A Creative Spirit
Nothing much at the moment because I've not got my butt into gear. No, seriously. There are plenty of brassicas, onions, carrots, etc, for sale at the local monthly market, but after the drought last summer, I've decided to restrict what I grow. The caterpillar, slug and snail population only munch their way through any... Continue Reading →
For this week's Six on Saturday, I was torn between featuring my bedraggled vegetables or happy flowers. I chose the latter. We have enjoyed a mixed bag of weather, from strong winds to rain, thunderstorms, and night-time temperatures dropping to around 6C, far lower in the valley. Cyclamen I have been so delighted with the... Continue Reading →
Rain, glorious rain, but not when you are tasked with producing a display for the In a Vase on Monday member organised by Rambling in the Garden. This morning, during a brief respite, I dashed into the garden and grabbed a handful of foliage, some Bermuda buttercups, three dead succulent flowers, and some bottle brush.... Continue Reading →
For this week's Six on Saturday, I decided to focus on some plants growing in the bed on the east side of the house. The bed is a challenge because everything I attempt to grow has to compete with the thirsty roots of the melaleuca hedge. The hedge man also needs easy access to cut... Continue Reading →
For my Six on Saturday this week, I share my newly acquired passion for air plants and bromeliads. I've wanted to expand our collection of bromeliads and air plants (tillandsias) for some time so last Sunday, we went to the Autumn Mediterranean Garden Fair in Lagoa. I love these plants, and so does Mr P.... Continue Reading →
For my Six on Saturday gardening update this week, I've put the job list on hold for a week to give poor Mr. Piglet time to recover. Today, I focus on Piglet's Plot and what's happening (or not) in the vegetable area. I am pleased to report we've had a lot of heavy showers this... Continue Reading →
As we move into September, reviewing pictures of my vegetable garden diary from previous years has highlighted that growing certain crops is a waste of time, energy, and expense, and that's before I factor in the stress factor. https://pigletinportugal.com/2012/10/08/portugal-growing-fruit-and-vegetables-september/ I know I am stubborn, and apparently, God loves a trier, but sometimes you just have... Continue Reading →
GUTTED! During our family's visit, I neglected our vegetable patch, only to discover that my prized tomato plants had contracted the tomato equivalent of the Bubonic plague—LATE BLIGHT! I am not surprised. Over the last month, we have been enveloped in sea mist at some point most days, so the humidity has been very high.... Continue Reading →
This week's coffee share comes from a cafe on the promenade overlooking Praia da Luz. As I sip on my coffee and stare out to sea across the beautiful sandy beach, I reflect on the last week. I can honestly say my days are never mundane; boredom does not feature in my vocabulary, and I... Continue Reading →
Thanks to the weather, I lost my momentum in the garden this week. I now understand how the UK gardeners struggle when they experience weeks of rain. The drought here continues, and I have just been alerted that we are in an area of maximum fire risk. In fact, there was a fire very close... Continue Reading →
This week, the weather in our corner of the Western Algarve has been mixed. There has been sea mist and temperatures varying from between 20 to 34C, but there has been no rain. It's only a quick six this week. Breakfast Patio Trying to revamp the back northeast-facing patio to catch the morning sun in... Continue Reading →
We returned home from France to damp and humid weather. When I woke up the following day, this is the view I was greeted with. I initially cheered because I thought it was raining. Nope, we were enveloped in a cloud! Sea mist. We often experience this in July and August as we live so... Continue Reading →
For this week's Six on Saturday, I focus on some of the fruit and vegetables we grow in pots with varying degrees of success. Growing fruit and vegetables or indeed any plants in containers, creates various challenges, which include: Too much water or not enough: I use a moisture meter because often the top couple... Continue Reading →
Mr. Piglet wanted a new garden project, so I set him to work making a birdhouse. It's too late for this Spring, but the house will be ready for Autumn once the male birds start house hunting. I'd seen so many variations on YouTube I finally decided to use the dimensions on the http://www.rspb.co.uk https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities/build-a-birdbox... Continue Reading →
For this week's Six on Saturday, I decided to focus on some of my motley selection of vegetables. Once again I have the same problem with yellowing leaves. Too much or not enough water or is it nutrients? 1. Tomatoes The Black Tula (beefsteak) tomatoes have finally started to grow. A fellow gardener in France... Continue Reading →
For this week's Six on Saturday, I was going to write about vegetables, but when I strolled out into the garden to photograph my motley selection, I was struck by the array of flowers in bloom, basking in the May sunshine. Coleus Neochilus I love this plant! Apparently, it repels mosquitoes Coleus neochilus Coleus neochilus,... Continue Reading →
I am addicted to succulents and committed to creating a drought-tolerant garden, which is just as well because we will have a hosepipe ban this summer. The drought situation is critical, and restrictions are already in place in the Eastern Algarve. Let's just hope all the tourists who arrive in their hoards this summer refrain... Continue Reading →
This week has proved to be one of the busiest in the garden so far this year. I had (and still have) so much to do that I don't know where to start. I feel like I'm spinning on the spot. Everything needs my attention, and it needs it now, which often sees me start... Continue Reading →
Vertical planters are a great way to grow a lot of fruit and veg in a limited space. The perfect solution for small suburban gardens and apartments with a small balcony. After checking out vertical strawberry planters for sale on Amazon and further research on YouTube, we decided to make our own. We'd bought the... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 