Deep in thought with my latest gardening challenges, thrips and leaf miners, I walked towards the garage to check the various potions I had in stock. As I passed the cars I sensed movement in the front garden bed. I froze; we suspect a rat has recently taken up residence in our garden as a... Continue Reading →
Wildflowers – Malcolmia Littorea (Sand Stock)
or Goivinho-da-praia in Portuguese. Malcolmia Littirea grows on the west coast of Portugal and flowers from February to July. I never realised they were related to Virginia Stock which I use to grow in my garden in the UK until I conducted some research to identify them. I seem to remember they had an amazing... Continue Reading →
Wildflowers: Lotus Creticus (Southern Bird’s Foot Trefoil)
Lotus Creticus - Southern Bird's Foot Trefoil I have photographed the Southern Bird's Foot Trefoil, also known as the Trevo-de-Creta, in flower from November through to February and it is still flowering into March. It grows in gravel, in the crevices of pathways, and on the cliff tops near our house in the Western Algarve.... Continue Reading →
Wildflowers: Fumaria officinalis
Also known as : common ramping-fumitory Fumaria is a genus of about 60 species of annual flowering plants in the family Papaveraceae. The genus is native to Europe, Africa and Asia, most diverse in the Mediterranean region, and introduced to North, South America and Australia. Fumaria species are sometimes used in herbal medicine Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumaria_officinalis... Continue Reading →
Wildflowers: Bermuda Buttercup
As I enjoy taking photographs of nature I decided to create a MEME called #WildWednesday. Every Wednesday I will be sharing a photograph of wild flora or fauna in my local area. Who will join me? How it works: Simply post a photograph to your blog with some relevant blurb if possible. Include the words... Continue Reading →
Why you should ALWAYS wear gloves when gardening in Portugal!
I usually always wear gloves when I'm gardening because of all the little beasties lurking in the soil or on the leaves of my plants. Guess what? On this occasion I got sloppy and I put my naked hands into my strawberry bed to do some weeding. I saw something lurking among the dead leaves... Continue Reading →
10 Useful Facts About The Carob Tree (Árvore de Alfarrobeiras)
Or should this be "10 useful facts I did not know about the Carob tree"? Lacking inspiration for this week's Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge - theme: "Growth" , I stumbled across this picture of an old Carob tree (Árvore de alfarrobeiras). I'd taken the picture on our first geo-cache expedition and according to the accompanying blurb about... Continue Reading →