time to garden...

After a week of stormy weather, the sun is  here to stay, hopefully.. We took the chance and went to the garden center to get some newbies... 

A few pink geraniums were repotted to clay pots which by now have gotten the nice patina after a long winter.... oh gosh, it has been really a long endless winter!

The daffodils bloomed and opened -up its buds despite the cold weather. Actually, almost all were destroyed by the slugs last year.

Our top terrace has been converted into what I call my "oasis", it´s where all my container plants are placed.. I´m avoiding to plant anything edible in my backyard as cats (5 of them) of my neighbours sometimes visit us .. and then, there are the slugs which are really causing a big problem because they destroy all the flowering plants that I have in the backyard... I intend to hang all my flowering pots so the slugs won´t reach those, hmmmmm!

There were vegetable newbies included in our buying plan.. especially the sweet bell pepper, the eggplant and zucchini as well as the salad greens  and I still have seeds that my brother sent me...

I would have to put my salad greens in my cracker containers, they are so practical to use... I used them so often and the greens grew in there wonderfully.

The tulips were planted last Autumn, they are of one variety and one color,I think pink...am excited to see the flowers coming out. Their stems are a bit sensible and they easily break, to date I already had 10 broken ones!

I decided to buy a fence so the cats wouldn´t go in between the stems and break them... My neighbour on our left has a black cat named Geisha(age 3) and her opponent is Luna (age 10) whose owners are on the right house... My backyard is the place where each of them claims to have their territory and they always fight for supremacy.

The fence is low,  but it fits perfectly to protect the tulips.

Last year, when we had our vacation and left for Spain... I was unhappy to have left Ako´s yellow roses before they bloomed... There were clusters of  around a hundred buds and I was sure they bloomed beautifully. When I came back, they have dried already.. So this photo of the rose bush above , would hopefully carry so much buds! Cross your fingers for me!

I planted this peony last year and it´s now coming out...the second one is planted upstairs in a container and am wishng to see a flower soon.

We cut the forsythia too short last year and we have expected that they won´t have flowers this season. Well, there´s still hope for next season, right?

This bird´s feeder is practical as the contents are protected from the weather...

I guess, this ball is not that good! We didn´t see any of our friends enjoying its content.

A new life !!!

This rose arch was put together by hubby yesterday... Of course I helped but  it´s again those bendings that make the DIY job more difficult...oh well, the age , the age!!!

And finally, remember the spanish amaryllis from Spain? Look (!), it´s blooming again...

Hope your weekend is as sunny as mine... Happy Saturday, see you around!

xoxo,

Mercy

the mediterranean garden of my german girlfriend

My german girlfriend in Andalucia, Southern Spain is a passionate gardener.  She and her hubby bought their property a year before we bought ours. This garden was set up in such a way that it´s easier to maintain.

This garden has varieties of cacti or cactuses as well as different kinds of aloe vera, agaves and most of those plants that love the mediterranean climate such as oleander and bougainvillea.

When her husband was still alive, she used to have so many flowering plants that her garden space of around 1000 sqm is almost used-up.

There is a water tank that gathers the rain and the accumulated water was being used for watering their garden. Water in Spain is so costly, so the watering system they developed somehow reduced their monthly bill.

Her husband, a very industious man passed away a couple of years ago ... now, she has reduced the plants/trees turning it into a low maintenance garden, literally speaking ...almost maintenance free!

We were invited to her house for a coffee and I took the chance to take photos of her beautiful paradise..... 

The garden has a fantastic view towards the mountain and sea. In winter, the peak of that mountain is fully covered with snow. Behind the mountain is the Sierra Nevada and the province of Granada.

The view towards the sea is so breathtaking!

I hope you have enjoyed the pics and the view.

Til next,

Mercy