. Now there’s decent and there is extraordinary. The cakes at Jack and Chris’s were a visual delight as well as delicious. If there’s a prize for the most beautiful cakes then this is the winner. Oh. And for taste.

The icing on the cake. The dahlia cake.

I loved Jack and Chris’s garden and my one disappointment was that I was unable to visit for the second days opening the following month when more of the Dahlias were blooming. But I’ve seen the photos. Lots of photos.

Jack mentioned another garden that he thought I’d like which was open a few weeks later. Another one local to us in Grove Park. The garden of Clive Pankhurst. When you look at the front of many of these houses you can never expect to find such delights behind them. A garden full of exotic plants. Bee hives. Ponds. Lovely seating areas. A huge garden with lovely walkways. The owners have been able to buy some of the neighbouring gardens when the flats next door were developed. Where I found out my own next door neighbours mother who I see almost daily lives. So she gets to see the garden all year long.

I loved the garden and the planting. The variety. The colours. I also had some ideas for our own garden. That’s the joy of the NGS open gardens. You get to see plants you don’t know. Planted In situations you wouldn’t normally think. I’d never have thought of Echiums for a small garden. But they work. Really well.

The cakes were lovely too.

Next year I will be taking a notebook when I visit any NGS garden. My brain goes mush and I forget the names of the plants when I leave the gardens!

Till next year.

Posted on November 6, 2017November 6, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 8 Comments

Here comes the rain

Well I’m back. Not as Gary sang Back for good. But for two weeks. To be honest I’m approaching the last few days of this visit. And the rain that was forecast has arrived. With a vengeance. We drove into town last night in fog. Friends gripping the door handles as we drove along the bits of road where there is a sheer drop. A lovely supper and it was clear by the time we left but with thunder crashing in the distance and lightening cracking away. . We just managed to get the cushions off the garden furniture before the heavens opened and the storm hit the mountains. Boy. Did it rain. It persisted. All night. And was pretty torrential. Am I complaing? No. I have planted bulbs seeds and some plants this week!

I have also made a huge school boy error. I dont like gardening in gloves. Somehow i have rubbed my eye after planting and its swollen. I kook like I’ve done 5 rounds in a boxing ring which is stupid. I wouldn’t even get in the arena. A quick trip to the pharmacy. A bit of Spanglais as neither she or I spoke the others language and I had antiseptic eye drops. Lesson learnt? I doubt it.

In between visitors I have been cutting back, pruning, tidying. Unlike Somerset there is no real weeding to do. No ground elder. No Bindweed. But an enourmous amount of leaves from the fruit treees and fallen olives. The olive trees are heavy with olives. ( obviously) and I fear they will all go to waste.

I have taken the opportunity of tidying the bank. Climbing up and like a mountain goat. Well thats how our neighbour described my efforts. A bit of lopping here. A hedge cut. The access road to the house was once a dirt track, now thankfully concrete and easier to navigate. The bank on our side has some large trees.some scabby prickly pears and cactus bordered by a hedge and the smattering of oleander along the drive. I have scattered poppies on the bank. Let’s see what comes. I have struggled to get native Mediterranean wildflower seeds. But I’ll continue trying.

I have cut back the oleander from the gate to expose the two pillars that are there -if they are there why not show them! I have also been tidying the opposite bank behind the house and to the front. There are a couple of pines which are protected in Spain. Not that I’d want to.

I have cleared a lot of the pine needles so that any wildflowers that may be lurking in the ground have a chance to appear. But I now understand that the pine needles are a good mulch! A bit late as I have collected barrow loads of them. But I still have a barrow full.

I love seeing the garden at different times off the day as the light is so very different. Except the dark. It always looks the same. Dark. This was taken from the area where we park the car. Pines. Cactus. It’s a favourite of mine.

I’m yet to attack the roundabout – that piece of land we have across the road other than to cut the tips of the end of the agave leaves that were threatening to stab anyone that walked past. Not that many people do but like a Boy Scout you have to be prepared,

There are some pretty big agaves at the bottom and a number of baby ones growing. I need to dig the small ones and to replant. Something else to add to my list. At least this list is my doing and not the ones that Ian gives me. To be fair. I should say lists. There are three. Some are being reduced. Bit the attic is still to be tackled.

I have at long last – 5 months in – managed to cut the hedge, its been so hot that the growth has so far been slow but I was warned not to cut it in the heat. Or it may die. To be honest so would I if I’d tried in the heat of the summer. I needed little excuse not to cut it. We have a hedge cutter but the route from plug to hedge is a long one. Around the edge of the pool. Which I could see as a recipe for disaster for me. So I tried to get a cordless one. Hmm try getting a cordless anything here along with a string of garden solar lights. Total fail. So I ventured on, and managed with a bit of stretching and cursing to have cut it. Please don’t venture to the side on the bank. It’s not pretty. I have also trimmed a bit of height off the trees in front of the hedge. Thank goodness for the big lopper. The view to the coast is a bit clearer. Especially when I Put on my glasses.

The town had 24hrs of rain the week before I arrived and it shows. The drive up looked a bit greener. Flowers were back out in the garden. A bit of colour. This Brazilian sky flower has been constant all sunmner. Throw in a background of yellow and bingo. Colour.

We have a bourganvellia growing next to the garage. It hasnt done very much in terms of flowering despite my govong it a good talk to and some encouragement. But there is one on the bank. The dry bank. No water. No attention. Dry. Sunny. And blooming lovely. Framed by the fig and the Nespera.

Talking of which the two trees that we have on the bank are flowering. They also have a nice scent. I was pretty surprised to see the flowers as i thought it a bit early. But apparently not. I’m hoping for some healthy fruit next year. Which no doubt will all come at the same time. Like the figs.

I thought that we had little or no fruit on the pineapple guava. But once again I’m proved wrong. Apparently they are ripen when they drop. So I have been collecting some every day. I like the taste. One of my visitors said they tasted like wait for it. Germolene. I hated the smell of that growing up. Along with TCP. I once worked with someone who I swear used TCP as an after shave.

The rest of the fruit is doing well. The oranges are ripening. Again I thought we may lose the trees in this years extreme heat. But there will be some ready for Xmas. There are two pink grapefruit. Still there. Still getting fatter.

An unknown fruit – maybe a sloe.

The 5 quinces remain and are getting uglier by the day. If I have time I will make that quince jelly I’ve been meaning to make. For ages. I think I’m being told to do it. One big fat quince has dropped to the ground.

The succulents are doing well. There are small ones appearing everywhere. I need to move some of them as they are in the wrong places.

I have moved the two cactus. I know that they are Euphorbium but Ian bought them as he wanted cactus. And they do look greatagainst the White wall of the house. .

You can tell we have had rain. These have suddenly unfurled from the tight coisednuo balls they were on our last trip. Looking glorious and majestic in the border. Not likethe aliens they looked like before.

I’m seeing new cactus I haven’t noticed before.

A view of the border at the back of the house. It’s pretty steep.

All of a sudden there are plants appearing in the garden. That’s the joy of a new garden. You never know until you get to the end of the first year what you will find.

I’m very excited with the bird of paradise plants. We had some flowers in the summer but they seem to have gone mad.

There are a number scattered around the garden. One in a pot. Most have their Autumn flower spikes. The one at the side of the house strategically placed outside the bathroom window has theee large flower spikes forming. The one in the pot has three as well. And the ones in the flower bed have another three between them. To be honest. I wasn’t expecting that. But they are fab.

The good old lantana continues in the rear bed to give some welcome colour. The one in a pot had suffered a bit but has been cut right back and is sprouting new growth already. I have a policy of hack back and wish for the best. If it works. Bingo if not then there’s a shopping opportunity. Talking of which.

I called into the garden centre last week on my way into Malaga. . And ordered a load of plants for collecting later in the week. Which I did. And filled the car. Can’t you tell Ian wasn’t here. He would have said ‘do you need all of those plants’. Yes. I do. And more.

Some new lavender. Verbascum. Plectranthus. A plant whose leaves and flowers smell like popcorn. It really does. Senna didymobotrya. Oh and like so many of the Mediterranean plants is poisonous. Probably that’s what I rubbed into my eye!

I have cut back some of the lavender not being brave enough to do it all. I have replanted some slightly lower on one side of the bed so the lights to the gates shine a bit brighter for now. Yes I know. I should have taken the hose away to get the perfect picture. But it’s not perfect. The garden the blog the pictures are all a work in progress!!

There is still plenty to do. But it hasn’t all been gardening. We have had friends staying. Which means trips out. To the Alhambra. To the coast. To eat.

We made our third visit to the Alhambra

The gardens are going over but there is still some great colour.

Oh. It’s November. The mornings are chilly admittedly. But when the suns out it’s glorious. So you need a trip to the coast. And we made a few. Nerja. Torre de Mar. For lunch. For a walk.

Trips to the Coast – Nerja & Torre Del Mar

So Ian and the visitors leave today. I have one full day left on my own in the garden. To move the prunings from the pomegranate. The lavender. To plant the rest of the alliums. To go collect the tulips I have ordered for the pots. Ready to be planted on the next visit. To hide them in the fridge from Ian to give them a cold snap before I plant.

It’s getting colder. We had our first log fire in the new house on Saturday I’m sure there will be more when I’m back. In 12 days time!

Posted on October 9, 2017March 27, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 8 Comments

Gardens. A palace and a celebration.

Autumn weekends can be so lovely. This weekend was one of them. As a birthday – not just a big birthday – a massive birthday treat I was taken to Oxford for the weekend by two of my closest friends.

Lunch at a mighty fine hotel, a day at Blenheim Palace and then supper with more friends in Woodstock.

Yes. Woodstock. And yes. The friends I went with soon got feed up with my childish comment ‘ you do know ‘ I’d say ‘ by the time we get to Woodstock there will be half a million strong’ …. it wore thin after a while. Unlike me.

Lunch was amazing. Glorious food. Plenty of wine. Too much cheese. Can you have too much? Yes. Definetly. The need for a walk around the garden after lunch at Le Manoir.

It’s interesting to see how the gardens at hotels with restaurants work. Here there is a glorious kitchen garden – an amazing array of veg which is used in the kitchens. Together with flower beds and lavender paths. I’m glad to say that my lavender paths in Spain could compete. They have trimmed theirs back which I will do when I am back in Spain in two weeks time.

The greenhouses are open where you can wander in and look around. What I loved as well is that most things are labelled clearly so you know what you are looking at. A bonus for a novice gardener like me.

There were some pretty interesting things around. I had never seen snake gourds before. These ones hanging down from the greenhouse roof like well. Snakes. I hate snakes. Though at first I thought they were cucumbers. But. They were clearly labelled!

There was a great display of gourds and chillis in the garden teaching space. Amazing colours. Great shapes.

The flower beds were interesting too. We had missed the best as you’d expect as Autumn falls. But there were still some intersting plants and grasses flowering. We didn’t fully explore the gardens to be fair but what we saw was great. An excuse to go back? A long wait until my next significant birthday.

It was a great contrast of a weekend. Lunch at a 2 Michelin star restaurant and breakfast at a Premier Inn.

A short drive after breakfast to Blenheim Palace. An imposing palace – birthplace of Winston Churchill and where he proposed to his wife. At this time of year the rooms on view of the palace are limited – in summer you can also view the private space. I will be back. I’m nosey. But the rooms are glorious. The artwork amazing. But I wouldn’t want their heating bills.

The estate is huge – great trees, huge massive trunks that look like feet, a rose garden, the Churchill memorial garden. A massive lake. I imagine the rose garden in full bloom is awesome. Planted with just a few varieties. Iceberg. Peace. Royal William. A pink I didn’t get the name of. The first two grown in my parents garden in the 70s. Not these roses obviously. But they grew these varieties. I suspect that the ones here weren’t bought at Woolworths gardening section though.

My mother would have had a field day. I’ve mentioned before. She was an avid deadheader. She would have been in her element. I know it’s the end of the season but there were a lot of buds still there and if the frost stays away … at some point I guess they will need to refresh the beds. A lot of dead wood. Hopefully the pruning will cut it all back.

It was a glorious walk around the Estate. A massive Estate. Amazing vistas. Awesome trees. Water. Wildlife. Tourists!

The feeling of a great TV blockbuster drama unfolding as you walked around. The boat house. The lake. But I wasn’t about to do a Mr Darcy and emerge from the lake all moody. And wet. I don’t do wet. I’m someone who has to change his swimming trunks as soon as I get out of the pool. I can be moody. But not in a Mr Darcy way. I guess more Grumoy than D’Arcy.

These were great big pots. Filled with black grass. As a friend on Instagram said ‘ I’m not sure about these. Look a bit like toupees’ – looking at them again. She’s right! But they did look great and I guess are pretty easy to manage.
Autumn is here. The leaves are turning. The colours are fab on the trees. Leaves are on the ground. For now. Crisp. Dry. Gorgeous.

By the time we got to Woodstock – I didn’t say it again. Honest. I won’t say it now.

Posted on September 29, 2017March 10, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 7 Comments

Have I told you I’m retired.

Have I told you I’m retired. Oh. Yes I guess I have. A lot. It’s approaching two years now. Two whole years. I am still getting asked. Aren’t you bored yet? I always give the same answer. Bored. Bored? Only with being asked that question.

I have lists to get through. Lists given to me by Ian. Some things I have ticked off. Some still remain after two years. Like the loft. My theory is if it’s waited 15 years what’s another two. I have gardens to see. Workshops to do. Galleries to peruse. Oh. And add in a few trips to Andalucia. New plants and bulbs to purchase.

I agreed, with myself admittedly, that I would have one day off a week. One day where it was all about me. Ian would say what’s different to the other 6. But I wanted a day where I could do what I liked. No home duties. No shopping. Just a me day. Admittedly some weeks I have two. This week was one of those weeks. Ok some weeks I have seven. Especially when I’m in the garden in Spain.

I have had a a busy one. Involving gardens. A museum. A theatre visit. Making the most of a bit of late sun. In London.

Yesterday was a good day. Starting in Blackheath with a pretty good bacon sarnie, a bus ride across the heath and down into Greenwich. It’s pretty surprising what you find when you have a bit of a wander. Aimlessly with you camera. And no sense of purpose.

Having left Ian at the station I wandered along to the river. I used to cycle to Greenwich on my way to the office. Admittedly it was in a previous decade or two. I know that as at that stage I could and did wear Lycra. So in some ways I was retracing old steps. This time not in Lycra. It wasn’t a pretty sight then. It would be shocking now.

I used to go through the foot tunnel which is adjacent to the river. I was surprised yet delighted to find a small patch of planting close to the entrance to the tunnel. Even more surprised that it was not your usual planting , not the odd geranium here and there and bedding plants. Now. There’s nothing wrong with that combination. Planting is important. Of all kinds. But it’s great to find something different.

Having the Piet Oudolf garden near us in Somerset has made me a fan of this style of planting. But for me it’s great in summer and Autumn. I’m not a Winter or spring fan of prairie. Give me lots of Spring bulbs. Daffs. Bluebells. Tulips.

I love the effect of the planting against the harsh concrete and glass in the distance of Canary Wharf. Continuing colour into Autumn. With the drying seed heads. Canary Wharf. The destination of my cycle rides. My work destination for 28 years. Now tthe cycle rides are qin the dim and distant past. In later years I drove. Not through this tunnel of course. But through a different one.

My destination of the day was the Sky Garden at the Walkie Talkie building Fenchurch street. But before my allocated slot I had a bit of time to kill so I had a wander. It’s easy to walk around London when you live here with your eyes closed and miss the things that are around you. To take things for granted. Like the phone box and post box combination. Typically British. Very nostalgic. Since retiring I have had the opportunity to wander. Aimlessly and often. Here and there. There and here. Wherever here or there is at any given time!

I had wanted to go the Sky Garden for a long time. But for whatever reason I hadn’t managed to get a ticket. It’s free but you have to book a time and they only come in two week booking slots. I had booked for last Friday but somehow failed to get into town in time. Luckily you can change the time and day online and I was determined to get there. So I took the boat. From Greenwich to Tower Hill. The brilliant Thames Clipper. When I first started work in Canary Wharf decades ago I used to travel from Embankment to Canary Wharf on the original river taxis. It was the old days and traffic was light. There was a large boat. And a 12 seater which sometimes we were allowed to board. Things are different these days. A fabulous service where you can get a drink on board too! A great way to see the river frontage enroute up the Thames.

I digress. Which I do a lot. So to the Sky Garden. Situated on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street.

Yes there is a queue for the timed entries. Yes there is airport security as you enter. But boy it’s worth it.

The views from the viewing platform and from inside the building are stunning. London sights. St Paul’s. The Tower. London Bridge station. The London eye.

There is a great cafe with some awesome cakes. Hot coffee. Suitable for all the gardening fraternity who seem to like a bit of cake. Me included.

The planting is interesting. People know I am a bit of a fan of tree ferns. Of Agaves. Succulents. There are plenty here amongst a lot of good planting.

I loved seeing a couple of pearly / foxtail agaves which we have in our garden in Andalucia.

The tree ferns were pretty spectacular too and there were a lot.

I had been to the Crossrail roof garden the week before ( yep on another day off). I love that garden. The major difference to me is that there you walk through the garden. At the Sky garden you walk around the periphary. The planting hangs down two sides and you walk around it. And look up to it. Does that make sense? It somehow feels that you are part of the planting at Crossrail and they have some cool information boards on the planting.

The Sky Garden is a great space and I wonder how the garden will evolve. It’s an oasis in the city and worth a visit for sure. For me the views take over from the garden as they are spectacular. I found the garden secondary to the views.

It’s amazing what you can see from 35 floors up. These are two fabulous looking roof gardens on city of London rooftops. I have no idea of whose buildings they are but it’s great to see the diversity and greenery in the city. You would and do walk past these buildings with no idea what’s above you.

You often don’t realise how green the city is. Greenery splashed wherever you look.

So. It was last week but I’ll include some pics of Crossrail place roof garden. It’s an amazing quiet space in the hustle and bustle of Canary Wharf. Canary Wharf is an amazing place. Yes. Concrete. Glass. But tee are some wonderful,diversions. Green spaces. Art. Sculpture. They do a great guide to Art on the Estate

There are a lot of green spaces around the Canary Wharf estate beautifully maintained and an oasis. It’s definetly worth a visit. Despite having worked on the Wharf for 28 years I am still a huge fan!

Earlier in the week I had wandered into the Wallace Collection A free entry museum in Marylebone. An excellent collection and a fabulous gallery. As usual I found a flowery picture to send to My friend Georgie Newberry

A nice autumnal painting by a Dutch artist.

Next weeks another week. And another garden. We are off to Blenheim Palace. With my camera of course…..