An Algarve Garden 2020

Catching up with the month's activities ...

Have been sowing some climber seeds in the planters for the trellises and just tidying things on the Front of Casa Patio.









T'other Half couldn't get matching trellis to do the right-hand side so got two pieces of cheapo (10 Euros each) and hopefully it will be covered by Spring.

I will be honest ... I didn't do anything but direct and let T'other Half do the heavy work. Continuing with the Front of Casa Patio, he gravelled the end to the lane ...



I removed a not-so-attractive Bonsai Bougainvillea and replaced it with a new one ...

 

Awesome images Victoria,..love all the blooms and the effect simple Trellis can make in stopping ones view,.. then looking further beyond.
Lovely to see and almost feel the sunny areas in the pictures,..you certainly capture the Med and the blue skies

 

@glengarry23

Thank you Philip. That area behind the trellis was a 'nothing' space with old water butt, air/heat unit, old pots etc, so now it is opened up with the cutback and rockery in view which I will work on. Here it was some years ago ...



The Osteo roots are still there and have put a Felicia in. In the pot at the end (with bottom removed) are self-seeded Myoporum which is used as an evergreen hedge here but I let mine grow to a tree. We will keep this one to the 'hitching post' height to give privacy from the lane.

This is Mama tree on the right ...

 

@Victoria ,..good cover,..do you get many people walking past?

 

We have the farmer across the lane and his/their (he lives with Mai and Pai) land goes around the back of ours with the lane in between. The lane behind is on our Deed but says we must allow donkeys and people on foot ... but of course that is cars now. The farmer Antonio goes up and down on either his tractor, car, motorcycle, small van or large van but only a couple of times a day and at 4am a few times a week It is a one-lane dirt track 200 meters to the road and a dead end the other so no roaming traffic. It has a No Through sign at the road. There are two houses further along but they normally only go in and out once a day for work. I just like privacy.

This is our lane and our gates to the right, Antonio's land o the left ...



This is the side of our house with the lane turning behind us, Antonio's entrance to the right, his land behind us ...


We park one car by the firewood but normally have both inside the gates.

 

@Victoria ,

Interesting what happens traffic wise ,..how it progresses from Donkeys and people on foot to almost everything else,..its like that saying,..give them an inch and they will take a foot,..still if one can live with it and it doesn't do your head in,..you have a beautiful location,..with a good stock of firewood

 

A few more November pics.






Jacaranda and Oleander thriving after hard cutback in September ...



Bougainvillea over gate going into Almond tree ...



Bougainvillea and Tecomaria in Almond tree ...



The new kitchen bench which will be painted dark green.


Tecomaria on kitchen patio ... in pot on right side of kitchen bench.

 

Had a guy (friend) around this morning to quote for an "alpendre" (portico) on the front of the house. We have had a fixed shade (well, several) for years but the last storms ripped the current one, so time for a proper one like we had put over the kitchen door some years ten ago.

Kitchen Door to left, Front Door to right (both same side of house) ...



It will go across to electricity box on wall ...



Rubbish bin does not live there ... it has potting compost in it as I am working on pots in front of the house.

 

@Victoria ,

Here's hoping your quote for a "alpendre",..will be reasonable,..it will look well there and be of great use.

Lovely images you posted in your previous post,..my doesn't your trees cut back in September look healthy and grew fast,..ah nice kitchen bench with cat included,..blue looks nice for your very sunny location,..though perhaps green is more of a garden blend

 

Sitting on the new kitchen patio bench after lunch ...

Podranea ricasoliana over outdoor living room doorway ...



Bamboo (can't remember which one) ...



Nasturtium come back from last year and Black Geranium seeded earlier this year ...



Looking down the garden path ...

 

Beautiful Vicky, so peaceful and...warm looking. Are you sitting on your new bench? Does that mean that the Furballs are allowing you to!!

A Black Geranium !! Sounds interesting, off to Google it now.

 

Ok ,just been having a browse....are the flowers black or the foliage please Vicky. Yours looks to have green leaves I think, but maybe they can change colour as they age.
Black can often mean a very dark deep red or purple too ,so I've found out.

 

@Victoria ,..makes one envious looking at those blooms and the sun beaming on them,..not forgetting sitting on that bench and feeling the heat while sipping something

I had a Chocolate Coloured Geranium some time back,..its foliage was very dark,..sadly it passed away,..if my memory is correct i also had one with Chocolate Blooms,..must check on the latter

 

Went back and found my order and it says Black Rose and this is the picture ...



... not very black at all! I wonder how my rare Yellow Custard Cream ones will look?



I only got 20 seeds of each.

 

I have a few 'black' plants and as I mentioned in my earlier post they turned out dark red or even a very dark purple.

This one is the nearest I've got.Dianthus barbatus nigrescens 'Sooty' seeds | Thompson & Morgan


Your Black Rose is very pretty though Fingers crossed for your Custard Creams as well.