Sunday, June 23, 2013

Bridge

A pretty bridge over the Arade River, Portimao (Western Algarve):

Old bridge over the Arade River, Algarve

There are actually three bridges in this area. When I took the photo below I was standing on one of those bridges and you can see the other two in the distance.

Bridges over the Arade River, Algarve

This is my contribution to Jake's Sunday post challenge.

I like the way they painted that bridge blue and yellow. What about you?



Monday, June 17, 2013

Cee's Fun Foto Challenge: Signs

Sign to Purgatory


There is a little place in the Algarve that is called Purgatório, "Purgatory" in English. If you visit the village of Paderne, you are sure to go through Purgatory!

Sign: leaving Purgatory

This is my more-than-a-month-late entry for Cee's Fun Foto Challenge. I hope you like it.

Oh, I've updated Cee's link.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - June 2013

Welcome again to my garden in the Algarve, southern Portugal (hardiness zone 10).

It's spring here but the weather is still strange - cool, grey and windy, then suddenly sunny and very hot, then windy again - in other words: extremely unstable. Those who came down on the long weekend for some relaxation at the beach were sorely disappointed, I'm afraid.

Curry plant
As I mentioned last month, after reducing the front lawn, I'm turning my attention to the back patio area. In this picture you can just make out the barbecue behind the huge planter that has a small tangerine tree and a big curry plant in flower. I love its fragrance!. Around the barbecue there are some newly added pots of very resistant plants to brighten up this space. Just to the left is an old tangerine tree where my geraniums are blooming like crazy.

Red geranium
The geraniums are doing so well, you can hardly make out the tangerine tree!
 By the kitchen window I have some yellow lilies.

Yellow lily

At the other end of the patio stands the lemon tree. I thought I was going to lose it to the mealie bugs, but it seems to be surviving.

Lemon tree



By the carport I have this bush creating dappled shade:

Blue shade


At the front, the roses are doing well.

Yellow and white roses

I particularly like this white rose, which has a soft pink centre.

White rose

These red ones don't last very long under the midday sun. Whenever I'm home at that time of day I open up an umbrella over them!


This was bought as a yellow rose, and the flowers were yellow... the first year, that is. Now they are this colour. I'm not complaining but why does that happen?

Orange rose

One oleander is in bloom. The others will follow soon.

Pale pink oleander

The bougainvillea continues to bloom.

Wine bougainvillea

This plant appeared here and I decided to wait and see. It doesn't smell as strong as my curry plant but I believe it is a wild variety. I'm happy to let it stay.

Wild curry plant

My white agapanthus have started to flower and I hope to have some blooms of the blue variety soon.

white agapanthus


And now for my lavenders. I have five different ones. One provides pretty, grey, sweet-smelling and long-lasting foliage for flower arrangements, as I have discovered recently by accident.

lavender and oleander

The one above has been here the longest and blooms just about all year round, in the corner by the red oleander. (The orange flowers in the background are from a creeper in the neighbour's garden.)

lovely lavender

This is a lavender I bought as a tiny plant two years ago. Now it's the focal point of the garden, attracting butterflies and bees. I love it!


I hope you have enjoyed visiting my garden. Do come back again. In the meantime, visit Carol, the host of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, at May Dreams Garden.




Sunday, June 9, 2013

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Perspective

I'm a bit frightened of nervous horses, so from my perspective I was a bit too close for comfort when I took this photo.

The queen: medieval fair 2012
Medieval fair procession through a narrow street, Santa Maria da Feira - 2012

This is my (late) entry for Jake's Sunday Post.




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