An Algarve Garden

Hi, folks! Thought I'd share a few photos with you of how my farmworkers' cottage garden is progressing.

This is when we bought it in 1997 - open with no shade at all!



This almond tree on the right was the only living thing on the property with redeeming value.



The deck, built on top of an outside living room (once a chicken pen) is for the evenings and cooler weather only!





Here I'm in the dining area looking toward the house.

I hope you enjoy the viewing!

Tchau!




Another shady spot to relax in.

 

Almonds yummy, looks fantastic LoL, love the view from your raised deck. Whats the tree through the wooden arch looks tropical :D

And is that a crop you overlook from the deck ?

BM

 

Unfortunately they are bitter almonds, probably used for marzipan. Shame, I LOVE almonds! I have a piccie somewhere of it in bloom so will send along sometime.

The tree through the arch is a Jacaranda, still in bloom now and has been since mid-April. There are two Brugmansias in pots under it, a white and a pink. The pink has had one bloom and lots more coming but nothing happening on the white one! Any clues as to why?

The "crop" are orange groves. If you look closely at the tree behind the shed (the last photo) you can see some oranges. They haven't picked the first crop of the year yet and the second is developing (already flowered). We don't own the orchards. It is my ideal house ... an old cottage in the middle of the orchards but someone else owns them (ie, and has to maintain them). Needless to say, there is no shortage of OJ in this household! There are also plum, nespera, apple and lemon trees lining the lane, along with grape vines! We also have a lime tree.

 

Its very pretty and all looks so natural.

 

Very nice L of L, your own bit of paradise eh.
Like the looks of that winding track, or is that the main road?

 

How nice is that, fresh oranges on your doorstep, brilliant. :eek:

 

Thanks Waco, Pete and BM. Yes, we think it's paradise too. The winding track is the lane to our house (our gates and wall we had installed) on the right, and on to four further properties (all Portuguese). The lane is about 200 metres long and going to the "main road", ha, ha, a somewhat tarmaced two lane!!

It's hard going with the garden, keeping it natural but lush-looking at the same time. Gardening is mainly done in the winter when hopefully we have the rains, summertime is maintenance.

With all this solitude, we are only 20 minutes from the beach (Armacao de Pera), and 15 minutes from the second biggest shopping centre in Algarve and as of yesterday the largest DIY (opposite the shopping centre). There are loads of garden centres / nurseries as well and plants are cheap, cheap, cheap!

Here's an aerial view taken recently and you can see how big that almond tree is, about 30 feet.



[ 03. July 2006, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

Just to finish up the show ...

The pathway from the kitchen patio (the hose is now removed but was the mains water into the house), the yellow climber is an Hibbertia (Snake Vine) ...



The dining area with my artwork on the side of the shed (which I also rendered myself!) ...



The deck above the outdoor living room ...



A border at the bottom, from right to left, Callistemon viminalis, Myoporum acuminatum, Oleander (double pink), then there's a Cercis which you can't see, and then a Tecomaria and the almond tree in the background ....




Well, I won't bore you any more as there won't be anything new going on here until the rain season, should be get it in October / November.

Thanks for looking at my years of slavery!

 

I really like it L of L, I'm not a fan of the typical english garden, and yours looks different.
I even like the idea of the summer shutdown (in the garden) and the wait for the winter rains.

 

LofL That is superb,and you are certainly not boring us.

I have just returned from a hot country and I just dont know how you keep anything alive,all that heat ,so little water.
Everything does look so greeen and healthy.

How you fixed Last week in July ,first week in August...4 bus loads of GC members.....Plenty of G&T and fresh lemons from the tree?

 

LoL, I wish I had somewhere to plant out my Viminalis it's in a pot, it's 8 ft tall and two years old from a cutting and in flower now although the flowers are half their normal length.
It's the only Callistemon I know that flowers more than once a year.
I have 5 oleanders again in pots which have to be overwinterd in the polytunnel for 2/3 months(to get buds going)althogh there are some around here planted out and years old. I'll stop now as I can't see the screen properly as my eyes have gone green again! :D

 

Thanks Pete, Strong and Roders for all your lovely comments and support ... and yes, if anyone comes nearby on a holiday, there's an open door ... and a G&T or an OJ ... and obviously an inspection of the plants ..

Obrigadinahas e tchau!

 

PS My avatar is a sunset from the deck looking over the house, so that's my chimny on the right. We have fantastic sunrises / sunsets here and I feel privileged to experience them.

 

I am not suprised you call yourself "Lady Of Leisure" after all the hard work you have put into your home and garden in 9 years.

Some people can take a life time and still not achieve what you have done.

It is Beautiful, and I am a bit envious, though as Nathan says the heat would do me in as well,being Blonde and fair skinned doesn't help.

Please keep the photo's coming,they are Fantastic

Kandy