Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - March 2016

Hello,

What can I say about February? 

There were a lot of grey, wet and windy days and on the days it was sunny I was either too busy or unwell.

The garden looked terribly neglected. 

I couldn't bring myself to write a post.

The only blooms then were these hibiscus and that shrub whose name I can't remember.

March has been very windy so far but spring is definitely in the air. Today I finally ventured into the garden for a little clean-up. There are a few bald spots where the lavender and rosemary were cut back or died but come April they will be all patched up.

 

This grows wild in the countryside and is also now blooming in one of my containers while I decide the best place for it in the garden.

A little blue from my lobster plant in an otherwise patchy bed.

Last year I had to divide and repot my cymbidium orchids. I was worried that some might die or at least not flower for ages and although I did lose some I still have enough blooms to satisfy me. I even managed to get some baby plants from the back bulbs. One thing I learned from that is that it takes a whole lot of patience - it has taken almost a year for some to sprout!

Hopefully next month I will have the garden in better shape. In the meantime I'll be looking for inspiration at May Dreams Gardens where Bloom Day posts take us all over the world.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - January 2016

In November and December it rained on and off, sometimes very hard, though never as much as on the first of November, when we had flash floods in the Algarve. As a result, my back patio is covered in green, slippery moss and the front garden is very green. There are lots of weeds but very few blooms. 

If I let it, this lobster plant will take over the space left by the lavender that was removed last month.

This lavender needs cutting back or I might lose it completely, too.

This lavender is growing through the fence. It is the longest surviving lavender in my garden.

The rosemary is also brightening up the area by the gate.

And here is that plant that keeps giving (Christina asked, but I can't remember its name, sorry).

There are still some roses.

The twigs may give you an idea of the amount of work to be done asap.

Actually, as I end this post, I realise that my photos contradict my initial statement about there not being many blooms this month.

I am joining May Dreams Gardens late as has become my habit lately. If you haven't been there, have a look now.

See you next month!

 

Wishing...

... I could sit here more often.

Can you guess where "here" is?

Is it too late to wish everyone a Happy 2016? Make the best of what comes your way.

Merry Christmas!

Nativity scenes are very popular in Portugal and this year the little town of Guia, famous for its chicken piri-piri restaurants, has a very interesting one that invites you to walk along its narrow streets between two churches.

You start here, then cross the  road and walk along...

And, to the left and further up you find the second church.

 

 If you like churches, you may like to visit my Portuguese blog, where I'm going to start a Sunday post featuring churches from different parts of the country.

 

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - December 2015

After some serious hassles when my free Windows 10 update from Windows 7 malfunctioned, I'm finally back to blogging.

This is how my garden looked mid-December.

I have been careful not to show you the grass. Fortunately, the gardener has been round with his lawnmower, so it's looking OK now. I asked him to cut back my damaged lavender but, to my dismay, it had to go completely as the old woody core was rotting. I guess all good things have to end at some point...

Next time the gardener comes, he'll be pruning the roses, cutting back the other lavenders and moving some plants. I'm afraid that I no longer have the time or the energy. 

This is just one of the plants that needs to move, at least into a bigger pot.

This is is all I have time for. 

See you all in the New Year for more gardening updates from my small Algarve garden.