An Algarve Garden 2020

Our friend Andy who is going to do our Alpendre contacted and said one of his sons has been in contact with a friend who has tested positive for the virus so now all the family has to be tested. He wore a mask the entire time here and he and T'other Half did not shake hands. I never went outside.

So, looks like a delay possibly in the offing.

 

Oh ,that's a real shame. Best to keep safe. It's good that he's not actually made a start yet, nothing worse than a job half done hanging around. Hope the family will be OK.

 

Haven't posted for eons .. hope you're well Victoria! Just been looking through the pictures.. love all the plants you're growing there, they are doing well! I try to also grow some of those plants too, but in our less desirable climate

I imagine the perfume of the Citrus on the street is amazing when in flower.

I'm planting Yuzu on my allotment next year, maybe I can experience a bit of that!

 

@stephenprudence
Funny Stephen I was thinking of you recently and will catch up shortly.

Everything is doing amazing since the massacre and now we are having our desperately needed rain and boy do things grow quickly ... unfortunately so does the Oxalis pes caprae which at the moment is looking like everywhere (the countryside not just here in the garden) looks like grass is everywhere, very pretty but ...

I had to look up Yuzu. Sounds interesting but not sure of the sourness/bitterness. I love Tangerines and they are ripe for picking on the lane across from our gates. Although the Encore Oranges around us bloom/fruit at the same time the main season for scent is March-May and the air can be quite heady and fills the cottage.

Thank you for stopping by and I will catch up with you soon.

 

Good news our friend Andy's son tested negative.

Bad news is there will be a hold up on the alpendre. Andy spoke to his timber dealer and it has been decided our walls which are 60cm thick clay with stones in it will not take the weight of six meters of terracotta tiles without vertical supports. They could be installed in the French drain running the length of the patio but I would want Eucalyptus beams and not concrete posts. They could possibly do it without vertical supports and use lightweight artificial tiles. Back to the drawing board.

The kitchen where the other one is over the door is the old donkey shed therefore only a standard brick wall.

 

Embrace the green I guess! It'll be gone next summer as given the seasonal Mediterranean climate.

Yes Yuzu, in my allotment it's the only variety I can grow due to the clay soil and the slightly colder that surrounding areas. Makes good juice apparently though.. we'll see. However I have taken the voluntary position in our parks planting scheme, and well the soil and climate are top notch for UK. We grow Mandarin there and even Strawberry Guava!

We will indeed catch up soon!

 

The last for November ... here are a couple from this morning ...

Strelitzia regina (Bird of Paradise) with Viburnum budding behind ...





Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia) blooming and will continue to February , with Brugmansia re-blooming ...

 

A few photos for the beginning of December.

The Almond and Jacaranda tree recouperating from their cutback in September and the Bougainvillea filling out over the gate.