I love my garden! At this time of year we are all enjoying our gardens and in Spain particularly. The weather is lovely, warm but not hot. The countryside is green and vibrant, the trees and vines are beginning to leaf. We are lucky enough live in the countryside just outside of the town of Pinoso. The views are of the olive trees and the pine clad hills.
We spend most of our time in the garden, from breakfast through to the evening. The patio is our living room where we relax, talk, read, watch the geckos and listen to the sounds of the cicadas.
I’ve never been a gardener and my husband does most of the work but here are some things I’ve learned and photos of the garden.
If the courtyard garden is sunny and sheltered it will be ideal for Oranges and Lemons. They don’t grow easily in this part of Spain.
Fig trees are so easy to keep and give an abundance of figs, I stew them and freeze to use throughout the year. The fig tree has lovely big leaves which can provide shade for flowering plants.
Flowering plants really need shade a some point in the day or they will wither in the hot sun, no matter how much you water them.
The cheaper plants are hardy and grow like weeds. Oleander, Yuka, Washington Palm, Rosemary. They hardly need any water once they are established.
A raised bed for herbs and vegetables is lovely next to the house. Then I remember to water them.
The pink flowering plant with lush green leaves in the photos is locally called Torrevieja weed. If you break a piece of and put it in the ground, it will grow. It spreads rapidly and is good for covering the ground and keeping out the weeds.
Different shaped plant pots grouped together give more impact than single pots.
Lavender soon spreads and flowers most of the year. It smells gorgeous.
When the perfumed Jasmine finds a location it likes, it grows and grows. It likes full sun and something to climb on.
Fruit trees are very cheap to buy, a 6 foot cherry, peach or apricot costs 6 or 7 euros. These were planted just 18 months ago. The trees are related to the almond trees. They are all farmed here. The blossom in February is absolutely stunning!.
